Uni application for paramedic science

[ucasstatement]

DD (18) is in her final year of A Levels (psychology, combined science and health & social care). She wants to apply to uni next year for paramedic science. I have agreed to help her with her UCAS personal statement. I'm just wondering what are the key things they'll be looking for? She has a part time job in a cafe, and has worked in a bar/restaurant, but she has no healthcare experience. Is she likely to need this specific experience?

Any tips from those who know what this course will be looking for will be much appreciated!

The main thing would be WHY she wants to study that and why it’s her passion. No-one is expecting 18 year olds to have tons of experience in the field they want to study in.
Also, and I mean this with kindness - she REALLY needs to write it herself! It should be in her voice, her thoughts and then you can perhaps tidy the grammar.
Please don’t run it though CHATGPT or any other AI - AI detection software is common place and standard now.

Relevant Voluntary experience?

@Mosalahiwoukd
Yes I won't be writing it for her, just tweaking grammar etc

@LIZS
She doesn't have any voluntary experience at present - to be honest she would likely struggle to fit anything like that in around college, study, course work and her part time job in the cafe. Is that likely to go against her?

She needs to translate her experience in hospitality into people experience. SO relating how she deals with awkward customers/difficult situation. Can she think of an example where she diffused a situation etc etc.

hi, my son is applying for paramedic science this year. We've asked about personal statements at open days etc - has she done this? There is plenty of info online as well. What we gathered was that volunteering isn't essential, but use what you have to demonstrate the required attributes. So, via hobbies/clubs/work etc. also, the why. Do you know what being a paramedic actually is in the modern world etc. Here in Scotland the courses are mega popular, with limited spaces, so your statement does need to be good, to get past the Admissions office!

Mention safeguarding

She needs to do research - it doesn't need to be physical experience, it can be reading books or articles, watching videos - and turn that into that WHY she wants to be a paramedic, as above. What did she learn from her research, what convinced her that paramedic science is the course and career for her?

These days they are trying to control for privilege a bit so they say they don't want a litany of random achievements, however impressive. This is good for your daughter because her lack of physical experience is not a deal breaker. She has already gone through the thought process of choosing the course, now she needs to tell the story, bolstered and evidenced: "I read X book and it showed me .."

@Comefromaway
Thank you, that's helpful! She's had to deal with many a difficult customer actually, she comes home every shift almost with a new story about this! So she can definitely build in the skills from this.

@butteriesplease
Yes we went to an open day for her preferred uni and asked similar questions. We came away with the message they volunteer experience isn't essential but would make an application stand out. So I guess my question is more, how do we tweak the experience she has currently as she physically won't have the time to do anything additional at the moment.

@Halvana thank you! Very helpful.

Some sort of experience will be looked upon favourably. It doesn’t have to be much, just enough to show your daughter has some insight into what she’s applying for. Examples could include, volunteering with The Red Cross or St John’s, or doing a first aid course, or doing a lifeguard qualification.

I work in mental health in the NHS, so I wondered whether she can talk about knowledge of the NHS from a MH care perspective as her mum does this, etc? As part of the research aspect I mean, and to evidence her understanding of how the NHS works (albeit in a different field, but still).

It won't necessarily go against her but it might be worth getting some clinical experience. Has she done any first aid training? Our nhs trust opens for registration in January for summer work experience. PS should outline what made them interested in the subject and what relevant experience, reading, courses etc they have.

No, that sounds weak.

@LIZS
I mean, that would only be one small aspect of the statement of course. I meant in terms of her understanding of the NHS, not the course or the role of a paramedic. That would come from her own research.

I'm wondering whether she can email our regional ambulance service and see about volunteer / shadowing roles? Is that too ambitious?

@Ebabllisstggoffor
Thank you - will look into first aid courses!

Lifeguarding is a good idea. She could use the qualification for paid work in vacations etc. Some organisations offer courses like MH awareness, first aid, safeguarding etc to their volunteers or she could look at MOOCs .

I'll be blunt - paramedic science is hugely competitive. Her application sounds weak compared with what others will have to be honest. 'She doesn't have time...' doesn't really cut it - plenty of applicants be volunteering in care homes, studying and probably doing a Saturday job too. Applicants should be absolutely focussed and dedicated. If it is too difficult timewise then volunteering in a care home, or wheeling the tea trolley around hospital wards, would be far more useful than her part time job if she'd be prepared to give that up.

Alternatively as she's in year 13 she'll have finished by June which gives her six months in which to get some decent work experience next year. Remember paramedics deal with people in crisis mode, unwell, in pain, panicking, being abusive. And apparently it's quite repetitive (mostly heart attacks and stabbing according to the one paramedic I know). And badly paid. Has she actually spoken to anyone to find out what the life is like?

It sounds like you're doing a lot of the grunt work that she should be doing...

Definitely would be a stronger application with some volunteering or work experience in healthcare setting/st John's ambulance etc. as it would demonstrate a genuine interest and insight

I would tell her to jump on the hcpc website and go through the standards for paramedics so she can demonstrate that she understands the expectations and requirements and how she would aim to meet them.

@titchy
That's a fair comment. I do think she's far too laid back about it, thinking she's going to sail into it, and probably have a rude awakening.

I've suggested the volunteering idea to her and she's going to send our local ambulance service an email asking about this. They actually posted on Facebook a month or so ago advertising for volunteer roles and encouraging people to get in touch, so hopefully that's successful for her. If not I will get her to consider the care home idea or even just completing a first aid course.

She will definitely be reluctant to give up her part time job as it's her only form of income and unfortunately I can't afford to subsidise her social life every weekend, so she knows she'd be sacrificing that. I personally think her priorities are all wrong, but she has to learn this herself I suppose 🤦🏼‍♀️

@CaravaggiosCat

Ah HCPC standards - excellent idea! Thank you

I follow a few paramedics on twitter. Maybe she could contact them for advice?

Your welcome 😊. Good Luck!

Just to add, sign up for Paramedic journals also.