A career in the emergency services can have detrimental consequences on the health and wellbeing of staff, including paramedics. Ultimately this may result in poor ongoing health, quality of life, and even compromised patient care. There are a number of reasons postulated for poor health in this professional group, and they include mental health problems, sleep disturbances, poor nutrition, limited physical activity and high injury rates. Paramedics and academics Sandy and Ben bring you a presentation that focuses on the physical and metabolic effects of shift work, and the demands that are placed on paramedics everyday. Should we accept poor health as a foregone conclusion of our profession? The presenters will provide ground-breaking data from their respective PhD projects, and explore the way forward to improve our health.

Alex (Sandy) MacQuarrie is a registered paramedic and Senior Lecturer in the Griffith University School of Medicine, teaching in the Paramedicine program. Originally from Canada, he has had an interesting career in emergency services including over 20 years as a paramedic in many settings: rural, offshore and urban environments as well as a flight paramedic in the fixed wing and rotor operations. Sandy has a Bachelor of Science, Master of Business Administration and recently completed his PhD. That thesis looked at the context and correlates of paramedic health status and its effect on job performance. His passion is paramedic wellness and ensuring these health care providers are fit for duty.

Ben Meadley is an Intensive Care Flight Paramedic with Ambulance Victoria, and Adjunct Lecturer and PhD candidate at Monash University Department of Paramedicine. Been has worked as a paramedic for more than 20 years in number of Australian ambulance services. Having been involved in clinical leadership, teaching and research roles for much of the last 15 years, Ben has added to his research portfolio by turning his attention to the metabolic and physiological health of paramedics, along with analysis of task performance in specialist paramedics.

Sandy MacQuarrie is a registered paramedic and Senior Lecturer in the Griffith University School of Medicine. Ben Meadley is an Intensive Care Flight Paramedic with Ambulance Victoria, and Adjunct Lecturer and PhD candidate at Monash University.