In the past week, Roger, a 36 year veteran of Horsham's paramedic branch, welcomed his son into the fold.

Aaron, 40-years-old, completed a double degree in Nursing and Paramedicine at the Australian Catholic University in Ballarat - and after one year as a registered nurse, jumped at the opportunity to don the uniform and work alongside his father.

Aaron has finished the first week of his graduate year with Horsham's paramedics, the start of what will be a continuation of his father's legacy in the community.

He said while there were big shoes to fill, he was keen to carve out his path in the ambulance service.

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"Knowing that he has been a paramedic for a number of years and has been a great asset to this community. There are big shoes to fill, but also as things move along and change, I am also on my own journey," he said.

"But I have definitely used him as a great resource and picked his brains because he has a wealth of knowledge and experience."

Aaron began studying paramedicine later in life after working as a nurse in Melbourne and Sydney and a stint in the UK.

He said seeing his father enjoy a successful and rewarding career as a paramedic motivated the change.

"I had been working in that field in the past, not as a paramedic, but in the nursing and emergency fields, so I knew I would enjoy that line of work - helping people and the rewards of the job," he said.

"It is different to see him in his element working, as opposed to seeing him more casually at home and going on holidays. It is different but it is just a start where we will hopefully enjoy a couple more years before he retires and we can enjoy that we are in the same profession. It is something to be proud of I guess."

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Roger said he felt very proud when Aaron finished his degree and decided to become a paramedic.

"I was very proud of him, all the students who go to university and give a lot of their time to their studies. It is a big commitment," he said.

"He has done really, really well - really terrific for him. He has great attributes to become a paramedic, good qualities. I hope he gets the enjoyment I have had through my career."

When Roger started his career as a paramedic 36 years ago, the job was much different.

He said paramedics used to do much of their learning on the job and had fewer high-tech resources.

"Back in our day we did eight weeks in a classroom and then on the road. We learned on the job. It was much different than what Aaron did," he said.

"It is good to see, to have a timeline to be able to compare it. When I first started, we didn't have a defibrillator.

"We were very very limited with drugs. Now the skills that we bring to the patient have changed significantly."

Roger was working as a labourer when he left school and said the career prospect of being a paramedic was "not as popular as it is now."

"I just knew that I couldn't be that person my whole life, I wanted to better myself - that is why I joined. I was so lucky to fall into a career that I have enjoyed and it is something that has become a part of me," he said.

Throughout the years, Roger said he had seen horrible situations and relied on friends, family and the community.

Outside of work, Roger said he used exercise as an outlet for the stress and pressure of the incidents he faced daily.

He said the best paramedics had a "realists" approach to the job.

"You do get good support - with your fellow paramedics you feel supported. Look just give yourself praise, when no one will give you praise that you are doing your best," he said.

"What makes a good paramedic - empathy. We are no better or worse. We are trained to do a job, and we try to do it as well as everyone else.

"We are just a part of the community. Everyone has their skill and gifts that they bring to their workplace."

With week one of his graduate year finished, Aaron said he was enjoying the challenges of the job.

"Every day is different. You go to work with a bit of anticipation about what could be, where you find yourself," he said.

"There's a privilege in being invited into a space where people are in their most vulnerable state or situation.

"Just being able to work through the challenges to hopefully see improved or better outcomes for people. To be able to build that trust a rapport to trust each other. That is what you wake up for."

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