Paramedic Science

Careers and opportunities A career as a paramedic is fast-paced and demanding, but also incredibly rewarding. As ambulance call-outs continue to rise, paramedics are needed in ambulance trusts nationwide – there were 783,050 incidents in June 2021, 80,000 more than in the same month two years ago.

On this Paramedic Science degree, you’ll master the complexities of acute pre-hospital care, and learn to assess patients and treat patients using life-saving equipment safely and effectively. At the end of the course, you'll be eligible to apply to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for professional registration as a qualified paramedic in the public or private sector.

As a paramedic in the NHS in 2021, you'd begin your career on a Band 5 salary of £25,655 to £31,534, before moving up to Band 6 after two years in your role, which ranges from £32,306 to £39,027. With more experience you could progress to become a consultant paramedic, making up to £75,874 (Band 8c).

Once you graduate, you’ll also be prepared for jobs in clinical settings like telephone triage services, helicopter emergency medical services, with ambulance trusts, or in special operations response.

Where could you work as a paramedic? Many graduates work in ambulance trusts – recent graduates have gone on to work for organisations including:

South Central Ambulance Service London Ambulance Service South Western Ambulance Service Trust East of England Ambulance Service Welsh Ambulance Service North East Ambulance Service

To prepare you for your career as a paramedic, you'll get at least 1,500 hours of experience on work placements in paramedic teams and other clinical settings.

Ambulance placements Each year, you'll complete an ambulance placement, working 37.5 hours a week (which includes 7.5 hours a week study time).

You'll be allocated a clinical mentor from the Ambulance Service and you'll work with a clinical team that consists of a team leader, paramedics, specialist paramedics, ambulance technicians, associate ambulance practitioners, emergency care assistants and other student paramedics.

You'll work alongside and be supervised by a paramedic on every shift and work in different ambulance stations across Hampshire or the Isle of Wight (depending on where you live during your studies).

Clinical placements You'll also undertake the following clinical placements: