Acadian Ambulance USA Paramedicine Placement

During this program, you will have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of working alongside paramedics in the United States in the area serviced by Acadian Ambulance.

Students will be based at either Beaumont (Texas), Lake Charles (Texas), Lafayette (Louisiana) or Baton Rouge (Louisiana)

Through your placement, you will apply paramedic basic life support and advanced life support skills in a supervised clinical environment to the approved NREMT EMT scope of practice . Additionally, you may be given the opportunity to visit an aeromedical site and look through a rescue helicopter and may have the opportunity to fly on a mission (dependent on weather, callout criteria and crewing on the day).   This opportunity will assist you in developing insight and an appreciation for international emergency medical services systems and be able to compare and contrast the US and Australian health and paramedic systems. The self-ticketing aspect of the placement will allow you the flexibility of exploring the beauty and culture of the United States or surrounding areas at your leisure after the program completion.

Dates coincide with the university 202560 mid session break, plus 2 weeks into teaching time.

Program overview

Led by: School of Nursing, Paramedicine and Healthcare Sciences

Cost: $4,600

For further details see the financial information tab.

Dates: 24 Aug 2025 - 20 Sep 2025

Places: 10

This program will require minimum numbers to proceed.

Applications

Open: 20 Jan 2025

Close: 9 Feb 2025

Apply now!

Eligibility

This program is offered by the Faculty of Science and Health and the School of Nursing, Paramedicine and Healthcare Sciences.

  • Bachelor of Paramedicine

For those students selected for this placement, students will be required to complete an EMT Online Module to allow them to perform skills under supervision while on their placement in Texas and Louisiana. - this will be an additional cost.  Students will be required to complete this no later than 6 weeks prior to the program commencing.

Academic Recognition

Priority will be given to 3rd year students.  Second year students may be considered where places are not filled.

Third year students must be enrolled in CLS311 Clinical Placement and Authentic Learning 2 for the session in which the program will run and have all compliance up to date as well as a  remaining Workplace Learning requirement.

If second year students are selected they must be enrolled in CLS206 Clinical Placement and Auththentic Learning 1 or the session in which the program will run and have all compliance up to date as well as a remaining Workplace Learning requirement.

The placement will count for either an allied health 4 week placement or an ambulance  4 week placement depending on what the student's requirement will be for their subject.

Financial Information

Program cost

$4,600

Additional details

Exact costs to be advised on notification of successful application.

Program deposit and due date

$1000 non-refundable deposit due: Within two weeks of notification of successful application

You must have a valid passport or be in the process of applying for one by the first deposit payment date. Your passport must have a minimum of six-month validity from the program's return date.

Program costs include

  • In-country program fee
  • Accommodation

Program costs exclude

  • Charles Sturt University subject fees
  • Online EMT Course - students will need to register as a USA EMT
  • International flights
  • Insurance
  • Visa (if required)
  • Passport
  • Immunisations (if required)
  • Drug screening
  • Local transport
  • Meals
  • Sightseeing/recreational activities
  • Souvenirs, gratuities and incidentals.

Pre-departure

Students may be required to obtain a specific visa to participate in this Program.  It is your responsibility to contact the US Consulate to discuss your plans and to ensure you are aware of the entry requirements associated with your purpose of travel to the United States.

Students will be required to submit to the Work Place Learning Team a negative 10-panel drug screen.  Information on this will be provided to you throughout a meeting once successful applicants have secured their place in the Program.

Students will be required to complete an EMT Online Module to allow them to complete their placement in Texas and Louisiana. - this will be an additional cost.  Students will be required to complete this no later than 6 weeks prior to the program commencing.

All participants will be required to complete mandatory pre-departure requirements. This includes the provision and completion of the following

  • Flight Itinerary*:  You must submit a copy of your E-ticket that clearly lists your dates, flight number/ times from the day you leave Australia until the day you return and confirmation these flights have been paid for.
  • Travel Insurance*:  You will need to ensure you have the appropriate medical and travel insurance from the day you leave Australia until the day you return.  You must submit a copy of your certificate of insurance and your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). At a minimum your insurance must include:
    • Medical Expenses $500,000
    • Repatriation Expenses $15,000
    • Personal Liability $1,000,000
    • 24hr Emergency Assistance Included
    • COVID 19 cover
  • Passport:  You must submit a copy of your passport (the page where your photo is).
  • Pre-departure modules: You will be registered for online pre-departure training
  • Registration with World Travel Protection (WTP): The app provides immediate access to 24-hour emergency medical assistance (in the event that your own insurer is unavailable), security alerts and detailed country reports. You will need to enable World Travel Protection to access your location so you can receive real-time travel and security support if an incident occurs.
  • Health Declaration form: This will be provided with your acceptance email.
  • Student Declaration form: This will be provided with your acceptance email.
  • Emergency contact form: This will be provided with your acceptance email

In addition to the above requirements your program leader will host a number of online pre-departure meetings that you will be expected to attend.

Useful links

The self-ticketing aspect of the program will allow you the flexibility of exploring the United States at your leisure prior to and/or after the program completion.

Students to purchase their own flights, travel insurance, visas and passports.

Learning about so many different cultures and meeting such a different group of people is something you can’t experience in classrooms here. Everyone was there for the same reasons; a love of learning, love of travel and curiosity. These things bound us all together.

Michael Jago, Program Participant

Enquiries

Further enquiries regarding the application process should be directed to:

Louise Haberecht

Charles Sturt University Learning Abroad and Exchange Office
Charles Sturt University
Phone: +61 2 6338 4021
Email: csuglobal@csu.edu.au

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