Today we get to know Jocelyn Park-Ross affectionately known as Jo, Clinical Training and Development based at our Head office. Here’s a look into her world…
How long have you been with AMS? “I started flying with AMS in 2012 when I worked for the provincial ambulance service and have worked here since 2014 as a flight paramedic at Cape Town base. A year ago I moved from Cape Town base into Head Office to take up a clinical training post.”
Tell us about yourself? “I was born in Cape Town but grew up in Blantyre in Malawi where my Dad worked as an engineer building ships, schools, and dry docks– we moved to Cape Town in 1999, where I completed my High School studies at Westerford . I studied to be a paramedic at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). I have a little sister who is my favourite person in the world.”
Were you in any other trade before? “I worked as a horse riding instructor during university and briefly as a dancer during the soccer world cup.”
What do you do in your spare time? “I spend time with friends, ride my horse, and drink gin. I love travelling, especially around Africa. I love anything to do with the ocean. I also go scuba diving as much as I can, just In case my research supervisor is reading this – I also spend a lot of time working on my Master’s thesis!”
What is the one thing about you few people know? “I love plants – possibly an obsessive amount.”
What do you enjoy most about your job? “I love that every day is different. My job includes clinical training, clinical governance, development of course materials, setting up new bases, flight paramedic shifts and everything in between. I love the people here at AMS and the passion they bring to their jobs.”
What is on your bedside table?
Flowers, always!
If you could have dinner with five famous people from history, who would they be? “I would give them all up to have dinner with my grandmother who passed away last year. I miss her terribly and I need her sweet chilli jam recipe.”
If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be? “I would be a dive leader on a dive boat anywhere in the Caribbean (although after one day, I may just stay forever).”
Best piece of advice anyone ever gave you? “A mentor taught me to be solid about my goals but flexible about my methods of reaching them, and that being kind is more important than being right.”
