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Nine students have joined Essex & Herts Air Ambulance for its first Summer Research Programme, giving aspiring clinicians the opportunity to contribute to research aimed at improving pre-hospital emergency care.
Led by Dr Stephen Tatlow through the charity’s Centre for Excellence, the six-week programme will see undergraduate and postgraduate students work alongside pre-hospital clinicians on research projects designed to improve patient outcomes.
More than 30 students applied for the programme, with nine selected to take part. The successful applicants are studying medicine, paramedic science and related subjects.
During the programme, students will receive training in research methods, gain a deeper understanding of pre-hospital emergency medicine (PHEM) and helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), and work alongside experienced researchers.
Each student will contribute to an existing research project examining areas such as the adoption of new interventions and technologies in critical care, new approaches to clinical education, and the impact of the charity’s clinical service.
Kathryn Cesario, a postgraduate paramedic student at Nottingham Trent University, said: “This was too good an opportunity to miss. In my placements, I’ve been lucky enough to be on scene when HEMS teams arrived and been blown away by how they coordinate the scene and bring the hospital to the patient.
“What really interests me is that the work doesn’t stop there for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance. There is so much investment in improving outcomes for patients, from educating communities in CPR to exploring meaningful innovations. I’m really excited to play my part in this wider research.”
The cohort also includes Chiara Passirani, who began her career in emergency medicine as a healthcare assistant and is due to complete her paramedic science degree this year, and Asqlan Pirzada, a former engineer who is now a final-year medical student with experience as an emergency responder and dispatcher for the London Ambulance Service.
“I can’t wait to see the other side of my control room experience. My engineering background means I like finding solutions to complex problems and I’m excited to work with the team to explore how we can improve patient outcomes on scene with even the smallest changes to how we do things or the equipment we use.”
Asqlan Pirzada.
Stephen Tatlow, Research & Scholarship Co-ordinator at Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, said: “We’re so excited to be welcoming these students, who each bring unique perspectives and experience to our research.
“We are constantly looking at ways to improve our service to provide the best level of care when people need it most. The research projects these students will support will help address key challenges within pre-hospital medicine and contribute to improving the care that can be delivered.”
The programme runs from 6 July to 14 August at the charity’s North Weald airbase.
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