History

In 2009, the Division of EMS hosted its first annual research day. It is now held at the end of October, in the Royal Bank Theatre at the Halifax Infirmary building of the QEII Health Sciences Centre. The day is action packed with a relevant EMS keynote speaker and scientific presentations of EMS, prehospital and paramedic research.

The 6th Annual EMS Research Day was held on Tues, Oct 21st 2014 in the Royal Bank Theatre of the Halifax Infirmary Bldg of the QEII Health Sciences Centre. Over 85 paramedics, physicians, management and others with an interest in EMS research were in attendance from all over Canada. The Keynote Speaker was Lawrence Brown PhD, MPH, TM, an independent research design and data analysis consultant in Austin, Texas, USA, and an Adjunct Associate Professor with the Mount Isa Centre for Rural and Remote Health at James Cook University, Australia.

Twelve studies were presented and the awards went to: Justin Mausz for the Top Research Award with “Exploring the Role of Hospital-Based Paramedic Education” and Phil Stewart for the Ron Stewart Top Paramedic Research Award with “The Feasibility of Monitoring the Temperature of Medication Storage in a Ground Ambulance: A Pilot Study”.

In conjunction with EMS Research Day, we also held two related events on Oct 20th 2014: a Paramedic Journal Club’s (topic was Transport Outcomes), and a Pitch Your Proposal event that had eight potential research ideas put forward for discussion.

Keynote Speakers and award winners from previous years:

YearSpeakerRon Stewart AwardTop EMS Project
2025Jennifer Greene
ACP, MSc (C)
Knowledge Translation Specialist, Division of EMS, Department of Emergency Medicine, Dalhousie University
ACP, EHS Ambulance Service
Mike Janczyszyn, ACP Mohammad Sultan, PhD, MD
2024Dr. Georgette Eaton, PhD
Consultant Paramedic, London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Facilitator & Co-Chair
Oxfordshire Council for Allied Health Professions Research
Sr. Fellow /International Collaborator
McNally Project
Polly Ford-Jones, PCP, AEMCA PhDThérésa J Choisi, MSc
2023Dr. Sheldon Cheskes MD CCFP (EM) FCFP DRCPSC
Medical Director, Sunnybrook Center for Prehospital Medicine
Regions of Halton and Peel
Dr. Judah GoldsteinDr. Renee Kinden
2022Jennie Helmer, ACP, PhD (c)
Director, Fraser West
Clinical Operations, BCEHS
Ian Drennan, ACP, PhDSareen Singh, MSc
Jennifer Bolster, ACP
2021Dr. Walter Tavares, ACP, PhD
Chair, McNally Project
Director of Research, Ontario Paramedic Association
Educator, Centennial College & University of Toronto,
Scientist, Wilson Center for Health Professions Education Research, University Health Network & Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.
J. Chris SmithDr. Alix Carter, MD, FRCPC, MPH
2020John Taplin, ACP, BA (ECONOMICS), MSC.
Advanced Care Paramedic, Alberta Health Services EMS
Research Analyst, Health Technology Assessment Unit,
O’Brien Institute for Public Health
MSc, Community Health Sciences (Specializing in Health Economics), University of Calgary
J. Chris SmithDr. Alix Carter, MD, FRCPC, MPH
2019Ian Drennan, PhD(c), ACPWilliam McQuaid, , BSc (Paramedicine), ACPDr. Alix Carter, MD, FRCPC, MPH
2018Blair Bigham, Resident, Emergency Medicine, TorontoLyon Kengis, ACP (c)Mengyu Li, PhD (c)
2017Katie Dainty, Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of TorontoJen Greene, ACPDr. Alix Carter, MD, FRCPC, MPH
2016Laurie Morrison, Department of Medicine at the University of TorontoJames OrchardJohn Bartolacci, PCP
2015Jonathan Studnek PhD, NRP Mecklenburg EMS AgencyJan Jensen, ACPJustin Mausz, ACP
2014Lawrence Brown PhD, MPH, TM James Cook UniversityPhil Stewart, ACPJustin Mausz, ACP
2013Daniel Patterson Phd, EREMP-P University of PittsburghAsha BienkowskiLouis Staple, ACP
2012Tim Kilner, Paramedic Sciences, Coventry University, UKMark Walker, ACPWalter Tavares, ACP
2011Al Craig, Deputy Chief, Toronto EMSTIE: Jan Jensen, ACP and Judah Goldstein PCPDr. David Petrie
2010Ian Blanchard Alberta Health Services, Emergency Medical ServicesJan Jensen, ACPJan Jensen, ACP
2009Blair Bigham ACP MSc Saint Michaels Hospital; RESCUJudah Goldstein, ACPDr John Tallon