If you’re interested in becoming a Paramedic, our BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science and Out of Hospital Care course is the perfect starting point. At the University of Sunderland, we have excellent placement opportunities with local providers, experienced members of staff to teach you and excellent simulation days to give you the chance to practice your skills in a safe environment.
If you want to hear more about the experiences of our current students, read some of our student stories.
Why study at the University of Sunderland?
At Sunderland, our Paramedic Science courses are ranked 10th in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2023). Our course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and upon successful completion of the programme you will gain a nationally and internationally recognised qualification.
Throughout the course, you will gain a variety of skills to help you become a registered paramedic, including lifesaving procedures for both accident and emergency cases. The programme team are highly skilled and have a plethora of personal experience they integrate into their teaching to prepare you for situations you may encounter in your future career.
Participate in simulation days
Our Paramedic students regularly participate in simulation days and events to allow you to practice your skills in a realistic but safe environment. Our simulations are an integral part of our course and you will participate in them from your first week with us.
Our university is unique in offering our students the chance to participate in simulations with students from other courses to further emulate real-life procedures, such as law, nursing and even journalism.
We also have our Patient, Carer and Public Involvement members (PCPI) who support our courses through their participation in our simulation days. Simulation software is also used throughout the course, including simulation manikins and the training ambulance.
Our campus facilities are often used for simulation environments, such as the Living Lab which features a patient home setting and a mock ward. These excellent facilities offer our students a fully immersive experience which greatly benefits their study at the University of Sunderland.
Find out more about our simulation days.
“I really enjoy the course, it’s highly engaging, but I particularly love our simulation days and the time we spend out on placement with the North East Ambulance Service. Naturally, being a paramedic is a highly practical career that requires a lot of hands-on experience, and I feel that so far the course is greatly preparing me for this.”
David Blackie, BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science and Out of Hospital Care student
Enjoy placement experiences
We are also proud to work with local healthcare providers in the North East and offer our students practice placements, as well as opportunities for networking. All students on our Paramedic Sciences course undertake both ambulance and non-ambulance placements where they are supervised by a practice educator to practice their capabilities in a supportive environment.
Associate Head of School Mark Willis says that “Placements form an integral part of the students experience and we have a wide range of partners who will support student to develop and in-depth understanding of their application of knowledge into practice. These placement experiences are from a varied range of opportunities and will develop students (alongside their education) to become a very competent and professional practitioner.”
Find out more information about what a typical day is like on student placements.
Conclusion
Working as a paramedic offers multiple career opportunities across the national and international stage, as well as being a dynamic profession that challenges and rewards daily. It is a valuable career with guaranteed employment after graduation, whether with the NHS or other out of hospital care services.
We have two standard intakes for our Paramedic students in September and May, where we offer 80 places per cohort. We welcome applications from those who feel they possess a strong professional identity and the confidence to work with various professional groups.
Check out our BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science and Out of Hospital Care course for more information on how to begin your career.
Published: 22 March 2023