Tradie downs tools for life as paramedic in Ballan

SAMUEL Matafonov has taken all the tricks from his previous trade as a carpenter to become a paramedic supporting Ballan.

Mr Matafonov started in Ballan in October after stints as an ambulance community officer in Cobden and working with the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

But before that, he worked as a carpenter with his father.

He said his time as a tradie gave him quality experiences and skills he still used.

“It offered me just a range of interactions with people,” the paramedic said. “Whether that was co-workers, clients, even just your staff at the timber yard, which then I think has actually channeled quite well into then being able to just have those conversations with anyone in the public.

“So yeah, I think having that life experience beforehand or having that professional experience has actually then really helped me connect with people now as a paramedic.”

The Geelong resident said he had always had an interest in healthcare.

He was working as a chippie when a personal tragedy occurred. His father received a stage four cancer diagnosis.

The moments that Mr Matafonov had with the healthcare professionals treating his father, who died, had a lasting influence.

Through his grieving process, he realised healthcare was the next step.

“Over the course of that year, I got to see obviously a lot of the interactions he had with healthcare professionals,” Mr Matafonov said.

“But then when it got to that sort of more acute decline phase, I think ultimately the care that I saw him receive and the way that people made me feel in that moment at that time probably left me with a little bit of an impression.

“Having then to sort of consider at that point potential career changes, I think paramedicine or medicine itself sort of more came to the forefront of my mind.”

Mr Matafonov said his Ballan colleagues have been supportive since his start, and that the town itself had been welcoming. “I feel quite privileged to be here,” he said.

“Overall, I’m excited to continue providing a high standard of care to the community, while also improving my skills.”