Ambulance paramedic
Respond rapidly to emergency calls to treat people injured in accidents or affected by sudden illnesses.
About the job
A day in the life – ambulance paramedic
What it's like
You would respond rapidly to emergency calls and give immediate medical care to injured people in potentially life-threatening situations.
You'd deal with anything from minor wounds to serious injuries caused by a major accident. You'd treat shocked and traumatised people who will rely on you to help them and ease their pain. You would often transfer critically ill patients from one hospital to another.
You'd check the patient's condition and quickly decide what action to take. You'd make calm and reasoned decisions about the right treatment and care for them.
You would:
Use advanced life support techniques, such as electric shocks, to resuscitate patients
Carry out surgical procedures, such as inserting a breathing tube
Provide drugs and fluids
Give medicines and injections
Dress wounds and apply supports to broken bones
If you take a patient to hospital you would tell the staff about the person's condition as quickly and accurately.
You'd also keep accurate records of your cases and regularly check the ambulance equipment. You would need to respect patient confidentiality.
You could work on a traditional ambulance as part of a team or alone using a car, motorbike or bicycle. You may choose to work on a helicopter as part of the Air Ambulance Team or to join specialist teams working across a wider range of emergency situations. You'd also liaise with police and fire service crews.
Most jobs are in the National Health Service; see more about the role and conditions when working as paramedic for the Scottish Ambulance Service. You can see more about this role in the National Health Service on ambulance services paramedics on the NHS Scotland Careers website. See the learning and development section for information about career structures, progression and rates of pay.
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- taking responsibility
- making decisions
- filtering
- social conscience
- questioning
- problem solving
- verbal communication
- listening
- resilience
- adaptability
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Biology
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Care
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Chemistry
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Human Biology
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Skills for Work: Uniformed and Emergency Services
You need to complete a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Paramedic Science.
To enter a BSc in Paramedic Science course you will need relevant qualifications and/or experience such as:
National 5’s and Highers at BBBB or above
HNC in a health or science centered subject, including Human Physiology or a science-based HNC plus Maths and English at Nat 5 C or equivalent
SWAP access to Higher Education Health or Science with BBB in the relevant subjects
Other relevant Health and Science centered qualification and experience may be considered, you may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) if you have relevant experience but do not have formal qualifications. Contact the university offering the course for further information.
Qualifications that show an understanding of health and wellbeing such as:
Health and Social Care (SCQF Level 6)
SQA Wellbeing Award (SCQF Level 3-5)
To complete an interview as part of the entry process
To be approved for membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme run by Disclosure Scotland
It is strongly recommended you have or gain a full UK driving license including category C1 (for driving vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes) prior to completing the course. If you gained your driving licence before January 1997 you have the C1 category on your licence already.
There is no requirement to hold a driving license to gain entry to the programme but this would enhance your employment opportunities.
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