The Prehospital Researchers' Journal Club (Ensihoidon Tutkijoiden Journal Club) is a project that started off as a crazy idea by a Finnish doctoral researcher (University of Helsinki), who quietly asked the question; "why can't I find a journal club on the prehospital field?" 

In Finland, paramedics and emergency care professionals have increasingly showed interest in research connected to their own field. There are numerous high-quality master theses done annually and the road to doctorate studies has opened up. Finnish paramedics with Emergency Care/Nursing degrees doing doctorate studies has increased annually (a phenomenon also noticed globally). For many who didn't even consider it a viable option, a PhD is now possible. Meanwhile, the field of emergency care is clearly not visible enough in the research field. That has to change.

The journal club was a small response to this issue; not only is it hopefully a channel for research-interested paramedics to take part in research discussions and network among fellows, but also for PhD students to hone their own critical review skills and generally, to bolster the prehospital emergency care field and raise awareness.

We hope to see this journal club grow into a community of paramedic PhDs and students of all levels. Welcome.

Sincerely,

Christoffer Ericsson
Doctoral Researcher, MSc Applied Psychology, MHc Emergency Care

Anu Venesoja
PhD, MHc Emergency Care