Becoming a Paramedic

taara

Hi,

I have just sat my leaving certificate and am considering becoming a paramedic. I know that there is a course in Limerick but I don't have my licence yet so I can't apply. I will be going to college in Septemeber to study something else but I do want to keep my options open to becoming a paramedic.

I am uncertain as to how to go about becoming a paramedic/EMT. I am planning on working on getting my licence this coming year and I am also looking into volunteering with the Red Cross/Order of Malta.

Any advice you might have for me would be appreciated!

carav10

You've kind of answered yourself with the best steps already :-) Work at getting your C1 license asap as you can't get into the CAO undergraduate degree or the NAS Paramedic programme without it. Would the UK be an option for you?

After that, get involved with a voluntary group that will train you up to EMT level. However in most organisations, you will need to work up through the levels before you'll be put on the EMT course and that could be anything up to 2 or 3 years depending on the waiting list ahead of you.

There is the option to pay to do the EMT privately - Pros, you get it faster ; Cons - you pay a lot of money to do it & it's no good to you unless you then go to work/ volunteer with a PHECC approved organisation like some of the voluntaries & some are a bit 'funny' about accepting EMTs who have not been trained by themselves even though they're all examined and licensed by the same governing body. But it would give you the option to apply for the ICO with the National Ambulance Service sooner when they recruit and if you have your license in place.

Voluntaries are probably the best way for you to go first though as you get a taste for what's involved and then can decide if it's a career you really want to pursue. Best of luck!

limericklad87

Voluntary all the way first to see if that kind of work suits you. As said prepare to work your way up first. You put the time in and they'll invest in you