ACPP Patron

College Patron

Professor Dennis Pashen MBBS, MPHTM, FACRRM, FRACGP, FACPP(Hon).

Patron of the Australasian College of Paramedic Practitioners.

Professor Dennis Pashen has over 40 years’ experience working within rural and remote practice. He is also currently the Medical Coordinator for Ochre Health for Tasmania.

Dennis has worked in procedural practice in Ingham, the North Queensland Clinical School of the University of Queensland, Foundation Director of the Mt Isa Centre for Rural and Remote Health, James Cook University, Director of Medical Services in South Burnett and Rural Darling Downs Health and Hospital Services with responsibility for 18 rural hospitals.

Dennis is a former President of the Australian College of Remote and Rural Medicine (ACRRM), Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) and Rural Doctors Association Tasmania (RDAT). He had previously been a member of the Assessment Committee and Board of Examiners and the Chair of the Post Fellowship Committee of ACRRM.  He is currently Chair of the Quality and Safety Committee of ACRRM with membership of the Medicines Safety Council of National Prescription Service (NPS) and the Australian Digital Health Agency and National Immunisation Council of the Commonwealth Government. He currently is the Chair of the Australia and New Zealand Physician Assistant's Standards Council. He has a number of publications on rural and remote health workforce and in particular the introduction of Advanced Paramedic Practice, Physician Assistants and Rural Generalist Programs into Queensland.

Dennis is passionate about rural and remote health services across Australia and has been active in working towards improving access to health care for rural communities.

Specialty interest areas: medical education and training, rural and remote health workforce innovation, particularly Paramedic Practitioners and Physician Assistants, rural health care, use of social media to promote rural health care and as a tool in distance medical education.

He has won a number of awards for his teaching and rural health advocacy awarded by the Federal Government and rural doctor and student organisations.

Dennis supports the introduction of a Paramedic Practitioner Model into Primary Healthcare, particularly in areas of medical care shortage and poor health outcomes.  Paramedics and Paramedic Practitioners can help doctors keep people safe in their homes and in their communities.

The College is privileged to have such a honoured and progressive Physician to become our Patron.