You'll need to get a university paramedic qualification that is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Full-time courses usually take 3 years.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels for a degree
Paramedic
Alternative titles for this job include Ambulance paramedic
Paramedics deal with emergencies, giving people life-saving medical help.
Average salary (a year)
£24,214 Starter
to£37,267 Experienced
Typical hours (a week)
36 to 38 a week
You could work
evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts
How to become a paramedic
You can get into this work through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- apply for a trainee scheme
University
Apprenticeship
You can get into this role through a paramedic degree apprenticeship.
Entry requirements
There are no set entry requirements but it may help you to get in if you have:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and college qualifications like A levels for a degree apprenticeship
More information
Work
You could start as an ambulance care assistant. With further training and experience, you could apply for a training scheme as a paramedic.
Volunteering and experience
Entry is very competitive and it may help you if you have volunteered as a community first responder with an organisation like St John Ambulance or an NHS ambulance trust.
Other routes
You could apply for a training scheme as a student paramedic for an ambulance service. You would do your university paramedic qualification on the job.
More information
Registration
you'll need to register with the Health and Care Professions Council
Further information
You can find out more about becoming a paramedic from the College of Paramedics and Health Careers.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- customer service skills
- sensitivity and understanding
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- knowledge of medicine and dentistry
- knowledge of public safety and security
- to be flexible and open to change
- the ability to work well with others
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- pass enhanced background checks, as you may be working with children and vulnerable adults
- pass a medical check
- have a driving licence, including medium-sized vehicles
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
In this role you could be:
- checking a patient's condition to decide what action to take
- using electric shock equipment (a defibrillator) to resuscitate patients
- carrying out surgical procedures like inserting a breathing tube
- giving medicines and injections
- dressing wounds and applying supports for broken bones
- delivering babies
- working closely with the police and fire services
- keeping accurate records and checking equipment
Working environment
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.
Career path and progression
With around 3 years' experience, you could become a team leader or a specialist paramedic or emergency care practitioner.
You could also move into operations management, education and training, research or human resources.
Training opportunities
Apprenticeships In England
We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for a paramedic right now.
The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.
Courses In England
Access to Health Science
- Provider: Burton and South Derbyshire College
- Start date: 01 August 2019
- Location: Burton on Trent
Access to Health Professions (Nursing)
- Provider: Nelson and Colne College
- Start date: 01 September 2019
- Location: Nelson
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