Paramedic

Also called Ambulance paramedic.

Paramedics respond to emergency call-outs and give people life-saving medical help.

Potential salary: £32,000 starter to £48,000 experienced per year
Typical hours: 37 to 42. Working pattern: evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts.
Career area: Health and care
Where they might work: You could work on an ambulance, at a client's home or in the community. Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding and outdoors some of the time. You may need to wear protective clothing and a uniform.
A typical task: respond to emergency calls
Subjects that may help: 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including a science, for a degree
Typical route: You'll need to do a paramedic science degree approved by the Health and Care Professions Council.
Interest area used here: Helping and teaching

Career actions

What you might do

respond to emergency calls
assess situations when you arrive and check details with others at the scene, like the police
work calmly and quickly to stabilise patients
use a defibrillator to revive patients
give patients medicines and injections
help to deliver babies

More tasks (3)

attend non-emergency calls and decide whether patients need to go to hospital
check equipment regularly and keep accurate records
reassure family and members of the public who are on the scene

Could this suit me?

Consider which of these skills and ways of working appeal to you.

knowledge of healthcare and medicine
sensitivity and understanding
customer service skills
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
excellent verbal communication skills
knowledge of public safety and security

More skills

to be flexible and open to change
the ability to work well with others
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Routes into this career

University route

You'll need to do a paramedic science degree approved by the Health and Care Professions Council.
Full-time courses usually take 3 years.
You may be able to get extra student financial support through the NHS Learning Support Fund.

University courses that could lead to this career

These are course families, not published offers. A link does not mean the degree is sufficient on its own.

Paramedic science
Direct qualifying route. Registration requires an HCPC-approved qualification.

Explore university routes

Apprenticeship or vocational route

You could apply to do a Paramedic Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.
This takes 3 years to complete and is a mix of on-the-job training and classroom learning.
You could start as an ambulance care assistant or an emergency medical technician, also known as an associate ambulance practitioner (AAP).
With experience you could apply for a place on a paramedic training scheme. You would need to check the application and entry requirements with individual ambulance service trusts.

Other routes

Entry to paramedic courses is very competitive and it may help you if you have some relevant experience or training. You could: volunteer as a first responder with a charity or social enterprise, like St John Ambulance; volunteer with an NHS ambulance trust; work at a residential care home or day care centre; get a first aid certificate; work in an office-based job for an ambulance service.
Volunteering in the NHS is also a good way to get work experience in healthcare. This can be helpful when you apply for jobs or training.
You could apply for a training scheme as a student paramedic with an ambulance service. You would study for a university paramedic qualification while working at the same time.

Career progression

With at least 2 years' experience and extra training, you could become: a team leader; a specialist paramedic; an emergency care practitioner.
You could also move into operations management, education and training, or train to work in other areas of healthcare, for example nursing.

Registration and requirements

you'll need to register with the Health and Care Professions Council

pass enhanced background checks as you may work with children and vulnerable adults

pass a medical check

Subjects that may help

Subject guidance

2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including a science, for a degree
4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

Explore the science

Lessons

Background for this kind of work
The Principles of Circulation
Specification 1.6.
Paramedics use a defibrillator when a heart rhythm fails. The lesson is why a double circulation exists. Using the device is not the same as the specification point.