Emergency Bikers
Discussion
I watch it, the new one is on 5. Shame there are non with the Brummy Bikers anymore, as a Brummy it was nice to see places I know. Although the call out to a pisshead sleeping in a bus stop must get even more boring for the bikers than it did me.
It is also interesting to see the different approches by the bikercops in different area's. The ones down south seem to reguarlly be on the look out for speeders and often throw the book at people, whilst that chap, smithy? Seems to actually explain to people why they are being a danger to themselves and others without being condescending about it.
It is also interesting to see the different approches by the bikercops in different area's. The ones down south seem to reguarlly be on the look out for speeders and often throw the book at people, whilst that chap, smithy? Seems to actually explain to people why they are being a danger to themselves and others without being condescending about it.
As someone who is starting their training to be a Paramedic this September, I watch this and every single other medical programme to death 
It's not until you start searching around the Sky channels specifically, that you realise just how many medical shows there are! Having done a year at college already doing a medical access course, I have enough knowledge so far to be absolutely lethal...so I particularly enjoy 'armchair diagnosis' - more often than not I get it right, but occasionally I would have killed someone to death
Anyway, having had a bike license for 25 years, and also done 5 years of racing - being a biker Paramedic is ultimately my goal. So...you never know, I might be on TV in a few years
It's not until you start searching around the Sky channels specifically, that you realise just how many medical shows there are! Having done a year at college already doing a medical access course, I have enough knowledge so far to be absolutely lethal...so I particularly enjoy 'armchair diagnosis' - more often than not I get it right, but occasionally I would have killed someone to death
Anyway, having had a bike license for 25 years, and also done 5 years of racing - being a biker Paramedic is ultimately my goal. So...you never know, I might be on TV in a few years
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
As someone who is starting their training to be a Paramedic this September, I watch this and every single other medical programme to death
It's not until you start searching around the Sky channels specifically, that you realise just how many medical shows there are! Having done a year at college already doing a medical access course, I have enough knowledge so far to be absolutely lethal...so I particularly enjoy 'armchair diagnosis' - more often than not I get it right, but occasionally I would have killed someone to death
Anyway, having had a bike license for 25 years, and also done 5 years of racing - being a biker Paramedic is ultimately my goal. So...you never know, I might be on TV in a few years
All the best with it mate! It's not until you start searching around the Sky channels specifically, that you realise just how many medical shows there are! Having done a year at college already doing a medical access course, I have enough knowledge so far to be absolutely lethal...so I particularly enjoy 'armchair diagnosis' - more often than not I get it right, but occasionally I would have killed someone to death
Anyway, having had a bike license for 25 years, and also done 5 years of racing - being a biker Paramedic is ultimately my goal. So...you never know, I might be on TV in a few years
LiamB said:
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
As someone who is starting their training to be a Paramedic this September, I watch this and every single other medical programme to death
It's not until you start searching around the Sky channels specifically, that you realise just how many medical shows there are! Having done a year at college already doing a medical access course, I have enough knowledge so far to be absolutely lethal...so I particularly enjoy 'armchair diagnosis' - more often than not I get it right, but occasionally I would have killed someone to death
Anyway, having had a bike license for 25 years, and also done 5 years of racing - being a biker Paramedic is ultimately my goal. So...you never know, I might be on TV in a few years
All the best with it mate! It's not until you start searching around the Sky channels specifically, that you realise just how many medical shows there are! Having done a year at college already doing a medical access course, I have enough knowledge so far to be absolutely lethal...so I particularly enjoy 'armchair diagnosis' - more often than not I get it right, but occasionally I would have killed someone to death
Anyway, having had a bike license for 25 years, and also done 5 years of racing - being a biker Paramedic is ultimately my goal. So...you never know, I might be on TV in a few years
It's been a mostrously terrifying life-change for me...40 years old, chucking in my old profession, going back to Uni to train in medicine...eek! A student, at my age???
But enjoyed the first year so far, looking forward to the next 2 years of training and placements on Ambos with South Central.
Seems the nearest ambo station to me using FR bikes is Portsmouth...should be a fun place to do it, lol!!
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
As someone who is starting their training to be a Paramedic this September, I watch this and every single other medical programme to death
It's not until you start searching around the Sky channels specifically, that you realise just how many medical shows there are! Having done a year at college already doing a medical access course, I have enough knowledge so far to be absolutely lethal...so I particularly enjoy 'armchair diagnosis' - more often than not I get it right, but occasionally I would have killed someone to death
Anyway, having had a bike license for 25 years, and also done 5 years of racing - being a biker Paramedic is ultimately my goal. So...you never know, I might be on TV in a few years
I'm interested in what the medical access course is you are doing. My cousin is a paramedic and her husband is part of the Air Ambulance crew, both have said if I'm interested then I should definitely go for it.It's not until you start searching around the Sky channels specifically, that you realise just how many medical shows there are! Having done a year at college already doing a medical access course, I have enough knowledge so far to be absolutely lethal...so I particularly enjoy 'armchair diagnosis' - more often than not I get it right, but occasionally I would have killed someone to death
Anyway, having had a bike license for 25 years, and also done 5 years of racing - being a biker Paramedic is ultimately my goal. So...you never know, I might be on TV in a few years
With regards the show, it's brilliant. Shame they don't have the brummie paramedics on the new series, I did enjoy watching those guys but it's still a great show.
Spanna said:
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
As someone who is starting their training to be a Paramedic this September, I watch this and every single other medical programme to death
It's not until you start searching around the Sky channels specifically, that you realise just how many medical shows there are! Having done a year at college already doing a medical access course, I have enough knowledge so far to be absolutely lethal...so I particularly enjoy 'armchair diagnosis' - more often than not I get it right, but occasionally I would have killed someone to death
Anyway, having had a bike license for 25 years, and also done 5 years of racing - being a biker Paramedic is ultimately my goal. So...you never know, I might be on TV in a few years
I'm interested in what the medical access course is you are doing. My cousin is a paramedic and her husband is part of the Air Ambulance crew, both have said if I'm interested then I should definitely go for it.It's not until you start searching around the Sky channels specifically, that you realise just how many medical shows there are! Having done a year at college already doing a medical access course, I have enough knowledge so far to be absolutely lethal...so I particularly enjoy 'armchair diagnosis' - more often than not I get it right, but occasionally I would have killed someone to death
Anyway, having had a bike license for 25 years, and also done 5 years of racing - being a biker Paramedic is ultimately my goal. So...you never know, I might be on TV in a few years
With regards the show, it's brilliant. Shame they don't have the brummie paramedics on the new series, I did enjoy watching those guys but it's still a great show.
I spent a chunk of time over on the UK Ambulance Forum - and I suggest you might do too - it's like Pistonheads, loads of serving Paras and medical staff on there whom are all only too pleased to help. I even had an A&E consultant PM me his mobile number and tell me to call anytime for help and advice
Think of this first - are you comfortable with getting up close and personal medically with strangers, can you cope with death and loss, are you ok with blood and injures (or more likely in this job - vomit and dribble?) Most of the calls are NOT what you see on TV - for every interesting road accident trauma job, there are 20 jobs where you pick up yet another drunk or drug addict from some backstreet somewhere, or hook a pensioner up from the floor who's had a fall.
Most of the jobs are medical illness, and more often than not in the elderly - strokes, MI's etc.
A lot of the calls are also time-wasters.
You need to be able to deal with ALL walks of life with candour, humour, good grace and most of all care and maybe even a bit of love and re-assurance to the elderly who are often scared and alone. The medical training is part of it, of course, but it is clear that a good personality, a caring nature and the ability to get on with people and 'suffer fools gladly' is probably a bigger part of it. I would suggest that 75% of your skill set is verging on community social work.
Then you must consider if shift work suits you and your family / lifestyle too. For me, having worked shifts in the printing industry for years and loving them (especially nights) this is a plus for me - I cannot stand the normal 9 to 5, Monday to Friday stuff. I much prefer it chopping and changing week by week. But there might very well be days where you'll be rostered on (even possibly Christmas Day etc.) where you will have to go out and work with a smile on your face, whilst all else is at home having fun.
And I am told that because of the shift work, the huge amount of time spent with colleagues, and the anti-social and stressful nature of the job, that there are a lot of instances of affairs, broken marriages and wrecked homes and relationships. Plus the odd alcoholic!
HOWEVER. These are all the realities, and some would say negatives - but the positives are a feeling of philanthropy, and the fact that you might get out of bed one day, and save a life (especially a child's perhaps) and go home knowing that your professional intervention kept someone from leaving this world before their time had come, and their family kept their loved one, instead of them having to suffer a huge loss and attend a heartbreaking funeral.
Also, it is very unlikely that you will ever suffer a redundancy, and the pay (despite not being what anyone would describe as stellar) is regular and almost guaranteed for as long as you are working. Plus there is a good pension, great prospects for promotion, or sideways stepping if you decide it's not for you after a while (you could change to be a nurse, an operating department practitioner, radiologist maybe etc. etc...).
Plus there's the romance of the professional position and the uniform (ok, not the MOST flattering
) and I am told that being a Para is possibly a useful chat-up assistance...at the very least, when you're at a party, and someone asks you what you do, answering 'I'm a Paramedic' will bring nothing but love and admiration, right? Imagine being at a party and having to answer 'I'm a banker' for the complete opposite reaction Anyway, if you've stuck with me s far and read all this - then maybe you're ready to go the next step?!
So, because I left school and went straight out to work as an apprentice, I didn't do A levels. The Universities who do the Para degrees want to see either A levels, or an Access course.
I enrolled on an access course at my local 6th-form college - it's a 9 month course (September to June) and costs about a grand - or is free if you're currently unemployed. You do 4 full-time modules over 1 year, or 2 part-time modules over 2 years.
It's a good idea to check with the Uni's you want to attend about what modules to do, but most just insist on Biology, with your choice about the other 3. However, I picked what I thought would be most medically - orientated, so I did Biology, Health Science, Psychology and IT. Apparently, most Uni's like the IT module, because despite it not having anything to do with medicine, they see it as a technical / science module.
Each module carries 15 'credits' (so you'll do 60 credits in total) and different Uni's ask for different grades. For each piece of work or exam that earns credits over the year, you can achieve grades that are either pass (60%) merit (70%) or distinction (80%).
My 1st choice Uni gave me a 'conditional offer' that meant I had to achieve 45 credits at distinction, and 15 at merit. Pretty tough (but I am on course to do so thankfully) whilst my 2nd choice Uni only wanted 15 at distinction, with the other 45 at pass or merit.
Finally (will be able to breathe soon) it is VERY competitive getting a place at Uni. For example, most have about 20 to 30 places each year, with up to 500 applications
However, the things that give you a distinct advantage is firstly doing an access course - Uni's love mature access students and pick them over graduate A level kids often. Second, age and experience is another huge advantage. I was scared being 40 years old, but it turns out that this was actually a huge advantage and went massively in my favour.
Third, they all want to see some relevent healthcare or emergency experience. So, you need to do something along these lines first. Anything from working / volunteering in a care home, to volunteering at a local hospital, joining St John ambulance, or becoming a local Community First Responder (Google it).
Or I joined the British Red Cross as a local Fire and Emergency Service responder volunteer. You attend fires or other disasters where people are displaced from their homes for some reason, and we look after them following that. Gives frontline experience - turning up at a house fire, and liaising with the Police, Ambo and Fire crews.
I must have done something right from the above, because I applied to 5 Uni's and got 4 interview offers. From those 4 interviews, I received 4 offers - a pretty unheard of result so I am told. So I must be special
heh, but seriously, it was because of my age and experience, the reputation of my 6th form Access college and I guess giving a good interview.So, to sum up then - not a career to go into lightly or flippantly - and a difficult one to get into even if you want to. However, if you show willing, do some voluntary work, get some good grades in your access course and interview well - then you'll be A-ok.
By all means PM me if you need any more help!
Bloody hell, what a response! Thank you for all the information.
I also didn't do A-levels, going to college studying business & law alongside an IT BTEC. I went from that and working part time in the family business into working full time. We're signwriters by trade, but I do everything from actually sign writing a van down to graphic design.
As I mentioned, my cousin and her husband are both paramedics who have both mentioned to me much what you say, you can't go about it half heartedly, you need the commitment and desire. I'm not regularly in touch with them, but what they have said is they'll support me as much as they can should I decide to apply myself and go for it.
I'm not fussed by sick or blood, smells are what tend to get me to be honest. Hopefully I can get myself over that one, eh?
I'm maybe not in the perfect position currently, I have a young son and he'll be starting school full time next year, but I'm no longer with his mother. I'm 23.
I really do feel that I should apply myself to doing this and commit to it as soon as my circumstances make it viable wihout too many other pressures on myself.
Again Ray, thanks for taking the time to write such a large post and giving me the advice, with honesty, that you have. Best of luck with your course, I hope you achieve all you wish to.
I also didn't do A-levels, going to college studying business & law alongside an IT BTEC. I went from that and working part time in the family business into working full time. We're signwriters by trade, but I do everything from actually sign writing a van down to graphic design.
As I mentioned, my cousin and her husband are both paramedics who have both mentioned to me much what you say, you can't go about it half heartedly, you need the commitment and desire. I'm not regularly in touch with them, but what they have said is they'll support me as much as they can should I decide to apply myself and go for it.
I'm not fussed by sick or blood, smells are what tend to get me to be honest. Hopefully I can get myself over that one, eh?
I'm maybe not in the perfect position currently, I have a young son and he'll be starting school full time next year, but I'm no longer with his mother. I'm 23.
I really do feel that I should apply myself to doing this and commit to it as soon as my circumstances make it viable wihout too many other pressures on myself.
Again Ray, thanks for taking the time to write such a large post and giving me the advice, with honesty, that you have. Best of luck with your course, I hope you achieve all you wish to.
Mate - pleasure, no worries. I've had loads of help last year when I was thinking about it, like you - from the UK Ambo forum and from some posters on here too. There are quite a few medical folk on PH - many of whom took the time to tell me all the stuff I've just told you.
So I'm just re-paying the good karma that goes around!
You're in a good position having rellies that are in the job - that is definitely something to put on your personal statement if and when you apply to Uni - they like to know WHY you want to be a Para, and giving a reason that you admire and respect family already in the job will definitely help your entry.
My brother has a medical degree from Imperial College in London (which is as near as dammit talked about in the same breath as Oxford and Cambridge) so I also heavily mentioned that at interviews, which seemed to go down well. (Although I didn't tell them that he's not a Doctor, and that he uses his medical knowledge at an investment bank to help millionaires do their due diligence about investing in Pharmaceutical stocks!!!)
Anyway, as I said - drop me a PM anytime in the future if I can help at all. The medical world is a great, close-knit community and we all help each other. I think that's one of the main things that attracted me to it - I have worked in the print and graphic design industry for the last 25 years (so not a million miles away from what you do), and latterly in senior management roles - and I got so disillusioned and annoyed by the back-stabbing, office politics and boardroom shenanigins, and the feeling that I was busting my balls over sales, targets, figures and capitalism - for no real personal satisfaction.
Best of luck, keep in touch
So I'm just re-paying the good karma that goes around!
You're in a good position having rellies that are in the job - that is definitely something to put on your personal statement if and when you apply to Uni - they like to know WHY you want to be a Para, and giving a reason that you admire and respect family already in the job will definitely help your entry.
My brother has a medical degree from Imperial College in London (which is as near as dammit talked about in the same breath as Oxford and Cambridge) so I also heavily mentioned that at interviews, which seemed to go down well. (Although I didn't tell them that he's not a Doctor, and that he uses his medical knowledge at an investment bank to help millionaires do their due diligence about investing in Pharmaceutical stocks!!!)
Anyway, as I said - drop me a PM anytime in the future if I can help at all. The medical world is a great, close-knit community and we all help each other. I think that's one of the main things that attracted me to it - I have worked in the print and graphic design industry for the last 25 years (so not a million miles away from what you do), and latterly in senior management roles - and I got so disillusioned and annoyed by the back-stabbing, office politics and boardroom shenanigins, and the feeling that I was busting my balls over sales, targets, figures and capitalism - for no real personal satisfaction.
Best of luck, keep in touch
Thanks again Ray.
I've been doing some quick digging on where they offer these access to higher education courses, there's a couple within a reasonable and commutable distance that offer the same modules as you're taking. That being North Warwickshire and Burton Colleges. I know my cousin still has a good relationship with the university she studied at (I can't remember which one at the moment) and has actually done some lectures for students too. I'm going to be in touch with her to see if she knows of any suitable courses and if she has any more specific advice about the route I take and of any experience I can gain as a volunteer.
If I gain some wisdom from there, I'll be sure to share it with you.
Cheers, Daniel.
I've been doing some quick digging on where they offer these access to higher education courses, there's a couple within a reasonable and commutable distance that offer the same modules as you're taking. That being North Warwickshire and Burton Colleges. I know my cousin still has a good relationship with the university she studied at (I can't remember which one at the moment) and has actually done some lectures for students too. I'm going to be in touch with her to see if she knows of any suitable courses and if she has any more specific advice about the route I take and of any experience I can gain as a volunteer.
If I gain some wisdom from there, I'll be sure to share it with you.
Cheers, Daniel.
Nice one - glad you've done a bit of digging!
Come on - do it - you know you want to!!
Be interested to hear how you get on anyway if you do decide to take the plunge. One year on, I am still completely happy and confident that I have done the right thing.
And as I said - best of luck matey
Come on - do it - you know you want to!!
Be interested to hear how you get on anyway if you do decide to take the plunge. One year on, I am still completely happy and confident that I have done the right thing.
And as I said - best of luck matey
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
As someone who is starting their training to be a Paramedic this September, I watch this and every single other medical programme to death
It's not until you start searching around the Sky channels specifically, that you realise just how many medical shows there are! Having done a year at college already doing a medical access course, I have enough knowledge so far to be absolutely lethal...so I particularly enjoy 'armchair diagnosis' - more often than not I get it right, but occasionally I would have killed someone to death
Anyway, having had a bike license for 25 years, and also done 5 years of racing - being a biker Paramedic is ultimately my goal. So...you never know, I might be on TV in a few years
Barry Rudge, from the first series is an ex racer.It's not until you start searching around the Sky channels specifically, that you realise just how many medical shows there are! Having done a year at college already doing a medical access course, I have enough knowledge so far to be absolutely lethal...so I particularly enjoy 'armchair diagnosis' - more often than not I get it right, but occasionally I would have killed someone to death
Anyway, having had a bike license for 25 years, and also done 5 years of racing - being a biker Paramedic is ultimately my goal. So...you never know, I might be on TV in a few years
Cheers guys for the responses and best wishes. Group hug!!
Seriously though, yeh it's a big move at my age - and more than a little scary - but so far, my first year of college medicine and biology has been nothing short of amazing, and my interest and enthusiasm is greater than ever, so I am looking forward to the next 2 years and my first Ambo placements come September.
If anyone read all my drivel and might be thinking of doing the same - I think you should! Life is too short for 'what if's...' and there are plenty of us on the internet to help you along the way with advice and encouragement.
And everyone studying medicine seems to be extra nice and helpful. One of the other students started a closed Facebook page for our year at college, and it has been brilliant - if anyone asks a question or is having problems with an assignment, they usually get multiple replies and emails back within the hour from other students. Lots of support.
WRT the student nurses comment - well, if it's anything to go by - in my year at college, I am the only proseptive Para, everyone else is looking to be a nurse. So, In any given class, out of 30 students, I am often the only bloke amongst girls mostly in their early 20's. It's been tough, but someone's gotta do it I guess
And yes FJ - I did see that Barry Rudge was an ex-racer too...so there's hope for me yet I reckon!!
Seriously though, yeh it's a big move at my age - and more than a little scary - but so far, my first year of college medicine and biology has been nothing short of amazing, and my interest and enthusiasm is greater than ever, so I am looking forward to the next 2 years and my first Ambo placements come September.
If anyone read all my drivel and might be thinking of doing the same - I think you should! Life is too short for 'what if's...' and there are plenty of us on the internet to help you along the way with advice and encouragement.
And everyone studying medicine seems to be extra nice and helpful. One of the other students started a closed Facebook page for our year at college, and it has been brilliant - if anyone asks a question or is having problems with an assignment, they usually get multiple replies and emails back within the hour from other students. Lots of support.
WRT the student nurses comment - well, if it's anything to go by - in my year at college, I am the only proseptive Para, everyone else is looking to be a nurse. So, In any given class, out of 30 students, I am often the only bloke amongst girls mostly in their early 20's. It's been tough, but someone's gotta do it I guess
And yes FJ - I did see that Barry Rudge was an ex-racer too...so there's hope for me yet I reckon!!
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
I am the only proseptive Para, everyone else is looking to be a nurse. So, In any given class, out of 30 students, I am often the only bloke amongst girls mostly in their early 20's.
That's me well and truly convinced then!I missed the latest open day at Burton, it was on the 20th of this month. North Warwickshire college hasn't got any open days listed on the website, but I'm going to pop over and grab a prospectus anyway and see if I can find out about an open day.
Spanna said:
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
I am the only proseptive Para, everyone else is looking to be a nurse. So, In any given class, out of 30 students, I am often the only bloke amongst girls mostly in their early 20's.
That's me well and truly convinced then!I missed the latest open day at Burton, it was on the 20th of this month. North Warwickshire college hasn't got any open days listed on the website, but I'm going to pop over and grab a prospectus anyway and see if I can find out about an open day.
Yeah good idea - or look on t'internet - most Uni's have some pretty good stuff about their Para courses online which might help.
Here is the page about it at Portsmouth where I'm going
I didn't realise there was a 2 year Foundation Degree available that got you onto the HCPC. Portsmouth looks a great place to study from your link. My more local Unis that offer the course are Staffs and Coventry. Looking at the Cov one I came across how they assess you, as follows:
Coursework, tests and essays, 35%
practical or project work, 10%
presentations, posters etc, 5%
other eg placements. 50%
Seems a very high percentage based on placements, but that's probably a positive for me. The North Warwicks college course is also accepted by Cov Uni, which makes it even more viable provided I can get a spot on the course.
I'm going to start getting a plan into place for myself, set some targets and try some volunteering.
Coursework, tests and essays, 35%
practical or project work, 10%
presentations, posters etc, 5%
other eg placements. 50%
Seems a very high percentage based on placements, but that's probably a positive for me. The North Warwicks college course is also accepted by Cov Uni, which makes it even more viable provided I can get a spot on the course.
I'm going to start getting a plan into place for myself, set some targets and try some volunteering.
Yep - if you get a 2 year placement at any Uni doing a FdSc Para course, then at the end of it you are fully entitled to apply for HCPC registration (and will get it) and you'll probably just stay on full-time and start getting paid from the Ambo trust you did your placements with (unless you've been a complete muppet )
There are practically zero trainee Para courses with any Ambo trusts now - most of them recruit from these Uni courses directly. Each year, the trusts tell the Uni's how many Paras they think they'll need two years' hence, and the Uni's recruit that amount of places, plus a few to account for drop-outs.
WRT the work and training levels - what you've seen there is kinda how it is - but basically it generally boils down to around a 37 to 40 hour week in total. Maybe 7 to 10 of those hours are spent in the Uni environment and in lectures, with the rest on placement. Which basically means, in an Ambulance observing and spporting the existing 2-man crew, with some other local Hospital stuff like A&E experience, a bit of maternity stuff, and if you're VERY lucky a bit of operating theatre exposure.
From what other student Paras have told me, the fairly heavy academic work you will get at the college access course is far less so at Uni, strangely enough. Yes of course there is academic lectures, assignments and exams, but the course is heavily placement orientated. Nothing like frontline experience I guess.
So, a little annoying I guess that NHS trusts get 2 years of free student Ambo assistance out of you!
Also, if you are thinking of this route, then do it soon. I have found out that most Uni's and trusts are phasing out the 2 year FdSc courses by 2015 in favour of 3 year BSc courses.
In terms of getting qualified and HCPC registered, the BSc is of no more use to you - other than the trust gets another year out of you for free. However, I have also heard that the NHS might start funding some of these courses too at some Uni's - which might be why they are looking to change to a 3 year BSc.
As I said, get in touch with those Uni's close to you to find out the exact details of what they're planning to do. It is constantly changing.
Just give them a call - they're all pretty helpful and friendly!!
)There are practically zero trainee Para courses with any Ambo trusts now - most of them recruit from these Uni courses directly. Each year, the trusts tell the Uni's how many Paras they think they'll need two years' hence, and the Uni's recruit that amount of places, plus a few to account for drop-outs.
WRT the work and training levels - what you've seen there is kinda how it is - but basically it generally boils down to around a 37 to 40 hour week in total. Maybe 7 to 10 of those hours are spent in the Uni environment and in lectures, with the rest on placement. Which basically means, in an Ambulance observing and spporting the existing 2-man crew, with some other local Hospital stuff like A&E experience, a bit of maternity stuff, and if you're VERY lucky a bit of operating theatre exposure.
From what other student Paras have told me, the fairly heavy academic work you will get at the college access course is far less so at Uni, strangely enough. Yes of course there is academic lectures, assignments and exams, but the course is heavily placement orientated. Nothing like frontline experience I guess.
So, a little annoying I guess that NHS trusts get 2 years of free student Ambo assistance out of you!
Also, if you are thinking of this route, then do it soon. I have found out that most Uni's and trusts are phasing out the 2 year FdSc courses by 2015 in favour of 3 year BSc courses.
In terms of getting qualified and HCPC registered, the BSc is of no more use to you - other than the trust gets another year out of you for free. However, I have also heard that the NHS might start funding some of these courses too at some Uni's - which might be why they are looking to change to a 3 year BSc.
As I said, get in touch with those Uni's close to you to find out the exact details of what they're planning to do. It is constantly changing.
Just give them a call - they're all pretty helpful and friendly!!
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