How to become a Paramedic?
The most common question we get asked is ‘How do I become a Paramedic?’ or ‘What are my options to becoming a Paramedic?’ Here is our attempt to address this very important question that could assist you with decision making.
First and foremost, the first step is to attain an educational qualification as it is one of the most regulated and specialised industries that requires a highly skilled and trained workforce.
Hence the two educational pathways available are noted as follows:
Pathway 1: Apply and directly enrol into a tertiary education level (University) to study a Degree in Paramedicine / Paramedical Science. After the completion of studies, all the university graduates are required to send their applications to the Paramedicine Board of Australia to be registered as a paramedic.
Pathway 2: Enrol into Diploma of Emergency Health Care (formerly known as Diploma of Paramedical Science), a Nationally Recognised qualification with a Registered Training Organisation (RTO): Heed Health Education - A Paramedical College in Australia!
Note: To become a Registered Paramedic one needs to complete at least a Bachelor of Paramedic Science degree. However, to work in the Ambulance and Paramedic sector, one does not need to be a Registered Paramedic. Please feel free to check the information on our Career in Ambulance and Paramedic sector page.
Now let’s analyse these two educational pathway options:
Pathway 1 with a university offering Degree in Paramedicine / Paramedical Science in Australia:
- Costs – between $35k to $105k
- Duration – 3 years full time
- Entry requirements – Completion of year 12 with high OP or ATAR score or completion of Diploma of Emergency Health Care/Diploma of Paramedical Science
- Workplace training – Generally, starts after 18 to 24 months into the course. This requirement differs from uni to uni
- Study mode: Classroom training with Clinical Placement with varying hours from uni to uni
- Debt – Yes (HECS-HELP debt or personal loan)
Pathway 2 with Heed Health Education offering Diploma of Emergency Health Care:
- Costs – approx. $13k
- Duration– 18 months with an option to fast track
- Entry requirements – No prior qualification or experience required but proficiency in English and a sound level of literacy and numeracy skills recommended
- Workplace training – Starts in 8 to 10 months
- Study mode – Blended delivery with 85 to 90% of flexible online study and 2 x 7-day Clinical Workshops (in NSW, VIC, WA, SA, QLD) and 160 hours of Clinical Placement.
- Debt – Students have the option to avail VET Student Loan (VSL) as Heed Health Education is an approved provider or opt to pay in small, manageable interest-free payments.
From here on, we will discuss the opportunities available with the completion of Pathway 2. But if you are willing to:
- spend more money
- are eligible to enrol in tertiary education
- are ready to be a fully registered Paramedic; and
- are ready to take a deep dive into the world of the tertiary education
then Pathway 1 could be a suitable option for you. However, if you are still interested in reading further about benefits and opportunities available with Pathway 2, then you are welcome to continue reading.
Benefits and Opportunities after the completion of Pathway 2: Diploma of Emergency Health Care:
- Be job ready from day 1 with the required skills and attributes through training, education and work experience resulting in the ability to provide front line out of hospital care, medical retrieval and health related transport for sick and injured people in an emergency and non-emergency setting. Accurately assessing and documenting patients’ health and medical needs to determine and implement appropriate paramedical care in line with Ambulance policies and procedures.
- Work in the Government sector
- Work in a Private sector (Private sector is forecasted to increasing revenue over the years as non-emergency responses have increasingly been transferred to the private sector over the past few years as per National Skills Overview).
- Gain direct entry into tertiary education into a Degree in Paramedicine / Paramedic Science / Nursing with the following benefits:
- approx. 30% credit towards degree (depends on each university) …this can be huge cost and time saving!
- Join with preparedness to take a deep dive into the tertiary education with comprehensive skill set
- fast track your career with job ready skills and earn while completing degree that can be used in multiple health care roles
- set yourself apart from the rest and continue to climb the ladder of success
- Heed Health Education’s Diploma of Emergency Health Care is a popular educational pathway to paramedical science and health science degrees e.g., Bachelor of Paramedical Science, Bachelor in Nursing, Bachelor of Health Science, Bachelor of Midwifery.
You could be working in but not limited to the following job roles:
- Ambulance Officer
- Ambulance/Paramedic Assistant
- Ambulance Transport Attendant
- Ambulance call-taker
- Emergency Services Officer
- Emergency Medical Dispatcher
- Emergency Medical Technician
- Emergency Medical Responder
- Dispatcher
- Patient Transport Officer (Emergency and Non-Emergency)
- Community-based First Responder (CFR)
- Medical Assistant
- Oil and Gas Medic On / Offshore,
- Defence Force Medic
- Private Medic
- Industrial Medic
- Remote Medic
- Event Medic
How can Heed Health Education assist YOU with a career in Ambulance and Paramedic sector?
If you’re looking to start a career as an ambulance officer, our Paramedic Pathway Course could be your first step. Learn how to become an ambulance officer with comprehensive training that covers everything you need to know. Join our Paramedic Pathway Course and take the first step towards a rewarding career in emergency health care services.
Heed Health Education can assist you in the following manner:
- Offer Nationally Recognised qualifications in Certificate IV in Health Care and Diploma of Emergency Health Care.
- Provide up to date, best evidence practice in skills
- Support from qualified and experienced clinical staff
- Provide relevant units of assessment that are required and sort after within the industry
- Provide a comprehensive skill set that can be used in multiple health care roles
- Comprehensive assessments to help prepare you for tertiary education
- Access to up-to-date equipment and resources that are used within the pre-hospital health care sector
- Credits towards Bachelor’s Degree – unit dependant
- Job ready skills to move into the healthcare industry after completion of qualifications
- Clinical Placements with Industry Partners
Key tags: how to become an ambulance officer, how to become a paramedic, paramedic pathway course
We invite you to check the following Nationally Recognised qualifications offered by Heed Health Education – A Paramedical College in Australia, that will impart you with the required skills, knowledge and hands-on practical training to be job ready for the Ambulance and Paramedic sector:
