A PARAMEDIC has turned his career upside down to take on a new set of challenges.

Colin Ashton of Bangor is currently experiencing a different slice of emergency healthcare life thanks to an educational break down under with the New Zealand St John Ambulance.

He first joined the Welsh Ambulance Service in December 2004 and qualified as an Ambulance Technician within a year.

Shortly afterwards, Colin began his paramedic course and became a paramedic after 18 months of training.

The attraction of experiencing healthcare on the other side of the world in a different culture that proved the inspiration for Colin’s life-changing turn.

He said: “I’d always wanted to spend some time in New Zealand and thought what better way to experience a culture than to live and work in New Zealand.

“I applied for a 12 month career break under the agenda for change act but did not secure an Ambulance post in NZ until Feb this year and have just applied for a career break extension until July 2009,

“New Zealand’s very much like North Wales countryside on a larger scale and a similar outdoor lifestyle without the Welsh weather so it felt like home and I was keen to explore further when I arrived.”

After setting foot in New Zealand, Colin began as an Ambulance Officer with the service and quickly moved through the ranks to Paramedic, Upskilled Paramedic and Advanced Paramedic.

Colin said: “A New Zealand Advanced Paramedic is similar to that of a UK Paramedic with a few additional skills however as an Advanced Paramedic you are seen as the clinical lead and when on duty I’m the only Advanced Paramedic in the area the size of Anglesey backing up a number of crews so it’s a highly responsible role.

“In New Zealand the ratio of trauma to medical jobs is much higher than North Wales, being the only Advanced Paramedic in the area you can find yourself with some pretty challenging jobs.”

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