How to become a paramedic?

KirstenHynes

I will be doing my leaving cert in 2012 and have not been able to get a lot information on becoming a Paramedic.
I've been a member of St Johns Ambulance for 4/5 years and i am extremely interested in becoming a paramedic!

How many points on your leaving cert do you need?
How you apply to training?
Where can you do training?
Do you have to be a certain age? ( I will be 18 leaving school)

Any information you can give me would be really helpful
Thanks,
Kirsten (:

Mycroft H

With great difficulty in this country!


Its done through NATS and the HSE. No previous medical experience is required as your trained from the ground up, but you time with the voluntaries will look really good on the application

What qualifications do I need to become a Paramedic? The entry criteria are under review presently. The last entry criteria required that Candidates must meet the following requirements;

• Be the holder of full clean C1 driving licence (no restrictions) Paramedic students will be required to obtain a full D1 driving licence prior to being offered employment, following paramedic qualification.

• Have a good standard of education. Potential students will be required to hold a minimum of 5 passes, including maths and a science subject, at leaving certificate pass or honours level. Secondary Education from other countries equivalent to the above may be considered.

• Be of good health and may be required to pass a fitness test

• Successfully complete an entrance aptitude test

• Successfully complete a competency based interview process

• Receive a satisfactory rating in an occupational health screening assessment

• Receive clearance from the Garda Vetting Unit

See here for more information


http://www.nats.ie/faq_-_paramedic_31.html


Recruitment is through public jobs; see here

http://www.publicjobs.ie

KirstenHynes

Thank you (:

stretch00

Hi K,

Well done on your voluntary service, it will always stand you in good stead, and provide you with loads of practical experience which will make your later transition from student to practitioner much easier. I would suggest that as a goal, jumping from school to paramedic is probably unlikely. It is intended that training will be accessed in the future via the CAO system and completed in various faculties. I cannot infer that this is likely to be in place for a 2012 leaving cert student, but as recruitment is severly hampered by the tightening financial state of the country, by the time you would be likely to be recruited, a good leaving cert would be essential. some subjects are already a prerequisite.

Please do not be despirited by this, but rather keep your options open by not limiting yourself to one goal. It is equally possible that you could train in UK through a similar route, build your skills there and return to Ireland in the future, or use the skill set you will amass to travel the world. Good paramedics are always in demand in some of the nicer (sunnier anyway !) parts of the world.

Enjoy the volunteering, avoid the wafflers, and you'll make a great medic.

P

Zambia

Just a thought guys if someone wanted to become a paramedic. Since the outlook is not great in Ireland is there another course/career that would set you up for this. I thinking along the lines of nursing or some other medical field. Granted the qualification time is long but if this is something you really want to do it would be better to get qualified in something than waiting for the economy to turn. The other added bonus is you can migrate so well with medical skills you could do this somewhere else.

Mycroft H

Zambia wrote: »

Just a thought guys if someone wanted to become a paramedic. Since the outlook is not great in Ireland is there another course/career that would set you up for this. I thinking along the lines of nursing or some other medical field. Granted the qualification time is long but if this is something you really want to do it would be better to get qualified in something than waiting for the economy to turn. The other added bonus is you can migrate so well with medical skills you could do this somewhere else.

Funny you should say that.

I'm seriously considering of doing nursing in England once I finish my degree for the very same reason.

You would end up with an internationally recognized degree rather then an in house course (and yes I know you get a Dip after qualifying as a paramedic but the skills aren't as easily transferable to other countries), plus you get a higher clinical level to boot.

I could be waiting ages to get accepted into NATS here......

Zambia

I reckon that would be a very good idea. Granted the time taken would be quite long but the amount of transferable skills would be worth it I imagine.

I also assume trying for the fire brigade would be an option. As they operate Ambulances in Ireland.

coolmoose

Zambia wrote: »

I also assume trying for the fire brigade would be an option. As they operate Ambulances in Ireland.

Only in Dublin, DFB operate ambulances. And they would first train you as a Paramedic...so then you'd already be one!

With regards to doing nursing in the UK first, why not just sit a Paramedic Science degree in the UK, and qualify over there??

Rick_M

coolmoose wrote: »

Only in Dublin, DFB operate ambulances. And they would first train you as a Paramedic...so then you'd already be one!

With regards to doing nursing in the UK first, why not just sit a Paramedic Science degree in the UK, and qualify over there??

Hi,

Im currently doing the Fire & Ambulance course in Dun Laoghaire which by next September will have me up to EMT level.
My main goal is to join the DFB as a firefighter/paramedic.
I thought that Id have to do my paramedic training outside the fire service.

Would it be better to do it outside the DFB and apply with the qualification or to apply with just the EMT and train there?

Thanks

deadwood

I always thought a paramedic was a doctor in a wheelchair.

scholar007

KirstenHynes wrote: »

I will be doing my leaving cert in 2012 and have not been able to get a lot information on becoming a Paramedic.
I've been a member of St Johns Ambulance for 4/5 years and i am extremely interested in becoming a paramedic!

How many points on your leaving cert do you need?
How you apply to training?
Where can you do training?
Do you have to be a certain age? ( I will be 18 leaving school)

Any information you can give me would be really helpful
Thanks,
Kirsten (:

You're lucky in one way - Its a hell of a lot easier to get info. now about joining the ambulance service and also about overseas options, its all there at the click of a button. In another way you're a bit goosed trying to get into the service in Ireland with the Government cutbacks and there being so many trained EMTs / paramedics already out there looking for work.

Take heart - we would all love to be 18 again and opportunities do arise so don't give up, just be prepared to recognise an opportunity when it presents itself and do the relevant / recognised training with the relevant / recognised bodies. Best of luck!