Paramedic

As an ambulance paramedic, you could:

• 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
•  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

• knowledge of medicine and dentistry
• 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 
• 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

Many ambulance services will expect you to have a full driving licence by the time you finish your training and preferably a C1 driving licence that allows you to drive medium-sized vehicles.

You can get into this work through:

• a university course
• an apprenticeship
• working towards this role
• a trainee scheme

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.