Pathway to paramedicine program perspectives part 2: Secondary school students

Abstract

Introduction The Pathway to Paramedicine Program offers secondary school students with an interest in the paramedic disciple a unique opportunity to gain insight into both the profession and the training required. This study aimed to evaluate the secondary school students’ perspectives of the program. Methods This pilot intervention study using a paper based survey included 14 secondary school students enrolled in the Pathway to Paramedicine Program at Monash University in Melbourne, Victoria. The evaluation survey consisted of a combination of Likert and free text questions. Results All 13 Likert scale items received a median score of 4 (agree) or above. Ten items achieved a maximum median score of 5 (strongly agree). Nine items received a positive score of 4 or 5 from all the students. Participants also indicated they gained insight into the disciple and confidence in their own skills. Fifty percent of the Year 12 participants enrolled in paramedic degrees in 2014. Conclusion The Pathway to Paramedic Program gave secondary school students valuable insight into paramedic practice and helped them make a decision about their future education and career path. The study results showed that the students had a positive perspective of the program, enjoyed and appreciated their interaction with the paramedic student mentors and would recommend the program to others.