Host: Sandy MacQuarrie
Guest: J.D. Heffern

About this episode:
In this episode Sandy and J.D. have a chat about J.D.’s incredible career, one that is unique and has him in a role that did not exist until now. They also discuss patient advocacy, the emerging role of paramedicine in austere settings and inclusive of First Nations/Indigenous persons, and how to chart a course for the future if you are new to the paramedicine field. This episode is filled with a wealth of experience, knowledge and insight!

About Sandy:
Sandy MacQuarrie is a Senior Lecturer at Griffith University School of Medicine, Paramedicine program. He has been a paramedic in Canada since 1993 and had the opportunity to work in a number of provinces in some very unique settings. He immigrated to Australia in 2013 to teach at Charles Sturt University and complete his PhD. His area of research is within the health and wellness of paramedics.

About JD:
Chief Paramedic, Senior Advisor, Indigenous Services Canada, First Nation and Inuit Health Branch, Government of Canada

J.D. Heffern is a Canadian Advanced Care Paramedic having served as a front-line paramedic and also within the developing community paramedicine scheme, previously working as an Advanced Care Community Paramedic imbedded within a community family health team partnering and developing with other primary care providers. 

For the last two years, J.D. worked as Paramedic Portfolio Manager for Indigenous Services Canada in a secondment role.  In November 2020 J.D. accepted a permanent full-time Chief of Paramedicine and Senior Advisor position within Indigenous Services Canada – First Nation and Inuit Health Branch. His role is to research, design, educate, create policy and programming as it pertains to paramedicine and the role of Community Paramedics working in northern Canadian indigenous communities. 

J.D. has maintained a role as a part-time Commander with the County of Renfrew Paramedic Service in Ontario, Canada where he supports the leadership team in delivering out-of-hospital care supporting service innovation and progression.  In his spare time, he is extremely passionate about global paramedicine knowledge transference.  He has extensively worked to develop Paramedicine initiatives in Germany, UK, Ireland, Iceland, and Turkey. J.D. has represented and presented internationally on a variety of current trends and topics and has a love for networking with likeminded individuals and organisations.

Connect with J.D. on Twitter: @jdheffern