Ambulance Victoria (AV) is proud to celebrate a historic milestone with Dr Ziad Nehme becoming the first paramedic to receive the honour in the 25-year history of the Commonwealth Health Minister’s Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research.
Dr Nehme, AV Director of Research and Evaluation, received the 2025 award for his extraordinary contribution to improving outcomes for patients experiencing cardiac arrest.
His achievement marks a significant moment for the paramedicine profession, recognising the vital role paramedics play in advancing health and medical research in Australia.
The award highlights Dr Nehme’s outstanding research career in prehospital emergency care and resuscitation, and his leadership in shaping evidence-based improvements to cardiac arrest survival.
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a major health challenge in Australia, with over 25,000 cases annually. Despite advances in emergency care, survival remains low, with only one in 10 patients surviving.
As part of the award, Dr Nehme will receive an additional $50,000 to support his research. This funding complements his recent five-year National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grant.
In his groundbreaking research project, Dr Nehme will bring technology, integration and sophistication to the health service response to OHCA by integrating advanced technology and improving early treatment.
Dr Nehme accepted the award at a ceremony in Canberra. He said, “While many in the community have expressed gratitude for the lifesaving work paramedics do, my journey in research has been shaped by a starkly different reality. The devastating experience of seeing the majority patients experiencing OHCA die before they reach the hospital.
“Through this NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellowship, I am committed to driving a paradigm shift in OHCA management. I want to move beyond traditional emergency response to an integrated, technology-driven and community-focused system of care.
“My ultimate vision is clear. I want a future in which every individual experiencing OHCA has the best possible chance of survival. No life should be lost due to delays, inaction or missed opportunities for early intervention,” he said.
Dr Nehme’s future research will focus on better identifying OHCA during emergency calls, reducing delays in bystander CPR, testing community-based interventions to increase defibrillation rates before ambulance arrival, and strengthening the evidence base for resuscitation interventions.
Victoria is the safest place in Australia and the third safest in the world for cardiac arrest survival, as highlighted in the 2023/24 Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry (VACAR) Annual Report.
The Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry Report showcases groundbreaking advancements in cardiac arrest response and survival rates across the state. Ambulance Victoria proudly congratulates Dr Nehme on this historic achievement and acknowledges his exceptional contribution to advancing cardiac arrest care in Victoria and across Australia.
