TITLE:
Experiences in Becoming a Paramedic: The Professional Socialization of University Qualified Paramedics
AUTHORS:
A. S. Devenish, M. J. Clark, ML. Flemming
KEYWORDS:
Professional, Socialization, Paramedic, University, Transition
JOURNAL NAME:
Creative Education,
Vol.7 No.6,
May
6,
2016
ABSTRACT: In this article, the professional socialization of university educated paramedics from the United Kingdom and Australia is discussed using the anticipatory, formal and post-formal phases of so-cialization. Participants for this research were from universities and ambulance services in Aus-tralia and the United Kingdom, and the data were collected and analyzed by qualitative methods. The anticipatory, formal and post-formal phases were deemed to be relevant to the professional socialization of university paramedics. However a fourth phase, called the post-internship phase was identified which better accounted for the paramedic training and practice model. The findings from this research led to the development of a four phase model of professional socialization to describe the experiences of university educated paramedics making the transition from university students to qualified paramedics.