Research Graduates

The Monash Paramedicine Department is committed to developing the next generation of paramedic research scholars, professionalising paramedic care, and building capacity for paramedic researchers internationally. We are committed to pursuing knowledge through research to develop contemporary paramedic best-practice nationally and internationally.

As a Department we are very proud of our Research Graduates. Their work has led to evidence-based changes in clinical practice, paramedic education, paramedic health and wellbeing and workforce reform.

Paramedicine Research Graduates

Dr Saeed A. Alqahtani

Saeed’s thesis: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest of non-cardiac aetiologies: Incidence and outcomes

Dr Eihab Khasawneh

Eihab’s thesis: Does Maths Anxiety Impact Drug Calculation Errors in Paramedicine?

Google Scholar.

Dr Ahmad Alrawashdeh

I have worked in the health care for 10 years as a critical care nurse and a paramedic educator. I have interest in clinical research focusing on the outcome of patients with cardiovascular emergencies. My PhD research projectidentified factors associated with EMS delay and diagnostic performance in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This will help to assure timely recognition and access to reperfusion treatment.

Ahmad's Thesis: Emergency medical services delay and diagnostic performance in ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Google Scholar.

Dr Talal AlShammari

Talal has worked in the field of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for over 16 Years. His experience includes managing EMS departments, providing clinical care in and out of hospital and coordinating disaster management. Talal holds a Bachelor of Health Science Paramedic, Master of Paramedical Science (Critical Care) and a PhD from the Department Paramedicine at Monash University. His research interests involve paramedic competency and tertiary education. Talal has had an amazing opportunity to learn and apply the best standards of paramedic lead research at the Department Paramedicine. He was able to write his thesis, publish several well read and cited studies, present at international conferences and finish his PhD in 3 years. Currently, Talal is an assistant professor and deputy department head of Emergency Medical Care at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University in Saudi Arabia.

Talal's Thesis: The development of empirically based core competencies for EMS bachelor’s degree graduates in Saudi Arabia.

Google Scholar.

Dr Pieter Francsois Fouche

I am a full-time paramedic and work in a small rural town in New South Wales. I was a PhD candidate with the Department of Paramedicine commencing in 2014. I investigated rapid sequence intubation (RSI) in non-traumatic brain pathologies. I also have an interest in investigating the value of observational research designs in answering clinical questions.

Pieter's Thesis: Rapid Sequence Intubation in Out-of-Hospital Non-Traumatic Brain injuries.

Google Scholar.

Dr Simon Sawyer

Simon began working as an Ambulance Officer in 2010 and qualified as an Advanced Life Support paramedic in 2013. He has worked extensively in a rural setting, including single responding. Simon maintains his authority to practice working on road in South West Victoria. Simon joined the Department of Paramedicine as a lecturer in 2016 and has focused on building an engaging foundational program for the first year students. Simon completed his PhD in 2018 on the paramedic response to intimate partner violence. His research interests include training healthcare sectors respond to family violence, paramedic wellbeing and building a resilient paramedic workforce.

Simon’s thesis: The paramedic response to intimate partner violence

Google Scholar.

Dr Linda Ross

Linda is the Deputy Head of the Department Paramedicine and leads the Postgraduate Program. She practiced as an Advanced Life Support Paramedic with Ambulance Victoria for 15 years before becoming a full time academic in 2012. Since joining the Department of Paramedicine she has completed a Master’s of Health Professional Education investigating establishing rapport with patients, and most recently a PhD investigating the psychosocial needs of older people and developing paramedic awareness of these issues. She is predominantly involved in educational research with interests and experience including interpersonal communication, service learning, clinical placements, and care of older adults. Linda is also actively involved in facilitating and fostering paramedic led research and events via her roles as a HRD supervisor and position on the Australasian College of Paramedicine Research Committee. Due to her leadership within the profession she was promoted to Associate Professor in 2021.

Linda’s thesis: Investigating the psychosocial issues impacting older people in the out-of-hospital environment, and building the awareness and capacity of paramedic graduates to recognise and address these issues.

Google Scholar.

Dr Ala’a Oteir

Ala'a is a passionate academic, researcher, paramedic and physiotherapist. Ala’a is from Jordan, and moved to Australia to commence his PhD, receiving a scholarship from Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST). His research interest focused on the use of prehospital spinal immobilisation and its association with patient outcomes. During his PhD Ala’a published in the top prehospital emergency journals and presented at several international conferences. One of his papers was selected in the top three papers in the Paramedics Australasia International Conference 2015. Ala’a was actively involved in teaching and research with the Department of Paramedicine including teaching research units, participating in practical tutorials, and assessing students in theoretical and practical exams. It is noteworthy that Ala’a is the first paramedic with a PhD degree in Jordan. He is now back in Jordan, re-joined JUST, and is aiming to use his teaching and research experience to improve the paramedics program at JUST as well as the paramedic profession, education and research in Jordan and the Middle East.

Ala’a thesis: The Pre-Hospital Management of Suspected Spinal Cord Injury and its Association with Patient Outcomes.

Google Scholar.

Dr Ben Meadley

I have been a paramedic for over 20 years and currently work as an Intensive Care Flight Paramedic for Ambulance Victoria. I have a  background in exercise physiology and paramedicine. Prior to commencing a PhD, I undertook a number of clinical research projects in the areas of clinical care in helicopter emergency services, point-of-care ultrasound and search and rescue.

I have an interest in developing metabolic and physiological testing protocols to identify health risks in paramedics and other emergency services workers. Ultimately, I hope to use this data to develop wellness programs for paramedics to minimise the effects this challenging profession has on overall health and wellbeing.

Ben’s Thesis: The cardiometabolic and physiological health of Australian paramedics

Google Scholar

Higher Degree Research Graduates

The following past Higher Degree Research students have also been associated with our Department or supervised by staff from our Department.

Honours Research students

The following past Honours Research students have also graduated from our Department since 2016.