Hello everyone! I think we can all agree that we are ready for spring. Hopefully we can start to see some consistently nice weather and enjoy some time outside.
Last year, on April 1st we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the College becoming a regulatory college. To acknowledge the milestone, we introduced the new Challenge Coins. 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.
We’ve received some great feedback on our Challenge Coins and were thrilled to see that many of you have ordered them. We plan to continue to offer them for as long as there is interest. You can access the order form on our member website.
As of 12 am this morning, our 2026 Member Survey officially closed. I would like to thank all of you that took the time to complete it and provide valuable insight. We received 1,856 responses with 1,358 claiming the survey for Continuing Education credits. Over the next few weeks, we will be going through each and every response. I promise that every comment is read. We will be providing a summary report in an upcoming edition of the Pulse for all of those who are interested in the results. Previously, these surveys have helped guide our future planning and resulted in improvements such as the new member portal, our Learning Management System and helped with preceptor planning for the new education framework.
Lastly, I would like to remind everyone that tomorrow the Council Recruitment process opens. We are looking to fill three, three-year term positions. As always, we use a third-party HR firm to pre-screen all the applicants and provide a shortlist to our Selection Committee. In previous years, we have been faced with an incredibly hard decision as the candidates have all been outstanding! We hope you will all consider putting your name forward. Watch your email tomorrow for the recruitment invitation with instructions on how to apply.
I wish you all a wonderful Easter weekend and hope you enjoy time with your family and friends.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Communications@ABparamedics.com.
Wendy Dugas
CEO