Welcome to the beginning of the holiday season and the final stretch of 2024! What a perfect time to reflect on our achievements over the past 12 months and the growth we’ve experienced together.
2024 was steady with change and progress happening consistently behind the scenes and this has given us the opportunity to kick off our 2024/2025 registration year with some wonderful announcements. In October, we launched our Learning Management System (LMS) and it’s great to see many of you have already started to utilize it. While it is brand new to all of you, Council has been discussing the possibility of a LMS for many years now. Over the coming year, the hope is to have more course content available for you to complete some of your Continuing Competence credits before next renewal.
Another development to the Continuing Competence program is that precepting has been approved for Continuing Education credits. It has been a goal of the College to find ways to encourage the leaders in our profession to take on more students and this change provides a great incentive.
In November, our Registrar provided an update on the education curriculum developments. As many of you know, the College has been working with stakeholders to develop an updated curriculum and the details were shared in last month’s Pulse. It is encouraging to see the proposed changes and that the long-desired degree program is on the horizon. I feel confident that the structure of the education, the additions to the training and the new competency profiles will create growth across the profession and increase retention. This is another step taken to ensure Alberta is a leader among Canada in paramedicine.
Lastly, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt admiration for each of you. Paramedics are some of the most resilient, driven, compassionate people and you show this each and every day. You are often the beacon of hope for many individuals on their darkest days. Your unwavering commitment to this profession, your patients and each other truly inspires me. But it can be easy to forget to take care of yourself when you spend so much time giving everything you have to those around you. As we enjoy the holiday season, be sure to take some time for yourself. Recharge and connect with loved ones, unwind from the busy year and take care of yourself.
Wishing you a joyful holiday season filled with peace, happiness and well-deserved rest. Here’s to a bright year ahead!
Adam Swendsen, ACP
Council President