13CQUni (13 27 86)

Are you a Prospective/Future Student? Request an information pack about this program
Are you a Current Student? Ask a Program Advisor

Students should be aware before entering the program that Ambulance services in Australia have specific requirements for employment that preclude people with certain health conditions.  Please see specific State Ambulance websites for further details.  Details for the Queensland Ambulance Service can be found at the following website: http://www.cqu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/12380/Undergraduate-Student-Clinical-Placement-Information-Package-2.pdf

Students who have successfully completed specified core courses identified by the University in collaboration with the QAS may be eligible for casual employment with the QAS. This is at the discretion of the QAS and will be based around successful completion of specified courses, demonstrated professionalism of the student, the Area Director's approval based on clinical placement performance and availability of casual employment with QAS stations.

Domestic Students

Students without Senior English, Senior Science (in particular Chemistry) and Senior Mathematics are strongly urged to undertake the Skills for Tertiary Education Preparatory Studies (STEPS program).

Paramedics who currently hold a Diploma of Paramedic Science delivered by a State or Territory Ambulance Service or equivalent as deemed by the program leader will be eligible for enrolment in the Occupational Health and Safety Specialisation.

Paramedics who currently hold a Diploma of Paramedic Science delivered by a State or Territory Ambulance Service or equivalent will be given advanced standing and may be granted credit for up to 12 specified courses.

Prior to enrolment, Application for Credit will need to be applied for by the student via the Program Advisor.

International Students

If you were not born in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, Ireland, South Africa or USA you are required to meet the English Language Prerequisite by:

• an academic IELTS completed within the last 2 years (from the term you are applying to start) with a minimum achievement of 7.0 in each band and overall or 
• a secondary or university qualification which is not more than 5 years old (from the term you are applying for entry into) with a satisfactory level of achievement of at least 2 years in duration from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, Ireland, South Africa or USA.

The English Language Proficiency requirements may also be satisfied by (results are to be no older than 2 years from the start of term):

• Occupational test - Result of ‘A' or ‘B'

The Faculty will recognise outstanding academic achievement of students, by awarding a Bachelor of Paramedic Science (Specialisation) with Distinction to students who achieve a GPA of 6.0 and above, in their first attempt in their sixteen enrolled courses in the second and third year level of the program.

Students are required to undertake three Clinical Paramedic Practice courses which will equate to a minimum of 15 weeks (600 hours) of work placement in the health industry primarily with the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS).  Experience in authentic work environments is very valuable as it develops the professional skills and ‘work readiness' of graduates.

For students wanting clinical placement outside of the Queensland Ambulance Service please contact the course coordinator.

Students will be required to purchase an approved university clinical placement uniform as recommended by the course coordinator and as a requirement of the QAS. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will also need to be purchased as a Workplace Health and Safety requirement by the QAS when on clinical placement. 

Work placements are an integral component of the program. Failure to complete work placement and submit the compulsory activities (e.g. verified log book and supervisor evaluation) will result in the student being deemed ineligible to graduate. 

Before commencing work placement, students must have gathered the following documents to provide to the appropriate academic supervisor and to their workplace supervisor:

1. QAS Medical Assessment;

2. Criminal History Clearance Report (not older than 3 years);

3. Current approved First Aid Certificate; and

4. Evidence of Immunisations as per the CQUniversity Policy for Vaccination of students in health studies http://policy.cqu.edu.au/Policy/policy_file.do?policyid=157;

5. QAS health related fitness assessment;

6. University Student Clinical Placement Induction.

It is strongly advised that students commence their Hepatitis B vaccination schedule immediately upon enrolment. The university also requires students to attain a first-aid certificate from a registered training provider within the first year of enrolment.

Please see the link below for the QAS Mandatory Requirements.

http://www.cqu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/12380/Undergraduate-Student-Clinical-Placement-Information-Package-2.pdf

Course credit may be granted to students who are able to demonstrate appropriate prior learning or experience. Credit transfer will only be granted where a student is able to demonstrate that tertiary-level studies, equivalent in content and depth to the CQUniversity program, have been successfully completed. Students should examine the course synopses in this handbook to determine the courses for which they may be eligible to claim credit.

Refer to the Credit Transfer website at http://www.cqu.edu.au/credittransfer for further details on the guidelines and application process.

You can apply for direct credit against CQUniversity courses, if equivalent tertiary level study has been completed. You must supply relevant documentation (study guides, course profiles, etc) to do this. If your study was undertaken more than 10 years ago, you may not be eligible for credit.

Students will be required to complete Residential Schools in their FIRST YEAR for:

• BMSC11001 Human Body Systems 1
• PMSC11001 Foundations of Paramedic Science
• CHEM11041 Chemistry for the Life Sciences
• BMED19010 Macromolecules and Cell Function
• BMSC11002 Human Body Systems 2

The combined residential school requires only one trip to Rockhampton per term.

Students studying in a PART-TIME MODE are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to enrol in complementary course combinations for year one and year three. Please see below for these combinations.

Residential School timetable can be viewed here.

Year One - First Course Combination

It is highly recommended that students with no previous history in chemistry enrol in this first year combination.

Term One

• BMSC11001 Human Body Systems 1
• ESSC11004 Study and Research Skills for Health Science

Term Two

• BMSC11002 Human Body Systems 2
• MEDI11004 Professional Practice

Term Three

• OCHS11025 Introductory Health and Safety Risk Management
• PMSC11001 Foundations of Paramedic Science

Year One - Second Course Combination (Second Plan)

Students who have previously studied chemistry should enrol in this first year combination.

Term One

• CHEM11041 Chemistry for Life Sciences and
• ESSC11004 Study and Research Skills for Health Science

Term Two

• BMED19010 Macromolecules and Cell Function
• MEDI11004 Professional Practice

Term Three 

• OCHS11025 Introductory Health and Safety Risk Management
• PMSC11001 Foundations of Paramedic Science

By studying in this sequence students will require only one trip to Rockhampton per term during their first year courses of study.

Year Three - Term 2 Combined Residential School

Note:  It is highly recommended that students enrol concurrently in PMSC13005 and PMSC13006 as residential schools for these courses run consecutively.

• PMSC13005 Trauma Care in Paramedic Practice
• PMSC13006 Environmental Emergencies in Paramedic Practice

The five day residential school will build on your proficiency in assessment, planning, clinical judgement and management of patients with traumatic and environmental emergencies and includes your knowledge in pharmacological intervention. Students will be formatively and summatively assessed on their skills as a graduate-ready paramedic through high fidelity simulation scenarios within the simulation labs as well as on and off campus.

Due to the large numbers of students enrolled across the courses please select one of the scenario weeks (either week 11 or week 12). This will be based on a first in first served process, once we have our nominated number for the first residential block we will then fill the second block.

Professional Body Membership

As a student you are eligible for membership with Student Paramedics Australasia (SPA).  Membership with Paramedics Australasia (previously ACAP), and/or Australian Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (AREMT) is available upon employment with an ambulance service

(http://www.paramedics.org.au/)

(http://www.aremt.com.au/Index.php)

It is a requirement of enrolment in this program that students have access to the CQUniversity website. Students may be required to undertake various components of study in the program using email and the Internet.

It is strongly recommended that students have access to a broadband connection or higher to access online student resources that include but are not limited to, email, Internet, video streaming and electronic assessment submission.

Students will be required to have computer access whilst on clinical placement; students are unable to access QAS computers therefore to complete other course requirements and assessment pieces for clinical placement a laptop computer is highly recommended. Students unable to have access to a laptop are to contact the course coordinator prior to clinical placement.