Student Talk – EP7: American Perspectives – Pt. 1

Hosts: Jonathon Massey and Nick O'NeillGuest: John SpriggsAbout this episode:Jonathon and Nick chat to US Medic John Spriggs, who gives insight into the US pre-hospital system and talks about how paramedicine is a family practice. He goes in-depth into his state of Arkansas ambulance system and gives some helpful advice to those starting out.  About John: John has been in EMS for 26 years. He started dispatching when he was 17 years old and have since continued his education to EMT, EMT-I, Paramedic, and now he also an instructor. John received a Commendation from the U.S. House of Representatives for his work in EMS in 2011. He has been involved with overseeing vehicle maintenance, equipment and supply ordering and maintenance, and personnel supervision. John has three children that are now grown and two of them are in the medical field.  One of his sons is also a Paramedic and his daughter is a Hospital Corpsman in the Navy. About Jonathon: Jonathon is a 2nd year Paramedic student at Edith Cowan University. Coming from a mixed background of retail, hospitality, and customer service, he found a passion in remote and rural emergency medicine when he signed on to volunteer with SJA WA in 2018. It ignited a love of caring for and helping people in need. While he works on the ACP podcast, he hopes to bring you stories of paramedics and their challenges, building towards overcoming those challenges we face as a collective profession, and understanding how to cope and deal when something doesn’t go well. About Nick:Nick is a 3rd year Paramedic student at Charles Sturt University. He has a background in the Finance industry of over 10 years and finally decided to make the jump into a more fulfilling career. As a mature aged, distance student with a background that isn’t health-related, Nick hopes to share some of his experiences from a less-common entry path to Paramedicine and looks forward to bringing you some discussions with a wide range of health professionals to delve into their specialties and knowledge.