Lights, Sirens, and Emergency Care

I’m Ethan, a second-year student paramedic studying at Keele University on their integrated master’s programme.

When I was applying for paramedic science, I was unsure of just the vast amount of career options available to paramedics outside the ambulance service. The opportunities to advance your scope of practice used to be few and far between, but thanks to progression by the College of Paramedics and HCPC, paramedics now have many options open to them upon qualification. Being able to do an integrated master's was something that I didn’t realise was readily available to me when first applying due to the novelty of the course. However, having the opportunity to leave university and be ready for advanced practice is something that is very important to me as it allows me to embark on my career progression at a faster rate and at a younger age than I previously expected. 

Applying for paramedicine in 2021 during a ‘COVID year’ made gaining essential work experience more challenging compared to other years. I gained experience in emergency care in my local A and E where I got the opportunity to interact with some of the sickest patients and improve my communication skills in unique situations. Witnessing medical teams perform critical interventions allowed me to witness first-hand the fragility of life and the endeavour to preserve it. Being able to view the work of our key workers and be part of that team made me fall in love with the fast-paced element of healthcare. However, working in this environment made me realise the importance of pre-hospital care and the difference that can be made before the patient even reaches the hospital. During my placements that I have completed over the first year of my degree with West Midlands Ambulance Service have solidified and augmented my joy of helping patients pre-hospitally. Being mentored and working with paramedics who share the same goal is a great privilege of being a student.

Since starting my degree in paramedic science, I have been exposed to the vast array of career opportunities available to paramedics, and not always on the road. The College of Paramedics outlines a career framework and I wanted to break this down. One option available to paramedics is specialist or advanced practice, an example of this is a specialist paramedic in critical care or CCP (critical care paramedic). This role, as well as many advanced practice roles often requires further study at level 6 or level 7 (master’s degree). These paramedics receive extra training to provide additional interventions outside the scope of a regular paramedic, such as assisting with putting patients under anaesthetic, using additional medications including sedatives, and much more. They can be found working on a HEMS (helicopter emergency medical service) or a car as part of an NHS ambulance trust, often termed MERIT. Another advanced practice role is that of an urgent and emergency care specialist paramedic. These clinicians again receive extra training and skills to help assist with keeping patients at home, these include wound closure, urine analysis, prescribing of medications such as antibiotics, etc. These advanced roles provide the option to further develop into consultant practice and become a consultant paramedic.

Another option available to paramedics is team leader roles, there are many different names for these roles in different trusts, but common terms are, clinical team leader or clinical team mentor, these clinicians keep up to date on clinical guidelines and provide on-scene or mobile support and advice to crews. Another step up from this role is command positions, these individuals are sent to the most serious incidents and provide on-scene command and lead the response. There are operational, tactical, and strategic commanders.

Another specialist role is that of HART paramedics, these paramedics are trained to deliver the same pre-hospital care but in often challenging and difficult environments, such as working at height, water rescues, treating patients who are trapped, and responding to terrorist incidents. Paramedics can also work in hospitals or GP practices. These positions often don’t require any additional training and paramedics can adapt their practice to primary care or emergency departments. In these settings paramedics can also undertake a master’s degree in advanced clinical practice and then specialise in different specialities such as emergency medicine or paediatrics just to name a couple, ACP’s can prescribe, diagnose, treat, and work autonomously in their individual specialities, again this paves the way to consultant ACP practice.

There are many more career opportunities such as lecturer, anaesthetic associate, advanced critical care practitioner, and research paramedic the list goes on, and there is even the option to have a portfolio career and have a mixture of careers.

Good Luck to all the future paramedics!! I hope this gave you an insight into a degree and career in Paramedic Science!