Once again, Durham Colleges (DC) Paramedic students have demonstrated their exceptional skills as they placed second and sixth in the Student Division of The National Paramedic Competition, held at the college’s Whitby campus on April 5.

The annual event, held in the Durham Region, challenges paramedics from across the country in head-to-head simulated emergencies to prove who the best in Canada are. This prestigious competition found its origins as the Durham Paramedic Skills Competition before transitioning to the now national competition in 2008. In turn, this has allowed for the prestige of DC’s Paramedic program to increase as a recognized partner with the event.

Students from DC compete annually in the student division, placing them alongside their professional counterparts in search of the best in the country. This year two teams of second year students competed for DC, with Geoff Hooper and Andrew Mokedanz achieving a second place podium finish while Jamere Bembrisge and Stefano Marcelli finished sixth.

“It is fun for the students to be challenged in a unique way and this is a wonderful event for the college to be involved in,” said Paramedic professor Kevin Griffin.

Along with competing, DC also had a large number of students assist in the hosting of the event as volunteers, providing an opportunity to network and learn from the professional teams in attendance.

“This is an opportunity for the students to showcase what they have learned over their two years in a setting with working paramedics,” said Griffin. “It offers students a networking opportunity as many services send representatives and any level of involvement in the competition is seen as a plus by employers during hiring.”

Along with the college’s student success, Durham Region Emergency Medical Services (EMS) placed first in the Primary Care Paramedic division. For more information on the national competition including results, photos and competition history, please visit www.paramediccompetition.ca.