First ambulance paramedics gain degrees

Fourteen Victorian ambulance paramedics have made history by being the first to graduate with a Bachelor of Paramedic Studies from an Australian university.

The graduates, from the Metropolitan Ambulance Service (MAS) and Rural Ambulance Victoria (RAV), completed their degree studies at the Centre for Ambulance and Paramedic Studies at Monash's Peninsula campus.

Centre director Associate Professor Frank Archer said all graduates were experienced MICA paramedics who had received credit for previous studies at the former Ambulance Officers' Training Centre (AOTC) - the state's training body until 1999.

"All of the graduating students completed their earlier training with the AOTC up until 1999, when Monash took over the responsibility for training," he said.