PARA 303

There have been significant advances in the field of paramedicine during the past 200 years, however, unlike their colleagues in other health-related disciplines (e.g., nursing, medicine), paramedics have yet to firmly establish a cohesive and universal professional identity. The lack of this professional identity may in turn affect the development of a paramedics’ own role identity. Through an examination of the history, philosophical, moral, and ideological perspectives of several health and non-health professions, this course will provide students with the opportunity to discuss, to research, and to debate several critical questions including: ‘who are we’, ‘what are we’, ‘where do we belong’, ‘what is our philosophy’, ‘are we a profession’? The course will challenge students to engage in thoughtful, healthy debate as a means of drawing them closer to establishing a professional identity that has eluded paramedicine to date. <br>