Abi recommends the master's degree in prehospital critical care

"Being a student at the University of Stavanger was one of the best experiences I have had in my career to date", says former PHCC-student Abi Wild.

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Portrait of Abi Wild in search anf rescue uniform
  • Name: Abi Wild 
  • Current position and workplace:  Search and Rescue Winch Paramedic HM Coastguard, UK 
  • What did you study at UiS and when? Masters in Prehospital Critical Care (PHCC), 2019-2023 

What do you work with now? 

I work as a Search and Rescue winch Paramedic on the coastguard helicopter in the UK. 

Why did you choose to study at UiS? 

I chose to study at UiS because of the incredibly qualified and experienced lecturers that deliver the course. The teaching faculty offer so much more than just the module syllabus.  The global networking opportunities and subsequent peer learning opportunities are also unique due to the diversity of this course. This course is also free*, and consequently facilitates patient care being at the heart of the learning outcomes, regardless of your background or financial situation.  

*please note that the Norwegian Government has decided to introduce tuition fees for international students coming from outside of EU/EEA from the academic year 2023/2024.

How was it to be a PHCC student? 

It was one of the best experiences I have had in my career to date. The university, staff and students are incredibly helpful, kind, and friendly and the university campus and facilities are fantastic. The food is super fresh and healthy, the study areas are peaceful, warm, and modern and the gym is incredible.  

What do you remember most from your time at UiS? 

Making friends with like minded clinicians and physicians, spending lots of happy times socialising and discussing patient care in our different systems, team working, being challenged, and achieving goals.  

What have you benefited from the most in your professional life? 

Having a more worldly appreciation of pre hospital critical care, what is possible, what other systems are providing patients, why there are no limits to professional development and how critical care varies widely around the world. I have also made lifelong friends and have been able to visit them in their work arenas to gain work experience and develop my own practice further. I was incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to visit a professor in Austria for a HEMS and Trauma hospital placement, he arranged all the intricacies of clinical exposure, and I shall be forever grateful to him and his family for making this possible. This alone assisted me to get to where I am today in my career. 

Why would you recommend others to apply? 

This course is delivered by professionals you normally only read about or get to reference. The opportunity to spend time with them, learning from them and hearing about their stories and experiences to influence and improve your own practice is unique and an absolute privilege. The University experience, location, simulation facilities and global networking opportunities would be hard to find on any other critical care course.  

Would you like to study prehospital critical care in Stavanger? The application deadline is 5 February 2024. Read about the admission process.

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