Paramedicine in British Columbia: a profile of current research and operational initiatives

British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada. BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) provides ground and air emergency medical services to BC’s 4.75 million inhabitants (Statistics Canada, n.d.) through more than 180 stations in metropolitan, urban, rural, and remote communities throughout the province. BC’s 4,600 paramedics and dispatchers are represented by the Ambulance Paramedics of BC (APBC). Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) is a public post-secondary degree-granting institution providing paramedic education and continuing medical education for a wide range of health and community-based practitioners across the province and internationally. This article focuses on current research and operational initiatives, with a particular focus on a Paramedic Association of Canada sponsored study that provided the foundation for the new Canadian Paramedic Profile.