Natalie Saridakis is one of 91 new paramedic students inducted into NSW Ambulance this year as part of the 2025 Post Employment Tertiary Pathway (PETP) program.
A former emergency medical call-taker, Natalie’s path to frontline care has been shaped by her experience caring for her mother, her deep-rooted Greek heritage, and a profound desire to support others in their most vulnerable moments.
“My mother taught me to always be nice to everyone and treat people how you would like to be treated,” she tells The Greek Herald. “Through her struggles and hurdles she taught me to be strong and resilient and believe that I can overcome anything.”
Now undertaking on-road training, Natalie reflects on her upbringing, her journey into the profession, and the values that continue to guide her approach to patient care. We sat down with her to learn more about her story, her motivation, and her hopes for the future.
Tell us a bit about your Greek heritage and upbringing.
My upbringing was very simple. My mother raised me and my older brother. Even though my mother had a significant disability, I never felt like I was missing out on anything. Growing up I never actually realised my mother was disabled because she made sure we had everything and never missed out on any opportunities.
Being Greek Orthodox we had strong family traditions, especially around Easter. My Pappou and Yiayia played a big part in teaching me about my Greek heritage and customs, especially during Easter. I remember my Pappou would take me and my brother to church every year, and I even decorated the Epitaphio with flowers which was a very beautiful experience. My yiayia would always cook a feast and she has passed down some of her recipes that I still cook today.
My mother taught me to always be nice to everyone and treat people how you would like to be treated. My mother has gone through so much in her life and through her struggles and hurdles she has taught me to be strong and resilient and believe that I can overcome anything.
What inspired your initial interest in emergency medical services and what motivated your transition from an emergency medical call-taker to a paramedic student?
I would characterise myself as a very empathetic person and in my life, I have always wanted to help people. Growing up I knew I wanted to have a career that would be people-focused but didn’t know where to start. I always thought I wanted to be a nurse or a paramedic, but I never had the confidence to go for it.
In 2011, my mother got sick, and I left my job to become her full-time carer. During this time, I had to deal with a lot of doctors, nurses and paramedics. The one thing that always stuck with me was the compassion and kindness the paramedics always had when they would come to help my mum. In serious and often sad moments in my life, the paramedics were always there to comfort me and I was always grateful for that.
Back in 2024, I started to look into NSW ambulance and what I would have to do in order to become a paramedic and I saw that there was a position for an emergency call taker. I was hesitant but ultimately, I applied and got the position. As an emergency call taker, I would get a variety of calls from people needing help, from struggling to breathe or a cardiac arrest. It was a very fast-paced environment and in someone’s worse moment of their life all I had was my voice to help them and comfort them. I never realised how powerful someone’s voice could be until I became an emergency medical call taker.
I was an emergency call taker for almost a year, but I knew I wanted to be out there helping people instead of the voice behind the phone. I wanted to give someone the compassion and comfort that the paramedics once gave me.
What challenges have you faced during your training and previous roles, and what aspects of your work do you find most rewarding?
The challenges I have faced during my training was the amount of information I had to learn before going on road. It was a lot but also interesting. In my previous role as an emergency call taker the hardest thing was to get all the information I needed to give to the paramedics when someone was going through a horrible situation and understandably too emotional to speak.
But the most rewarding thing about my job is when you know you have helped someone. Whether it be holding someone’s hand when they are scared or just listening to them to make them feel heard. It is a privilege to be invited into someone’s home on a day that could be the worst day of their life, and being able to bring some comfort to them is a great feeling.
In what ways has your Greek upbringing and cultural background influenced your approach to your career and patient care?
My family has always taught me to treat everyone with the same care and respect. Everyone is a human being and no one should be treated differently, and for me it is a big part of my job. Everyone deserves to have the same level of care as anyone else. Being Greek, we love to talk and we are very people-focused and for me, in this job, we have to be able to talk to people. I’ve learnt what we say can help a patient feel better because we can take their mind off what they are going through even if it’s just for a little bit.
Having been inspired by the compassion and kindness of paramedics during your time as a carer for your mother, how do you plan to embody these qualities in your practice as a paramedic?
I remember on my first day as a student paramedic and my duty manager said to me “treat everyone as you would like a member of your family to be treated,” and that has always stuck with me because how my mother was treated by paramedics over the years was amazing. And every time I go to a patient, I imagine what they are going through and what their family is going through and I try to bring that level of compassion and kindness that was afforded to me and my mother.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations within NSW Ambulance, and how do you envision your career evolving in the coming years?
Right now I am looking forward to continuing my training and finishing my university degree. I have learnt so much and I’m excited to learn and experience everything NSW Ambulance has to offer. I am not sure where my paramedic career will take me, but I am in no rush to get there. I am enjoying learning everything I need to know in order to be the best paramedic I can be.
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
For anyone who is on the fence about beginning a career with NSW Ambulance, I say take the plunge. It is an amazing organisation to work for and the support and sense of community you feel is nothing short of amazing. It is an honour to be part of this organisation, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for me.
