Research/Reflective Essay
Paramedicine in Conflict Zones:
Understanding the Value of Canadian Paramedic Laws Through the Lens of Gaza
Assignment Overview:
Paramedics in Ontario work within a highly regulated system shaped by the Ambulance Act,
base hospital medical directives, occupational health and safety laws, and strong protections for
both patients and providers. In contrast, paramedics working in Gaza operate under extreme
conditions where many of these protections are absent or violated.
Purpose:
Explore how observing paramedicine in a conflict zone can deepen your understanding of your
own legal and ethical responsibilities in Canada.
Reflect on the challenges faced by paramedics in Gaza and examine how these challenges help
you better understand the importance of the legal, ethical, and operational frameworks that guide
paramedic practice in Ontario.
In your research/reflection, consider the following guiding questions:
1. Scene Safety and Duty to Act
How does the concept of scene safety first look different in Gaza compared to Ontario?
How does this contrast help you appreciate why Ontario law protects paramedics from
entering unsafe scenes?
2. Protection of Medical Workers
What does it mean to work in a system where medical neutrality is not always respected?
How does this deepen your understanding of the Ambulance Act and the protections it
provides?
3. Triage and Ethical Decision-Making
How might triage decisions change when resources are overwhelmed or when
mass-casualty situations are constant?
How does this comparison help you understand the purpose of structured triage systems
like CTAS or START in Ontario?
4. Mental Health and Professional Resilience
What emotional or psychological challenges might paramedics in Gaza face?
How does this help you appreciate Ontarios PTSD presumptive legislation and
mental-health supports?
5. Documentation, Accountability, and Patient Rights
How does the breakdown of infrastructure (hospitals, roads, ect) in Gaza affect
documentation and continuity of care?
How does this highlight the importance of ACRs, consent laws, and PHIPA in Ontario?
Expectations
Students will select three of the provided guiding questions and create two additional questions
of their own, which must be approved by the instructor before writing.
Your essay, including the questions you develop, should:
Integrate research from high-quality sources, with a particular focus on Ontarios legal
frameworks relevant to the issues you are exploring. (Several examples are referenced in
this assignment, but you are encouraged to brainstorm a full list of applicable legislation
to ensure nothing is overlooked.)
To support your analysis, use credible, authoritative sources. High-quality sources
include:
Ontario legislation and government websites
Base Hospital medical directives
Peer-reviewed journal articles
Reports from WHO, ICRC, MSF, or other humanitarian organizations
Academic books or reputable news outlets
Avoid using:
Wikipedia
Opinion blogs
Social media posts
Unverified or anonymous sources
Your research should clearly support your legal and ethical analysis.
Connect your emerging professional identity as an Ontario paramedic to the lived
realities of paramedics working in Gaza.
Demonstrate insight into why Canadian laws and standards exist, not simply describe
what those laws are.
Engage directly with Canadianespecially Ontariomedical-legal frameworks. This is
a course on Medical Legal Issues in Canada, so your analysis must meaningfully
incorporate relevant legislation.
A well-written essay that does not clearly address the legal component will not meet the
expectations of this assignment.
Show empathy, critical thinking, and an understanding of global health contexts,
especially how crisis conditions shape paramedic practice.
Focus on the humanitarian, ethical, legal, and professional dimensions of paramedicine,
using the contrast between Ontario and Gaza to deepen your reflection.
Guidelines for Creating Your Own Questions
You are required to create two additional guiding questions. These must be approved by the
instructor before you begin writing. Your questions should:
Relate directly to paramedicine
Connect clearly to Ontario legal frameworks
Be specific enough to answer within a short essay
Encourage reflection on humanitarian, ethical, legal, or professional issues
How to Structure Your Essay:
Introduction
Use your introduction to clearly establish the topic, provide essential context, and outline the
focus of your essay. This section should engage the reader and set up the themes you will explore
in your body paragraphs.
Body Paragraphs (1-5)
For each section of your essay, begin by stating the guiding question you are addressing. Then
develop one or more well-structured paragraphs that respond to that question. Each paragraph
should demonstrate strong writing skills. Please familiarize yourself with the resource, How to
write a paragraph in the Assignment tab on Canvas.
Reflection
Your reflection should explore what you learned through the assignment and how these insights
will shape your growth as a future paramedic. You may consider topics such as:
How your understanding of legal frameworks evolved
How global humanitarian challenges influence your professional identity
How this assignment may impact your future practice
How this assignment has made you a better paramedic
Conclusion
Your conclusion should bring your ideas together by summarizing the key insights from your
body paragraphs. End with a thoughtful closing remarkthis could be a final insight, a proposed
solution, or a meaningful takeaway that leaves the reader thinking. Creativity is encouraged.
Learning Outcomes
By completing this assignment, you will:
Apply Ontarios medical-legal frameworks to complex, real-world scenarios.
Strengthen your ability to analyze how legal, ethical, and operational standards protect
both patients and paramedics.
Develop reflective writing skills grounded in professional identity formation.
Explore how global humanitarian crises shape the practice of paramedicine.
Demonstrate ethical reasoning, critical thinking, and an understanding of global health
contexts.
Formatting
Double spaced, size 12, times new roman
Title page (following APA format)
Maximum word count: 2,500 words. There is no minimum word countwrite as much
as you need, up to the maximum, to achieve the grade you are aiming for. Essays that
significantly exceed the 2,500-word limit will not be marked.
APA format
References list
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