Hannah Hammoud
Victoria University’s Sunshine Campus (VU) has been announced as the future home to a new $10 million Centre of Excellence in Paramedicine.
The hub will allow paramedics at all levels to develop their skills at a dedicated training centre that will operate seven days a week. It contains advanced virtual reality technology as a training and simulation tool, along with purpose-built spaces designed specifically for paramedics.
As the demand for emergency healthcare services continues to grow across Victoria, the hub and the Centre for Excellence are set to help upskill the current and future generations of paramedics.
Ambulance Services Minister Gabrielle Williams and chief executive of Ambulance Victoria Jane Miller joined VU Vice-Chancellor Adam Shoemaker and VU paramedic students and graduates to welcome the initiatives.
Over the past two years Ambulance Victoria has recruited more than 1300 paramedics, with many graduating from the VU Bachelor of Paramedicine.
Professor Shoemaker said VU graduates have a long and proud history of providing a wide range of invaluable healthcare services to the region, including nursing, aged care and midwifery, and a decade-long collaboration with Ambulance Victoria.
“The opening of the Ambulance Victoria Operational Capability Hub, along with the future Centre of Excellence in Paramedicine are two crucial events for VU,” he said.
“Our paramedicine students will have the unique advantage of studying and learning alongside top professionals in the field, and of being at the cutting edge in emergency care every day of the week.”
Through the new Hub, VU paramedic students will be able to connect directly with Ambulance Victoria’s highly experienced workforce, which provides emergency medical response to more than 5.8 million people in Melbourne’s west.
