It's a rare chance for university students to get a free ‘poke and prod' at their Vice-Chancellor but they assured him it was all in the name of good health.

Seven CQUniversity Paramedic Science students demonstrated their new skills with state-of-the-art Paramedic equipment when they carried out a full check-up on Professor Scott Bowman recently.

The demonstration formed part of the students' residential school - a practical component in the distance education Paramedic Science course which is unique within Australia. Residential schools are being undertaken in Cairns and Rockhampton.

L-R Ebony Edges, Kree Combey, Paul Oliveri (Paramedic Lecturer), Linda Beecheno, Matt Ewing and Yanick Juvet perform a 'check up' on the VC Scott Bowman. Paramedic Science lecturer Paul Oliveri, an intensive care paramedic with more than 25 years' experience, said the residential school will prepare students for industry experience when they enter the second and third years of their degree.

"Prior to CQUniversity's Paramedic Science program, people from Cairns and the surrounding regions either had to move south to study, or take their chances on receiving the right student posting with the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) to fulfill their dreams of being a Paramedic," Mr Oliveri said.

"Now students can live, study and attend the odd residential school, all in our tropical paradise.

"The Ambulance Service benefits from the ability to employ highly qualified local people intent on staying within the region."

A recent partnership between CQUniversity and the QAS is also supporting rural and remote Paramedic Science students based in the far north with the establishment of a study hub within QAS facilities.

The hub provides enhanced quality of education through face-to-face practical application of education with QAS educators.

There are a total of 252 students enrolled in the Bachelor of Paramedic Science program, with 220 of those studying via distance education. These students will develop the expertise and skills to work as health professionals in emergency medicine and retrieval.

The residential school was also an opportunity for students to see the new Distance Education Study Centre in Cairns which held its official Open Day recently. See here for more details.

Paul Oliveri can be contacted on 0407 630 398.

For more information on studying the Bachelor of Paramedic Science program, please phone 13 27 86.