Training versus education: the terminology

During our lifetime we will have all undertaken some form of learning which will have undoubtedly been presented to us as education, training, or more often than not both. This poses the question as to whether there are any differences between these two terms and does how they are used impact upon the individual learner and their development?

When we look at how pre-hospital clinicians are currently taught, we see a distinct transition away from using the term training, with current literature favouring the term education. The College of Paramedics (2014), who have been at the forefront of pushing paramedic learning into the university setting, clearly state that the role has and is continuing to change. By moving away from workers who have merely undergone training to pick patients up and deliver them to hospitals without a full understanding of what their condition is, the developing role now sees educated clinicians with the ability to assess, treat and rationalise individual regimens, focusing on providing the best practice health care to their patients.