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.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including a science, for a degree

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.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

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

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.

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

You can find more information on how to get relevant healthcare work experience from Health Careers

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.

You'll need:

• 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
• 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

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks as you may work with children and vulnerable adults
• pass a medical check

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.

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

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.