Amidst the pained screams, contorted metal and flagrant panic of a serious road traffic accident, a cool head and calm voice rises above the shriek of the ambulance siren and the urgent flicker of the blue flashing lights.<\/p>\n
Quickly assessing the severity of the situation, this unruffled figure has the ability to make lightning quick decisions and administer the appropriate treatment that, quite literally, could be the difference between life and death.<\/p>\n
Admittedly, this extraordinary individual may sound like a gallant superhero plucked from the pages of Marvel Comics<\/em>, but these are just a few of the many qualities possessed by members of the paramedic service up and down the UK.<\/p>\n Keen to get involved?<\/p>\n Upsurge in Emergency Calls <\/strong><\/p>\n With 999 calls predicted to rise 20 per cent year on year, it means there are plenty of opportunities for those eager to work as part of a multidisciplinary medical team in a challenging and fast-paced environment.<\/p>\n According to David Davis, director of communications for the\u00a0College of Paramedics (CoP): \u201cThere are always going to be posts that need to be filled and it’s not just in the ambulance service where jobs can be found \u2013 paramedics can do really good work across a range of healthcare settings.”<\/p>\n When we consider the upsurge in the number of 999 calls, then, it\u2019s little wonder the need for skilled paramedics is greater than ever. However, a report in the Guardian<\/a> has revealed many ambulance trusts are facing efficiency savings on top of increasing demand.<\/p>\n Worryingly, figures obtained by the BBC have revealed at least 1,015 paramedics left their job in 2013-14, compared with 593 in the same period two years earlier, with Dr Fiona Moore, medical director for London Ambulance Service, estimating a national shortfall of up to 3,000 paramedics.<\/p>\n Qualifying As a Paramedic<\/strong><\/p>\n Although the Department of Health in England has provided \u00a328m to ambulance trusts in a bid to help them cope with this relentless spike in emergency calls, it\u2019s clear there\u2019s still an urgent need for university educated recruits to lessen the load.<\/p>\n As you might expect, then, becoming a fully-fledged member of the paramedic service requires the appropriate academic qualifications, which means an exciting mix of hands-on learning backed up with the appropriate theory.<\/p>\n Typically, a paramedic science degree course teaches you everything you need to work as a paramedic, offering you the opportunity to hone your skills<\/a> in the lab, practice on mannequins and familiarise yourself with the specialist equipment used on the job.<\/p>\n But that\u2019s not all …<\/p>\n To reinforce your practical skills and your theoretical learning, you\u2019ll be sent on a clinical placement with local ambulance trusts, giving the kind of experience you simply can\u2019t learn giving mouth-to-mouth on a dummy in the classroom.<\/p>\n Advancing Your Career<\/strong><\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve gained your degree, however, the learning doesn\u2019t stop there.<\/p>\n In an effort to stay on top of what is still a rapidly evolving service (paramedics have only been around for 10-15 years), it\u2019s important to keep up with industry developments and best practice to make sure patients continue to receive the best possible care.<\/p>\n