Investing in skills – elevating patient care
The first specialist fund dedicated to advanced clinical training is proving invaluable, with 12 paramedics accessing training and education opportunities in its first six months.
The Jerry Charters Scholarship for Aeromedical Advancement was launched by the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust in April. Since then, $20,000 has been invested in advanced clinical training and education opportunities.
Demand for the scholarship has been so strong that the Trust has increased its annual distribution budget.
Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust CEO Anton Drazevic says the Jerry Charters Scholarship is delivering exactly what it was designed to do: empowering clinicians to pursue advanced training and continually expand their expertise.
“The strong uptake demonstrates the passion the paramedics have for learning and improving, and we’re delighted to increase the fund so more paramedics can benefit.”
“By investing in the crew, we’re investing in better patient outcomes and delivering on our commitment to clinical excellence.” Anton Drazevic
The first scholarship recipient was Critical Care Paramedic Kath Copland, who attended a two-day Paediatric Life Support course she described as “brilliant”.
Since then, the fund has supported six Critical Care Paramedics to achieve their Certificate in Allied Health Performed Ultrasound. This provides paramedics with the skills to perform an eFAST ultrasound examination, a procedure that uses ultrasound to detect free fluid in the abdomen or pelvis.
Critical Care Paramedic Scott Mears says it’s exciting to be able to bring ultrasound capabilities to the scene of a trauma.
“Ultrasound, when combined with clinical judgement, affords us with greater insight to potential internal fluid loss. That information means we can make more informed choices about how quickly we need to get that patient to hospital, what hospital we fly to, and whether we need to pick up blood supplies on the way,” Scott says.
Scott says it’s a clear example of the rescue helicopter service delivering over and above what it is contracted to provide.
“Thanks to the support of the Trust, we’re able to bring more advanced clinical capability to our patients and the communities we serve.” Scott Mears, Critical Care Paramedic
To receive the Certificate in Allied Health Performed Ultrasound, paramedics complete three online papers, attend a day course, and complete a significant patient logbook.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the Christchurch Hospital ultrasound team, who have allowed us to spend time in the hospital to help build up our knowledge and expertise. They’ve played a significant role in helping us introduce this technology and training across our team.”
The future of ultrasound doesn’t end there. Scott is eyeing up further training opportunities to enable paramedics to use the ultrasound for vascular access, where clinicians use ultrasound guidance to insert an IV line, and to identify aortic aneurysms, a life-threatening emergency.
“We’ll complete the roll out of the eFAST training and then we’ll look at other ways we can use this technology to increase our clinical toolkit.” Scott Mears.
West Coast Critical Care Paramedic Rod Partington is still fizzing after a recent Safe Airway Society workshop in Christchurch, an opportunity paid for by the Trust through the scholarship fund.
The workshop looked at advanced techniques such as front of neck access (when an incision is made in the front of the patient’s throat to create a surgical airway), and intubating patients with difficult airways using a specific tool.
Rod says they call these events HALO events – high acuity, low occurrence events.
“We rarely see patients that require this level of complex airway management, but when we do, it is a dire emergency. You have to be decisive and act fast. It was so valuable to spend a day reinforcing and expanding my skill set, so that when the worst happens, I can provide the very best patient care possible,” Rod says.
“It’s amazing to have the Trust’s support for this training and the other amazing clinical learning events we’re able to attend. A huge thanks to the Trust, and the community, for their generosity and support.” Rod Partington, Critical Care Paramedic.
The Jerry Charters Scholarship for Aeromedical Advancement has also funded one paramedic to gain their Certificate IV in Airborne Operations, and has supported paramedics to attend the Australasian College of Paramedicine International Conference, the Aeromedical Society of Australasia Conference, and AirMed World Congress 2026.
The Jerry Charters Scholarship for Aeromedical Advancement is named after Jerry Charters, who left a gift in his will to the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust. That gift provided the foundation funding for the scholarship. The Trust hopes ongoing donations will replenish and grow the fund, ensuring it can support future generations of aeromedical clinicians.
If you would like to find out more about or contribute to the Jerry Charters Scholarship for Aeromedical Advancement, please contact us.
