Critical Care Summit is a biennial Australasian conference, aimed at providing targeted education and engagement for critical care practitioners, including paramedics, nurses, and emergency and retrieval physicians. The Critical Care Summit 2025 (CCS25) was hosted in Melbourne (May).
Conference theme: Mastering the essentials
Super Panel
In this dynamic closing panel, all conference presenters return to the stage to answer unanswered audience questions, reflect on key takeaways, and share their insights on the future of critical care paramedicine
Panel: Assoc Prof/Dr Gayle Christie, Assoc. Prof. David Anderson, Sarah Hirons, Elliot Long, Nick Roder, Carly Bearder.
Moderated by: Dr Ben Meadley, Director, Paramedicine Ambulance Victoria
Presenter Biographies:
- Assoc Prof/Dr Gayle Christie: UK trained FACEM with dual accreditation in Emergency and Pre-hospital Medicine, with over 20-years experience in both fields. Keen interest in trauma and many years experience working within motorsport medicine, road-based primary rapid response, HEMS and aeromedical retrieval. Self-confessed nerd and passionate advocate for paramedicine. Dedicated to developing and driving advanced career pathways for paramedics and improving the delivery of pre-hospital care to our communities through excellence in training, education and clinical standards.
- Assoc. Prof. David Anderson: David is the Medical Director of Ambulance Victoria; he is also an intensive care physician at The Alfred Hospital, and an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Paramedicine at Monash University. David worked as a paramedic in Auckland, New Zealand before completing medical training at the University of Auckland and then undertaking postgraduate training in intensive care medicine. During postgraduate training he also worked in anaesthesia, palliative medicine and prehospital and retrieval medicine in Auckland, Sydney and Toronto before settling in Melbourne. His clinical interests are prehospital and retrieval medicine, trauma critical care, resuscitation, palliative care and bioethics
- Sarah Hirons: Sarah is an intensive care flight paramedic with over 20 years of experience working across Victoria. She joined Air Ambulance Victoria in 2019, where she delivers critical care and search and rescue across the state. Combining her passion for rock climbing and the outdoors, Sarah has assisted in training new recruits in personal preservation and group survival training in austere environments. She is passionate about human factors and team work in high stress environments and the importance of remaining physically and mentally fit for longevity in prehospital care.
- Elliot Long: Associate Professor Elliot is a paediatric emergency physician at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Sepsis Team Leader at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, and the Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) network lead for the Australian and New Zealand Emergency Department Airway Registry (ANZEDAR). He has two kids and occasionally acts like one.
- Nick Roder: Nick Roder commenced paramedicine in 1991, progressing through to intensive care practice in 1996. In 2001 he joined Air Ambulance Victoria as a Flight Paramedic, undertaking aeromedical care of critical patients, along with search and rescue missions. A parallel career as an educator emerged, gaining a masters in education and exploring education in paramedicine domestically and internationally. Key interests in this field include trauma management, interhospital retrieval and the complexities of the respiratory patient. Nick is passionate about ‘safe-space’ learning, the fostering of a positive cultural environment and understanding the behaviours that support the technical skills.
- Carly Bearder: Carly is an Intensive Care Paramedic, beginning her career with Ambulance Victoria in 2011. When she’s not searching for warmer climates or exploring new areas, she also works as a Teaching Associate with Monash University and a Registered Nurse. She has a keen interest in improving the delivery of prehospital care through continued learning, self-development, research, and fostering a positive teamwork culture. Passionate about both environmental and human health, Carly is especially curious as to how we can better support both within the prehospital setting - not only to enhance performance in dynamic environments, but also to enjoy a healthier life beyond the uniform.
- Dr Ben Meadley: Dr. Ben Meadley is a paramedic and researcher with more than 27 years of experience. He serves as the Director of Paramedicine at Ambulance Victoria and holds an adjunct associate professorship at Monash University's Department of Paramedicine and the Emergency Research Unit in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. Dr. Meadley's research focuses on clinical care, paramedic health, and human performance science. Dr Meadley has spent the majority of his career working in critical care paramedicine, with 15 years as a critical care flight paramedic. In 2023, he was awarded the Ambulance Service Medal for his contributions to paramedicine, and he is a Fellow of the Australasian College of Paramedicine.
