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On April 1, 2000, to fulfill the mandate that provincial regulatory bodies be known as a “college”, the Minister of Health approved a name change from the Alberta Prehospital Professions Association to the Alberta College of Paramedics. This means that April 1, 2025, was the College’s 25th anniversary of officially becoming a regulatory college. To celebrate and memorialize this anniversary, the College has designed a unique Alberta College of Paramedics challenge coin.

On January 1, 1989, the Alberta Prehospital Professions Association (APPA) officially became the regulating body for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedics (EMT-Ps) in the province of Alberta. By 1994, Emergency Medical Responders (EMRs) were also brought under the legislation of the APPA. In May of 1999, the Health Professions Act received royal assent to replace the Health Disciplines Act. One of the conditions of this change was that all organizations responsible for regulating a profession be known as a “college”. Therefore, on April 1, 2000, the Minister of Health approved the name change from the APPA to the Alberta College of Paramedics (the College).

This marks April 1, 2025 as the 25th anniversary of the College officially becoming a college.

Coins as a symbol of military heritage first emerged in ancient Rome, and had a resurgence in World War I. According to a popular story, an American pilot stripped of his identification was able to prove his allegiances with a bronze medallion sporting his squadron insignia. This began the tradition to always carry one’s medallion or coin and to challenge others to prove it. The challenge coin has expanded past its military roots, becoming a symbol of honour, teamwork and camaraderie in various disciplines. Coins may be awarded for specific achievements, such as outstanding service. They may also be used to commemorate special events or anniversaries, or as general tokens of membership within communities.

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