PARAMEDICINE

Associate Professor Andrew Makkink is a paramedic academic with a global research footprint in emergency medical care. Currently Discipline Lead in Paramedicine at Flinders University, he brings extensive experience in paramedicine education, clinical simulation, and evidence synthesis. His research explores critical issues such as clinician well-being, workplace violence, and patient safety, with a strong focus on systematic reviews and practice-informed inquiry. A widely published scholar and former department head in South Africa, Andrew is committed to advancing paramedic practice through rigorous research, international collaboration, and the development of future-ready healthcare professionals.

Associate Professor Amy Keir is a neonatal doctor, clinician-researcher, and ambulance medical advisor with a passion for improving outcomes in critical care. She is Chief Medical Advisor for SA Ambulance, a Senior Consultant Neonatologist at Flinders Medical Centre, and a Practitioner Fellow in Paramedicine at Flinders University. Amy leads research in healthcare services, clinical practice improvement, and neonatal medicine, with a strong focus on translating evidence into practice. Her work bridges hospital and prehospital care, supporting innovation and quality improvement across systems to enhance safety, effectiveness, and patient experience in both neonatal and emergency settings.

Dr Louise Roberts is a mental health researcher and Lecturer in Paramedicine. Her work focuses on the out-of-hospital management of mental health presentations, with expertise in paramedic assessment and care of psychiatric conditions. Louise has been involved in national research into clinician understanding of mental health and substance use, contributed to clinical guideline development, lead editor for a text focused on paramedic clinical care of persons in mental distress or crisis and explored the impact of PTSD on families of first responders and veterans. Her research spans psychological, psychosocial, and psychobiological health, and she collaborates widely across sectors to improve mental health outcomes in emergency care settings.

James Pearce is a paramedic, educator, and researcher dedicated to advancing paramedicine through evidence-based practice and academic leadership. As a Senior Lecturer in Paramedicine, he brings frontline experience to the research environment. James is passionate about shaping the future of paramedicine through collaborative research and industry engagement, especially through mentoring and supervising paramedics as they take their first steps along the research journey. 

Dr Madeleine Juhrmann is a palliative care, paramedicine, oncology and healthcare services researcher. She is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), with Honorary Research Fellow appointments at Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health Discipline of Paramedicine, in addition to the University of Melbourne and University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Madeleine’s research interests include palliative paramedicine, public health approaches to palliative care and reducing avoidable hospital admissions. Her mixed methods doctoral project explored the role of paramedics delivering palliative and end-of-life care in Australian communities. Prior to undertaking her PhD, Madeleine worked across a variety of clinical, policy and research roles in paramedicine, aged care and palliative care.

Sian Wanstall is a paramedic and sleep health researcher at Flinders University, specialising in the intersection of shift work, fatigue, and mental well-being in emergency healthcare. Her research explores the lived experience of paramedics, aiming to improve sleep education, screening, and support strategies for frontline workers. Sian’s work contributes to national efforts to address sleep disorders and occupational burnout, with a focus on early career paramedics and sustainable workforce practices.

Through qualitative and translational research, she advocates for evidence-informed interventions that enhance clinician health, safety, and performance in high-pressure environments.