How to become a Paramedics
Also called: Paramedic, Paramedic-ecp, Hart paramedic, Ambulance paramedic, Paramedic technician, Emergency care practitioner
Paramedics provide first aid and life support treatment in emergency situations and transport sick and injured people who require skilled treatment.
Main tasks
- Drives ambulance or accompanies driver to respond to calls for assistance at accidents, emergencies and other incidents
- Assesses the nature of injuries, provides first aid treatment and ascertains appropriate method of conveying patient
- Resuscitates and/or stabilises patient using relevant techniques, equipment and drugs
- Transports and accompanies patients who either require or potentially require skilled treatment whilst travelling
- Briefs other medical staff when handing over the patient, and completes patient report forms describing the patient’s condition and any treatment provided
How to become one
Entry is via a student paramedic position with an ambulance service trust or completion of an approved full-time university course in paramedical science. Qualification requirements for entry to university courses vary (GCSEs, A levels or equivalent). A full, manual driving licence (with appropriate classifications) is required. Paramedics working in the NHS must be registered with the Health Professions Council.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Paramedic (level 6). England. Typically 36 months. Skills England standard ST0567.
- University: Allied Health degrees, Offered by 17 universities in the UK
- University: Medicine & Dentistry degrees, Offered by 21 universities in the UK
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £53,818 a year The middle half earn £45,499 to £60,860.
- About 41,500 people work in this job now, and about 45,500 are projected by 2035. (+9.6%)
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Paramedics?
Entry is via a student paramedic position with an ambulance service trust or completion of an approved full-time university course in paramedical science. Qualification requirements for entry to university courses vary (GCSEs, A levels or equivalent). A full, manual driving licence (with appropriate classifications) is required. Paramedics working in the NHS must be registered with the Health Professions Council.
How much does a Paramedics earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £53,818 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £45,499 to £60,860.
Is a Paramedics a growing career in the UK?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 10% by 2035, from about 41,500 to about 45,500 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a Paramedics?
Usually. 67% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
Graduate outcomes: Discover Uni dataset, HESA (www.hesa.ac.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Aggregated by subject and adapted by Peernovo.