ARMY | WILLIAM WALLACE

NEW ZEALAND ARMY MEDIC

writer NZ DEFENCE CAREERS // photograph courtesy of NZ DEFENCE FORCE

The ability to think on his feet and be fit was the drawcard for WILLIAM WALLACE to join the New Zealand Army as a medic. He has graduated from Defence Health School based at Burnham Military Camp following two-and-a-half years of study where he earned himself the Peers Choice Award and Top Trainee Award. Private Wallace, 22, from Riverton, tried university after high school but it wasn’t right for him at the time, so he enlisted into the Army. “I joined as a medic as I wanted a job that required physical challenges, as well as academic ones. It seemed to fit what I wanted in a job the most: requiring a lot of thinking, as well as being physically fit,” he said. William said he has enjoyed the operational phases of training, particularly the parts based around trauma. “Along with that, I have really enjoyed getting a taste of the different services medicine, including the aeromedical evacuation course.” He is looking forward to the next part of his New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) journey, including returning to university. “I am looking to further my understanding of military and clinical medicine and ensuring that any patients I treat in the field, on operations, or at the Health Centre, are given the best care. In a medical sense, I will also be furthering my study through a Bachelor of Paramedicine.” William will be posted to Southern Health Support Squadron in Burnham where he will put his medic training into practice. He said anyone wishing to join the NZDF should ensure they do their research. “Make sure you read all of what the trade requirements are and that you are medically and physically fit – this will put you in good stead for whatever job you would like to do.”

I JOINED AS A MEDIC AS I WANTED A JOB THAT REQUIRED PHYSICAL CHALLENGES, AS WELL AS ACADEMIC ONES.

WILLIAM WALLACE

NZDF medics train in a tri-service environment at Defence Health School based at Burnham Military Camp. The training takes two-and-a-half years and is a mixture of theory and practice. They also experience on-the-job training at Health Centres across Defence Force camps, ships and bases around New Zealand.

KEY FACTS

■ WILLIAM WALLACE IS A MEDIC IN THE NEW ZEALAND ARMY. HE GRADUATED FROM

DEFENCE HEALTH SCHOOL, WHICH IS BASED AT BURNHAM MILITARY CAMP. ■ HE COMPLETED TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS OF TRAINING, WHICH WAS A MIXTURE

OF THEORY AND PRACTICE, AND INTENDS TO FURTHER HIS MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE

BY STUDYING A BACHELOR OF PARAMEDICINE. ■ WILLIAM EARNED THE PEERS CHOICE AWARD AND TOP TRAINEE AWARD DURING

HIS STUDY. HE WILL BE POSTED TO SOUTHERN HEALTH SUPPORT SQUADRON

IN BURNHAM, WHERE HE WILL PUT HIS MEDIC TRAINING INTO PRACTICE. For more information on the variety of careers in the New Zealand Army, visit

www.defencecareers.mil.nz