Plymouth University’s student paramedics have been named the best in the country at a simulated crisis event.
Third-year students David Williams, Maisie Grainger and James Gardner, alongside lecturer and ‘coach’ Kirstie Brown, won the top award for ‘Excellence in Simulation’ at the Student Paramedic International Rally of Simulations (SPIRES) hosted by Oxford Brookes University.
Held for the first time this year, SPIRES is the first UK international student paramedic conference and the only UK student paramedic competition.
The team had to perform consistently throughout the day in realistic simulations including a mass casualty incident; a remote medicine challenge; an obstetric emergency; and a number of other medical and traumatic incidents. Their performance was judged and scored by the rally’s keynote speakers and planning team members.
To take the title, the students beat off competition from several UK universities as well as one from Queensland, Australia and another from Ankara, Turkey.
Plymouth also entered a second team, consisting of second-year students Andrew Tyeand Jacob Maddams and first-year student Cherie-Lee Mollentz, which won a bronze award for their management of a cardiac-related emergency.
Lecturer in Paramedic Practice at Plymouth University, Kirstie Brown said:
“I am so proud of our students for excelling at this international competition. It’s vital for them to gain experience in challenging and pressured situations, and to come out on top is a massive achievement. They have all gone above and beyond in both their practical and theoretical leaning, so to be rewarded like this is brilliant and exactly what they deserve.”
Winning student David Williams said:
“We’re so pleased to have taken the top prize at the first annual SPIRES event. Our learning was definitely put to the test and, thanks to the balance of academic, clinical and on-the-job training we’ve received, we knew we had the skills in place to give it our best shot. The whole weekend was a wonderful experience and we really are delighted.”
