​​One-hundred and seventy-nine students are one step closer to entering the exciting and rewarding field of paramedicine, thanks to the Emergency Medical Assistants (EMA) Education Fund. First introduced in September 2007, the $5 million dollar bursary program is designed to improve access to relevant paramedic education and encourage candidates to pursue and further their career as a paramedic. Since its inception, the EMA Education Fund has awarded a total of $1.38 million in bursary dollars to Primary Care Paramedic and Advanced Care Paramedic students across the province.

Several bursary recipients have written to the Education Fund Committee to express their appreciation and share how the grant has helped them further their career goals. Following are excerpts from a few of those letters.

“Since 2007, I have been working with BC Ambulance Service (BCAS) as an Emergency Medical Responder in the remote community of Port Renfrew. Over the years, I have pursued other career directions while also making myself available to work weekend shifts at my station. This has allowed me to get a good entry level taste of paramedicine and begin to build on my skills and experience. It has proven to me what a rewarding, honourable and exciting job a paramedic can be. In order to continue my career as a paramedic it is essential that I train to the PCP level. So here I am, enrolled in training at the New Westminster campus. I felt like I had won the lottery when I found out I was selected for the award.”

“I would like to thank you for the generous $5,000 grant that I received to attend my PCP course in Parksville. Without this grant I would have gone several thousand dollars in debt. I am finding the course vigorous and fulfilling and look forward to contributing back to society as a paramedic in the future.”

Students interested in learning more about the EMA Education Fund and how they too can take advantage of this bursary program are invited to visit: the EMA Education Fund Page.