Oldest paramedic student in UTAS cohort celebrates graduation after working as car salesman

Crowned the oldest student in his cohort, former car salesman- turned-paramedic Bob Muller has proven its never to late for a career change. PICTURES >>

Graduation Ceremony at the University of Tasmania, Burbury Theatre on Friday 28th April 2023. Batchelor of paramedic medicine graduates, Jen Carter and Bob Muller. Picture: Linda Higginson

A teary eyed Bob Muller has taken to the stage to receive his Bachelor of Paramedic Practice at the ripe age of 63.

Crowned the oldest student in his cohort, Mr Muller never thought he would be graduating from the University of Tasmania after working as a car salesman for 40-years.

“Most of my life I was a car dealer in Queensland and I jokingly say that becoming a paramedic is my application for readmission to the human race,” he said.

After moving to Tasmania in 2018 and doing some business consulting before the pandemic, Mr Muller decided to volunteer with Ambulance Tasmania.

“I just realised how much I loved the work,” he said.

“When I started volunteering, I had no thought that I would be a paramedic and about six months in I just decided that I loved the work and applied to UTAS, got in and now graduating.”

While Mr Muller is thrilled to be graduating, the feeling was bittersweet to be saying goodbye to his graduating cohort who he had been studying with closely in the accelerated two-year intensive degree.

“Paramedics isn’t a course you can do by yourself,” he said.

“Everybody struggles at some point and everybody in the cohort at some point needed somebody to bear them up and everybody in the cohort at some point took the time to help somebody else.

“It was a really intense experience and to have 30 people and they become like family is just amazing.”

He hopes to work for Ambulance Tasmania after submitting an application with them.

“I did my interview last week,” he said.

“There are other options there but Ambulance Tasmania in the Northwest is my first choice.”

About 170 students from different faculties were graduating over three ceremonies on Friday at the Sir Stanley Burbury Theatre in Sandy Bay.

Graduation Ceremony at the University of Tasmania, Burbury Theatre on Friday 28th April 2023. Graduate in PhD of Neuroscience, Lachlan Brown Picture: Linda Higginson

Graduation Ceremony at the University of Tasmania, Burbury Theatre on Friday 28th April 2023. Diploma of Emergency Nursing Graduates, Madison Royal and Ernie Koh. Picture: Linda Higginson

Madison Royal and colleague Ernie Koh have travelled down from Sydney to make their graduation in Hobart.

The pair who have been working as ED nurses for more than 10 years were upskilling to progress their career with an Graduate Diploma of Nursing (Emergency).

“We work in the emergency department but now we’re doing clinical admin and managerial roles and one of the requirements was doing post grad studies,” Mr Koh said.

“Covid really changed the game and the way nursing went forward, especially emergency nursing has been the frontline,” Ms Royal said.

“This was the next progression for our careers and we knew that we wanted to do something more, but it was necessary that we got some proper qualifications underneath us on top of our bachelors.”

See the Sunday Tasmanian for the full list of UTAS graduates.