Eleven La Trobe Bendigo paramedicine students recently travelled to London for ambulance placements.

Students Nikita Lindsay, Apryl Start and Jacob Buckell were chosen by Paramedicine Lecturer and Clinical Academic Coordinator Caroline Martin to attend the placement due to their high achievements.

Students had the chance to gain new skills and experience working in an atmosphere that was very different to home. Coming from small, rural towns near Bendigo to work in a big city like London was quite a change, especially when it came to how healthcare is provided in both nations.

Apart from the environment and workload, students said a typical day was quite like a placement day at Ambulance Victoria.

“Day shifts were 12 hours. They always started with drug, bag, equipment and truck checks to make sure everything was in working order, followed by letting the dispatch team know we were available and ready for any jobs,” Nikita said.

“We would have around roughly eight to 10 jobs a day, which then was a repeat of arriving on scene, treating and managing the patient before deciding if transportation was needed.

“Sometimes we could squeeze a meal break into this time or eat on the way back from jobs, because of how busy our days were.”

The total flight time from Melbourne to London is 24 hours and for most students on this placement, this was the farthest that they have been from home.

“It is such a big trip, I’ve never been on such a long flight before,” Nikita said.

“The most I have travelled on a plane was from my hometown to the city, which is around an hour, so doing this trip was definitely a big culture shock but an experience I will never forget.

“For future students thinking of undertaking this placement, I’d say just take it’.

“It was such as eye opener to see how different things are over there. It was awesome.

“Overseas opportunities through university are a great way for students to see different parts of the world, while gaining valuable life experience that will help them grow professionally and personally.”

Jacob said that the experience helped him become more independent and confident in his own decision making, which was a skill he was able to learn and bring back to his studies in Bendigo.

“My best advice for future students is to approach these opportunities with an open mind and embrace the challenges as a positive learning experience.”

“And while there were challenges during the placement and travel, these were the stepping stones in being able to build more confidence and independence to make difficult decisions myself.

“These experiences are once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The students said the experience was made easier through the help of Caroline, who supported them through the process, replying to emails at the crack of dawn and solving any issues.

“None of this would have happened without Caroline. She carried us on her back through everything, especially if anything went wrong,” Nikita said.