Doctorate (PhD)
Our Doctor of Advanced Clinical Practice (Paramedicine Practitioner) will set you up with both clinical and research training to become an advanced clinical practitioner and a leader in the emerging paramedicine practitioner field.
Our course provides experienced paramedics with a training program and pathway that leads to an expanded scope of practice and career advancement opportunities, by meeting the necessary competencies for advanced paramedicine practice. You will be specifically trained to meet the requirements for admission to Fellowship of the Australasian College of Paramedic Practitioners*. In addition, you will gain research skills and experience often sort by industry employers.
Are you an experienced paramedic keen to take your career to the next level?
The Doctor of Advanced Clinical Practice (Paramedicine Practitioner) incorporates the Master of Advanced Clinical Practice (Paramedicine Practitioner) training, giving you the knowledge to provide evidence-based paramedic practitioner expertise in the assessment, diagnosis and management of clinical conditions, and skills in the performance of appropriate procedures to provide advanced patient care. You will graduate with key skills and strategies enabling you to effectively care for, educate, and engage and collaborate with patients, carers, communities, colleagues, and other health professionals.
By broadening your skills and expertise as an experienced paramedic, you will be ready to work as a paramedic practitioner in various primary care settings. The paramedic practitioner role is an innovative way of delivering healthcare to rural and regional communities, as you will provide complementary care to that provided by GPs and nurse practitioners, and will work with community health partners and allied health professionals to prevent and treat health problems.
The Extended Masters component of the course features research training and thesis units that will increase your research capabilities. This will allow you to apply advanced critical thinking and high-quality communication techniques to expertly lead health professionals and professional organisations.
The course has a strong focus on healthcare delivery to rural and regional communities.
Alternative course offerings
This course provides those who wish to continue on from the Master of Advanced Clinical Practice (Paramedicine Practitioner) or other equivalent course the option of completing 12 credit points of research-based study taken over an additional two or three years part-time. As part of this extended study, you will have the opportunity to plan and execute a substantial research-based project. Please note that this course is not the equivalent of a doctoral degree or doctorate.
English language requirements
All applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements.
Selection is competitive and meeting the minimum entry requirements does not guarantee selection.
Entry requirements include:
If your application has been assessed as meeting the entry requirements it will be placed into a pool of eligible applications. Offers for this course will then be made in rounds, as noted below. Your application will be considered in the next available round of offers and if successful, you'll receive an letter offering you a place in the course. Offer rounds will continue until all places in the course are filled.
Doctor of Advanced Clinical Practice (Paramedicine Practitioner)
Applicants who wish to undertake the extended masters program must possess a Master of Advanced Clinical Practice (Paramedicine Practitioner) or equivalent with a minimum WAM of 65%, and registration with AHPRA with no conditions or restrictions, and three years full-time (or equivalent) clinical experience as a paramedic.
Deakin University offers admission to postgraduate courses through a number of Admission categories.
The role of paramedic practitioner provides an important new career path for experienced paramedics who would like to work more sociable hours or provide more primary care to their communities, or who can no longer meet the physical demands of working on-road.
As a paramedic practitioner, you will be equipped to expand your clinical practice by conducting more comprehensive patient assessment, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests and providing expanded health management in order to provide more complete episodes of care. As a paramedic practitioner you will possess the knowledge, skills and attitude to undertake practitioner roles within your healthcare field. You will be able to provide care complementary to that provided by GPs and nurse practitioners, particularly in regional and rural areas where collaborative models are being used to meet healthcare workforce shortfalls.
The research training incorporated within the Extended Masters component of the course will increase the research capacity of paramedic practitioners. This will be attractive to industry and government employers, particularly in the rural areas where graduates are likely to be employed.
Into the future, paramedic practitioners are expected to play an important role in alternative rural health Models of Care proposed due to the medical workforce shortages in rural and remote areas. Upskilled paramedic practitioners will help fill the ongoing shortfall and play a vital role in healthcare in regional areas. The additional research and communication skills will further enhance this role and prepare you for leadership positions within the profession.
The majority of your learning activities will take place via Deakin's award winning Cloud Campus (online). Throughout the masters program, you'll be required to attend on-campus study intensives associated with five of the units, each of a five-day duration, which are held at the Warrnambool Campus. The intensives will include a mix of classroom activities (lectures, small group teaching, group activities) and practical skill sessions (clinical skill teaching, low and high fidelity clinical scenarios).
The course will be undertaken via Cloud Campus (online), with on-campus intensives at the Warrnambool Campus*. Students are responsible for all costs associated with attending the intensives (e.g. travel, accommodation).
*Intensives will be held prior to scheduled commencement of each Trimester.
To complete the Doctor of Advanced Clinical Practice (Paramedicine Practitioner) students must attain 24 credit points. 21 compulsory core units and three elective units. Students must pass all units including all components of units in the course. Students who have previously completed the Master of Advanced Clinical Practice (Paramedicine Practitioner) are only required to complete final 12 credit points of research-related units.
All commencing Faculty of Health Undergraduate and Postgraduate course work students are required to complete HAI010 Academic Integrity in their first semester of study (0 credit point compulsory unit).
The course is only available on a part-time basis.