Book cover of Paramedics On and Off the Streets: Emergency Medical Services in the Age of Technological Governance

Book description

In Paramedics On and Off the Streets, Michael K. Corman embarks on an institutional ethnography of the complex, mundane, intricate, and exhilarating work of paramedics in Calgary, Alberta.

Corman's comprehensive research includes more than 200 hours of participant observation ride-alongs with paramedics over a period of eleven months, more…


When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Paramedics On and Off the Streets as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This excellent read is the first of a recent wave of new books about paramedics and ambulance services. Mike Corman takes us into the working world of ambulance crews in Alberta, Canada. Participant observation provides detail and analysis of how the pre-hospital system operates and how paramedics and technicians interpret and make sense of their roles within it. 

I was particularly impressed with the discussions of conflict within what is a rather patchworked and sometimes poorly coordinated system. Ambulance crews frequently complain of what they see as inappropriate call handling and dispatching, they resent the data-driven micromanaging of their work…

If you love Paramedics On and Off the Streets...

Book cover of These Blue Mountains

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas,

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…

Want books like Paramedics On and Off the Streets?

Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 47 books like Paramedics On and Off the Streets.

Browse books like Paramedics On and Off the Streets

Book cover of Bandage, Sort, and Hustle: Ambulance Crews on the Front Lines of Urban Suffering
Book cover of Medicine at the Margins: EMS Workers in Urban America
Book cover of Running Hot: Structure and Stress in Ambulance Work

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,395

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like Paramedics On and Off the Streets, you might also like...

Book cover of In Bad Faith

In Bad Faith by Geoffrey Carter,

Nelson West, a former Chicago homicide detective, is hired by wealthy heir Lionel Bing to discreetly help “fix” scandals and legal problems for his father’s wealthy friends.

Bing, a brilliant but troubled investigator, suffers from PTSD symptoms as a result of being kidnapped and witnessing the murder of his mother…

Book cover of Your Sun Will Rise Again: Poems of Hope and Survival

Your Sun Will Rise Again by Joseph Jean Baptiste Jolicoeur,

Your Sun Will Rise Again is a powerful collection of poetic reflections on hope, resilience, and the human spirit. Written with sincerity and depth, these poems speak directly to those navigating life’s challenges, offering comfort, clarity, and quiet strength in difficult moments.

Through simple yet profound language, the book reminds…

5 book lists we think you will like!