PARAMEDIC SCIENCE at Canterbury Christ Church University

Being a paramedic is an exciting and challenging role as paramedics are at the frontline of healthcare and are often the first on the scene being required to assess, treat and refer patients in an emergency situation.

This course will equip you with the knowledge and skills required to become an autonomous, effective and safe paramedic, and will enable you to be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a paramedic.

You will explore areas including:

• evidence based practice
• decision making skills
• clinical skills
• urgent care
• emergency care
• leadership and management.

You will build your knowledge and experience each year on the programme and will be encouraged to apply current theory to practice. Clinical education is central to paramedic science and around 50% of your time will be in both ambulance and non-ambulance practice settings to help you develop in your chosen profession. Our staff draw upon their own wealth of expertise to help you to achieve your academic potential. 

Why Paramedic Science?

We have close working links with South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECamb) and a specialist clinical Simulation Suite allowing you first to practice and then gain real-world experience of being a paramedic. 

Practicing paramedics contribute to the course, so you will have their experience to draw upon to help develop your own evidence based paramedic practice. You will have a really good exposure to the working life of a paramedic to help you develop in your chosen profession, and our staff draw upon their own wealth of academic and professional expertise and knowledge to help you to achieve your academic potential. 

The course reflects current developments in health and social care and interprofessional education whilst focusing on paramedic science. You will be supported in your academic work and will spend a notable amount of your placement time in a variety of healthcare settings to help you understand the paramedic role better, and the patient pathway. The majority of placement time will be spent with South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust however, some of your placement will be allocated in community, GP Practice and secondary care, allowing you to experience the full patient journey they may experience. 

What will i study?

To ensure our students experience the most current and relevant paramedic science education, our programme is designed to reflect the rapidly evolving dimensions of the health and social care sector and the needs of the individual. 

Within the new design our aim is to give students the opportunity to embrace and capture their interprofessional placement experiences and use of interprofessional interactions through simulation activities, such as role play and the use of discussion boards. These, and other activities, will support learning, teaching and assessment. 

You will develop knowledge and understanding of current issues and challenges in paramedic practice. Each year will include academic and professional development and opportunities to embrace and capture your interprofessional experiences and interactions with other health professions to help you understand your role and work in the context of an integrated emergency care team. You will learn how to care for patients with acute and chronic medical conditions and those with minor and major injuries.