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Practical guidance for aspiring and established clinical academic paramedics
In Research-focused Careers for Paramedics, a team of distinguished paramedic researchers provide practical guidance to support clinical academic career development. Written to support paramedics across the globe who have an interest in research, this book offers a guide through the stages of a research-focused career, from novice to expert. Supported by international case studies from 15 paramedics at various stages of their own research-focused career, this book provides real-world guidance for aspiring and established clinical academic paramedics.
Readers will find:
- Expert advice on career development, mentorship, networking and funding applications for research grants and fellowships
- Comprehensive explorations of the paramedic education systems across multiple countries
- Practical discussions of the authors’ four-stage career model of paramedic research: novice, competent, proficient, expert
- Real-world case studies shedding light on the opportunities and challenges posed by each stage of the paramedic research career model
Perfect for practicing paramedics with an interest in research, Research-focused Careers for Paramedics will also benefit students of paramedicine and researchers with a background in paramedicine.
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Seitenzahl: 268
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
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Table of Contents
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
About the Contributors
About the Editors
List of Case Study Authors
Foreword
Preface
References
Section 1: Setting the Scene for Clinical Academic Paramedics
Chapter 1: The Role and Importance of Clinical Academics in Paramedicine
What Is a Clinical Academic?
The Importance and Benefits of Clinical Academic Careers
Introducing the Clinical Academic Pathway
Challenges and Barriers to Becoming a Clinical Academic
Funding Options
Chapter Summary
References
Chapter 2: History of Ambulance Services, Paramedics, and Research in Paramedicine
Introduction
Early Beginnings and Challenges in Ambulance Services
Evolution of the Paramedic
Paramedics in Research and Academia
Chapter Summary
Conclusion
References
Further Reading
Chapter 3: Education
Introduction
Early Considerations
Bachelor’s‐Level Study
The Gap Between Bachelor‐ and Master’s‐Level Study
Master’s‐Level Study
The Gap Between Master’s‐ and Doctoral‐Level Study
Doctoral‐Level Study
Full‐Time Versus Part‐Time Study
Dealing with Difficult Times
Different Routes to the Same Destination
After the Degree
Supervising the Next Generation
Some Final Thoughts
Conclusion
References
Section 2: Career Stages and Case Study Exemplars
Chapter 4: Novice Researcher
Beginning a Career as a Novice Paramedic Researcher
Paramedics Participating in Research
Paramedics Delivering Research
Bridging Academia and Practice—Bachelor’s‐ and Master’s‐Level Education
Chapter Summary
Case Studies in Paramedic Research
References
Further Reading
Chapter 5: Competent Researcher
Defining a Competent Paramedic Researcher
Paramedics Designing Research
Paramedics Leading Research
Chapter Summary
References
Further Reading
Chapter 6: Proficient Researcher
Introduction to the Proficient Researcher Role
Transitioning from Competent to Proficient Researcher
Responsibilities of the Proficient Researcher
Frameworks for Proficiency in Research
Additional Frameworks for Understanding Proficiency in Research
Personal Attributes and Support Needs of Proficient Researchers
Chapter Summary
Case Studies
References
Further Reading
Chapter 7: Expert Researcher
What Is an Expert Paramedic Researcher?
Department Leadership
Why Is It Important to Engage with Experienced Paramedicine Researchers?
Future Direction
Chapter Summary
Case Studies
References
Section 3: Expert Advice
Chapter 8: Expert Advice
Introduction
Research as a Career Choice
The Role of Mentoring
The Power of Networking
Crafting Effective Funding Applications
Overcoming Common Challenges
Insights into Applying for a Personal Research Award
Chapter Summary
References
Index
End User License Agreement
List of Tables
Chapter 3
Table 3.1 Variation in qualification across the pillars of professional pra...
Chapter 6
Table 6.1 Frameworks guiding insights related to proficiency in research
Chapter 8
Table 8.1 List of questions
List of Illustrations
Chapter 1
Figure 1.1 Clinical Academic Career Model
Chapter 4
Figure 4.1 Novice Researcher
Chapter 5
Figure 5.1 Competent Researcher
Chapter 6
Figure 6.1 Proficient Researcher
Figure 6.2 Themes of Research Proficiency
Chapter 7
Figure 7.1 Expert Researcher
Guide
Cover Page
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
About the Contributors
About the Editors
List of Case Study Authors
Foreword
Preface
Begin Reading
Index
Wiley End User License Agreement
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Research‐focused Careers for Paramedics
Edited by
Gregory A. Whitley
School of Health and Care SciencesUniversity of LincolnLincoln, United Kingdom
Clinical Audit and Research UnitEast Midlands AmbulanceService NHS TrustLincoln, United Kingdom
Scott Munro
School of Health SciencesUniversity of SurreyGuildford, United Kingdom
Nexus HouseSouth East Coast AmbulanceService NHS TrustCrawley, United Kingdom
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About the Contributors
Alan Michael Batt, PhDAlan is an Associate Professor (adjunct) at Monash University, the Paramedicine Programme Lead and an Assistant Professor (adjunct) at Queen’s University, and an Assistant Professor (status) at the University of Toronto. He originally qualified as a paramedic in Ireland and has since gained experience in nine countries across four continents. He is a Co‐Chair of the McNally Project for Paramedicine Research in Canada, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (United Kingdom), and a Member of the Academy of Medical Educators (United Kingdom). Alan’s programme of research uses mixed methods approaches to explore health professions education, with a focus on professional competencies, the evolving role of paramedicine, care of marginalised populations, and social and structural determinants of health. He is a Deputy Editor of Paramedicine and serves as a Senior Appraiser with the Prehospital Evidence‐Based Practice Project at Dalhousie University. He has published over 190 articles, reports, and chapters and has presented at international and national conferences on more than 200 occasions. His research has attracted over $3.7m CAD in research funding, and he has received multiple awards for his scholarly and professional contributions to paramedicine.
Malcolm Boyle, PhDMalcolm is an Associate Professor and an Academic Lead in Paramedic Education and a Programme Director for Paramedicine Programmes at Griffith University. He was a paramedic for over 35 years, with the last 28 years as a Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) Paramedic in Victoria, primarily working in rural areas. He has been working in academia since 1999 and moved to Griffith University in July 2016, prior to that he was at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Malcolm’s PhD research focused on triage and error detection in pre‐hospital trauma management. Malcolm is a Fellow of the Australasian College of Paramedicine, and he has published over 200 academic outputs and secured over $2.5m AUD in research funding as a chief investigator or co‐applicant.
Georgette Eaton, DPhil (Oxon)Georgette is the Consultant Paramedic in Urgent Care at London Ambulance Service NHS Trust and an Honorary Researcher at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford. Georgette completed her DPhil (PhD) in Evidence‐Based Health Care at the University of Oxford in 2024, where her research —funded by a Doctoral Research Fellowship from the National Institute for Health and Care Research—explored the impact of paramedics in NHS primary care, using realist approaches to improve understanding, support intelligent policy, and make recommendations for future workforce planning. Georgette is a facilitator and co‐chair within the Oxfordshire Community for Allied Health Professions Research, as well as a Scientist International Collaborator in the McNally Project and a Deputy Editor for Paramedicine.
Ben Meadley, PhDBen Meadley is an Intensive Care Paramedic and the Director of Paramedicine at Ambulance Victoria. He is a registered paramedic who commenced his career with Ambulance Victoria in 1998, followed by a period with New South Wales Ambulance from 1999 to 2003. Returning to Ambulance Victoria, Ben trained as an intensive care (MICA) paramedic in 2004 and an intensive care (MICA) flight paramedic in 2009. He joined the staff of Monash University in 2003, and he has held the positions of Teaching Associate, Lecturer, and Unit Coordinator in the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Ben completed his PhD at Monash Paramedicine, investigating the physiological and metabolic health of paramedics, as well as human performance in specialist teams. Ben has developed expertise in pre‐hospital critical care, paramedic education, human performance, and paramedic health and well‐being. His research interests include respiratory and cardiovascular physiology, point‐of‐care ultrasound, human performance optimisation, and selection to specialist paramedicine teams. Ben divides his time between clinical, teaching, and research roles. He is also a Fellow of the Australasian College of Paramedicine and was awarded the Ambulance Service Medal in 2023.
Elisha Miller, MScElisha's career in the ambulance service began as an urgent call taker in the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (YAS) control room. With a desire to advance clinically, she applied for the paramedic science programme at Coventry University, graduating as a paramedic in 2013. She then served as an operational paramedic for West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust until March 2016, when she relocated back to Yorkshire to work as a frontline paramedic. In October 2019, she joined the YAS Research and Development team as a Research Paramedic, where she assisted in leading the delivery of the YAS research portfolio, including successfully applying for College of Paramedics small grants to fund her own research study.
In 2020, Elisha presented the findings from her Advanced Clinical Practice MSc dissertation at the College of Paramedics’ Fourth Annual National Research Conference, where her abstract was published in the British Paramedic Journal, and her full paper is currently awaiting publication. In December 2023, she obtained an 18‐month secondment to the National Institute for Health and Care Research Academy as a Senior Programme Manager, overseeing funding programmes that support health and social care professionals in their clinical and academic careers. Alongside this role, she is due to complete her MSc in Clinical Research Delivery at the University of Sheffield in 2025 and serves as a reviewer for the British Paramedic Journal.
Brendan Shannon, PhDBrendan is an Associate Professor and the Deputy Head of the Department of Paramedicine at Monash University and a member of the Australasian College of Paramedicine Community Paramedicine working group. A registered paramedic with more than a decade of clinical experience, Brendan is passionate about refining healthcare models to ensure underserved communities receive the requisite care and support. He is known for innovating new education programmes and paramedicine models of care and career pathways that facilitate this, including as the Education Lead for the Victorian Paramedic Practitioner programme. Brendan's doctoral research focused on the impact of health services implementing alternative care pathways in community settings. As a health services researcher, he has published extensively, demonstrating his commitment to translating complex data into actionable insights to enhance healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. Brendan's collaborative, data‐driven approach has earned him domestic and international recognition, which he applies to his own research and teaching, as well as the research he supervises.
Peter O’Meara, PhDPeter is an internationally recognised expert on paramedicine models of care and education. He is an Adjunct Professor of Paramedicine at Monash and Charles Sturt Universities in Australia, a Board Member of the Paramedic Network and the American Paramedic Association in the United States, a Fellow of the Australasian College of Paramedicine, and a member of several national and international advisory committees. His academic studies have been diverse and encompass health administration, public policy, and agricultural health and medicine.
Peter is a well‐published and cited paramedic author of more than 100 peer‐reviewed papers as well as several book chapters, and innumerable commentaries and editorials. He has examined doctoral theses, been a peer reviewer for a wide range of journals and several competitive research schemes in Australia and elsewhere, as well as assessing paramedicine education programmes locally and internationally. A highlight of his research has been the opportunity to work collaboratively with doctoral candidates and a wide range of researchers across the globe. The main foci of his recent research have been the evolution of paramedicine as a health discipline, community paramedicine, and the challenge of better understanding the rise in violence perpetrated against paramedics and other health workers.
Walter Tavares, PhDWalter is a distinguished university professor based in Canada, with a strong focus on advancing health professions education and professional practice, specifically within paramedicine.
He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Society, Director of the Paramedicine Collaborative in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, and Education Scientist in the Wilson Centre for Health Professions Education Research at the University of Toronto. He is also a Co‐Chair of the McNally Project for Paramedicine Research and leads a Research and Development programme with York Region Paramedic Services in Ontario, Canada. He is also a Deputy Editor of the journal Paramedicine. He completed his PhD in Health Services Research and a five‐year education fellowship at the Wilson Centre. As an experienced academic, Walter’s research contributes to educational advances, refinements to clinical and professional practice, and policy development locally, nationally, and internationally. Walter’s contributions extend beyond academia into policy advocacy, ensuring advances to evolving challenges.
Julia Williams, PhDJulia is a registered paramedic who is a Professor of Paramedic Science at the University of Hertfordshire where she has been involved in pre‐ and post‐registration education and development for paramedics since 1996. In addition, as the Head of Research for the College of Paramedics, Julia is committed to increasing the capacity and capability of paramedics within paramedic research, and she takes every opportunity to inform other agencies about the rich talent that exists within the paramedic profession in relation to clinical research, highlighting the positive contribution paramedics make to the health and care research agenda. Over the years, she has gained extensive experience in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research studies related to different aspects of paramedic practice; unscheduled emergency and urgent healthcare provision; paramedic education; and the health and well‐being of the paramedic workforce including a national study during the COVID‐19 pandemic. She continues to lead research in the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and is an active member of the National Ambulance Research Steering Group (NARSG). Over the years, Julia has sat on several trial steering groups and has been involved in a variety of funding panels and committees. Amongst other activities, she is an Editor‐in‐Chief for the British Paramedic Journal and a previous Deputy Editor for Paramedicine, and she has had the privilege of mentoring several paramedic PhD students during their initial research journeys.
About the Editors
Gregory Adam Whitley, PhDGreg is an Associate Professor in Paramedic Science at the University of Lincoln and a Paramedic Research Fellow with the East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust. He joined the UK ambulance service in 2010 and became a registered paramedic in 2012.
He completed his PhD in 2020 titled ‘Pre‐hospital pain management in children: A mixed methods study’ and his research interests include the pre‐hospital setting and the paramedic profession. He has secured £500k worth of research funding as chief investigator/co‐applicant and has helped to deliver research worth over £5m, including the AIRWAYS 2 and PARAMEDIC 3 clinical trials. He has over 40 peer‐reviewed publications including empirical research articles, reviews, methodology papers, conference proceedings, and a co‐edited textbook titled Prehospital Research Methods and Practice. He also has editorial board experience, having served on the Journal of Paramedic Practice and the British Paramedic Journal.
Greg was awarded a prestigious Advanced Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship in 2023, making him the first paramedic in England to receive a Health Education England/National Institute for Health and Care Research‐funded postdoctoral fellowship. The fellowship will fund a programme of research aiming to develop and test an intervention to improve pre‐hospital acute pain management for children and young people.
Scott Fraser Sim Munro, PhDScott is a Clinical Academic splitting his time equally between clinical practice as a Specialist Paramedic in critical care for the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust, based in Surrey in South East England, and as a Lecturer in paramedic practice at the University of Surrey, School of Health Sciences. Scott qualified as a paramedic in 2012 and has been working as a Specialist Paramedic since 2019. In 2020, he completed his PhD, which was a mixed method study into the pre‐hospital care of acute stroke patients. He co‐authored the UK Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC) clinical stroke guidelines. He has published and presented on several different facets of pre‐hospital care both nationally and internationally. His research interests include improving pre‐hospital clinical care, improving staff well‐being, and the implementation of innovative technologies. He is passionate about bridging research and practice and empowering paramedics to engage in research, emphasising its impact beyond academia as a vital tool for advancing real‐world patient care.
List of Case Study Authors
Name
Job Title
Country
Case Studies—Novice Researchers
Hannah Lindsay
Ambulance Paramedic
Australia
Alex Diffley
Research Paramedic
United Kingdom
Owen Stanley
Research Paramedic
United Kingdom
Andrew Cole
Lead Research Paramedic
United Kingdom
Case Studies—Competent Researchers
Alanowd Alghaith
Teaching Assistant and PhD Student
Saudi Arabia and United Kingdom
Cheryl Cameron
Director of Operations, PhD Candidate, and Senior Fellow
Canada and Australia
Thomas Hofmann
Paramedic and Lecturer
Germany
Ryan Matthews
Lecturer and PhD Candidate
South Africa
Case Studies—Proficient Researchers
Dr Kathryn Eastwood
Associate Professor and Intensive Care Paramedic
Australia
Dr Caitlin Wilson
Senior Research Fellow (Paramedic)
United Kingdom
Dr Graham McClelland
Vice Chancellors’ Fellow and Honorary Research Fellow, Visiting Clinical Researcher, and Visiting Professor
United Kingdom
Dr Willem Stassen
Associate Professor
South Africa
Case Studies—Expert Researchers
Professor William (Bill) Lord AM
Adjunct Professor
Australia
Professor Brian Maguire
Senior Epidemiologist and Adjunct Professor
United States and Australia
Professor Nigel Rees QAM
Assistant Director of Research, Innovation, and Visiting Professor
United Kingdom
Foreword
I wholeheartedly commend this textbook with a full heart, as it captures the vital, transformative journey of paramedic clinical academics and researchers, celebrating their impact and their boundless potential. This work shines a light on a community that not only lives and breathes in the lives of paramedics but also in the lives of the patients they serve, championing both advocacy and innovation in equal measure.
It is impossible to overstate the importance of the pioneers who have laid the foundation for paramedic research. Professor Malcolm Woollard’s contribution from the College of Paramedics’ perspective stands as an enduring example of the brilliance and dedication that inspires us all—his contributions continue to resonate as a beacon of possibility for current and future paramedics pursuing research careers, along with an army of others.
The stories, case studies, and achievements chronicled in this textbook are a testament to the evolution and continual improvement of the paramedic profession. They demonstrate how problem‐solving and ingenuity are unleashing our potential, positioning paramedics as patient and profession advocates, credible future leaders, and role models. Clinical academics bridge the gap between research and practice, ensuring that studies are relevant to real‐world challenges. These dual roles help align research questions with the practical needs of patients and healthcare systems. The research landscape is not without its challenges, and gratitude is owed to those who, despite the hurdles, persevere in advancing the profession with unwavering commitment and tenacity.
Research provides more than knowledge alone—it equips individuals with an unparalleled range of transferable skills, including leadership, strategic thinking, and the agency to enact meaningful change. Supporting employed paramedics in realising their research aspirations is not a luxury but an urgent necessity. Providing opportunities for clinicians to engage in research helps retain skilled professionals in academia, ensuring a continuous flow of expertise and the development of future clinical researchers. This is not the time to be short‐sighted. Instead, we must embrace a vision that values diverse perspectives and fosters a research community where shared understanding is pivotal and is one that can create meaningful change.
Paramedic researchers are often disruptors and innovators, challenging the status quo and creating new paradigms of care. This spirit of ingenuity is not merely desirable, it is essential for shaping the future of healthcare. I celebrate and support those who are carving this path and welcome their contributions to a field that continues to redefine itself through bold ambition and unyielding curiosity—something the profession itself has in abundance.
For me, this textbook is more than a collection of insights. It is a call to action for the entire profession to champion the importance of research in unleashing the full potential of paramedics. It is with great pride and renewed optimism that I commend this remarkable work to all who read it.
Tracy Nicholls, OBE FCParaChief ExecutiveCollege of Paramedics
Preface
We are excited to introduce this novel textbook, the first to provide professional practice development guidance and case study exemplars for paramedics who wish to focus their career on research. Whilst all paramedics pursue careers that involve varying proportions of clinical practice, education, leadership, and research, this textbook is aimed at those wishing to focus a significant proportion of their career on research activities.
The idea for the textbook stemmed, in part, from the online international Paramedic PhD registry, which was developed by Greg Whitley in November 2017. The registry accepts voluntary submissions of doctoral‐level qualification details in the field of paramedicine internationally. As of February 2025, 305 doctorates have been registered, of which 268 were from paramedics around the globe. The idea for the registry was conceived by Scott Munro and Tom Quinn during a conversation on Twitter (now X) in 2017 about paramedics who were studying for or had completed a PhD:
When designing the textbook, we wanted to provide a ‘real‐world’ perspective of what it is like for a paramedic to navigate a career focused on research. From our own personal experience, and that shared by colleagues nationally and internationally, it was clear that there was no single pathway to pursue research. Some jump from Bachelor’s degree to Doctoral‐level education, some focus on research delivery, others self‐fund their education, and some simply step into and out of research at multiple points during their career. To articulate this diversity in approach and provide this ‘real‐world’ perspective, we felt it best to provide case studies from paramedics across the globe at various stages of their career.
We then wanted to define the stages of a paramedic career that focused on research. This was harder than we thought. Building on the work of the Dreyfus brothers in 1980, Benner [1] proposed five stages of proficiency in 1982: Novice, Advanced Beginner, Competent, Proficient, and Expert. We used this as an underlying framework and mapped out what we felt were key research activities, such as participation, delivery, design, funding acquisition, and leadership. We also considered, to a somewhat greater degree of difficulty, the education levels paramedics might undertake and achieve at the different stages. We soon realised this was much more fluid and was not amenable to simple categorisation. Therefore, we loosely associated the educational level to each career stage, rather than being prescriptive (many notable professors do not have a PhD, for example, and some who do have a PhD may undertake limited research activities). With all this consideration, we felt five stages were too many, so the Advanced Beginner stage was removed to leave a four‐stage model. The final decision for the model was to illustrate that as one progresses through the career stages, research activities that are lower down in the model are still undertaken at the higher stages, even when reaching senior career positions such as Consultant, Director, or Professor; therefore, a pyramid structure was deemed appropriate to capture this progressive and inclusive nature. For example, a professor may still participate in research and complete a survey or be interviewed. The final paramedic research career stage model can be found in Chapter 1—Figure 1.1.
We were keen to source expert contributors for the textbook, by both knowledge and experience. Section 1 provides the overview and background context relating to the history of the ambulance service, the paramedic profession, and paramedics in academia, along with consideration for education when navigating a research career. Scott and Greg provide the introduction in Chapter 1, both UK postdoctoral registered paramedics focusing their careers on research. With his vast clinical experience and recent co‐authored editorial titled ‘The Evolution of Clinician‐Academics in Paramedicine: Completing the Picture of Professionalism’ [2], Ben Meadley was well suited to author Chapter 2. With experience in the paramedic education systems at an international level across Ireland, Canada, and Australia, Alan Batt along with Brendan Shannon, who is an experienced leader in curriculum development in Australia, were both well suited to co‐author Chapter 3.
Section 2 explores the four‐stage career model, providing case studies for each and a discussion of the benefits and challenges at each level. It was important that each chapter author in this section was an expert by experience, therefore, we recruited who we considered to either be at or towards the end of each respective career stage. This enabled the chapter authors to blend excerpts from the case studies for each chapter and also inject their own experience and knowledge, creating truly exceptional ‘real‐world’ chapters. Elisha Miller (United Kingdom), Georgette Eaton (United Kingdom), Walter Tavares (Canada), and Peter O’Meara and Malcolm Boyle (Australia) have authored Chapters 4, 5, 6, and 7, respectively.
Section 3 provides expert advice from the longest‐standing Professor of Paramedic Science in the United Kingdom, the Head of Research in the College of Paramedics, and the Head of Research for South East Coast Ambulance Service in the United Kingdom, Julia Williams. Julia provides a question‐and‐answer style chapter, composed of a multitude of questions posed to Julia over the years regarding research in paramedic practice.
We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all the chapter authors involved in drafting this important resource, the contributing case study authors for providing their ‘real‐world’ insights, and the peer reviewers for their extremely valuable contribution to this textbook. We would like to thank Caitlin Wilson for critically reviewing aspects of the textbook. We would also like to thank Tracy Nicholls for providing the Foreword.
As a collective effort, we have created something truly special.
Greg and Scott.
References
1.
Benner, P. (1982). From novice to expert.
The American Journal of Nursing
82 (3): 402–407.
2.
Meadley, B.N., Andrews, T., Delardes, B.J., and Shannon, B.P. (2022). The evolution of clinician–academics in paramedicine: completing the picture of professionalism.
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
37 (5): 574–576.
Section 1Setting the Scene for Clinical Academic Paramedics
Chapter 1The Role and Importance of Clinical Academics in Paramedicine
Scott Fraser Sim Munro1,2 and Gregory Adam Whitley3,4
1 School of Health Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
2 Nexus House, South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Crawley, United Kingdom
3 School of Health and Care Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United Kingdom
4
