How do I become a paramedic
Get qualified to work as a paramedic with a course recognised across Australia. Speak to a training provider to learn more.
Related career opportunities
Browse occupations related to Paramedic.
Common questions
Australian Paramedics earn approximately $2,106 per week ($109,512 annually). These are median figures for full-time employees and should be considered a guide only.
Courses.com.au Team
There are approximately 27,000 ambulance officers and paramedics working in Australia right now. They are employed by the health authorities in each state or territory and are regulated by the Australian Paramedicine Board. This is a growth occupation.
Courses.com.au Team
In Australia, paramedicine is a regulated profession under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS), so to get a job, you will need formal qualifications as well as professional accreditation with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). There are two pathways to employment. (1) The VET pathway allows you to work in the health industry and shortens your time at university. Begin with the Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport and the Diploma of Emergency Health Care. With these nationally recognised qualifications, you can start working immediately in an emergency support role. You’ll still need your Bachelor of Paramedicine, but you’ll gain RPL for your VET qualifications and the study time is reduced to two years. (2) The university pathway takes three years and requires a Bachelor’s degree and professional experience in the field. Suitable degrees include the Bachelor of Science (Paramedical Science), Bachelor of Paramedicine, or Bachelor of Health Science (Paramedicine).
Source: Australian Government Labour Market Insights 2023
Courses.com.au Team
Further reading
How to become a qualified Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist in Australia
23rd December 2024
How to start a career in Mental Health
5th August 2021All paramedic courses
- HLTSS00064 Infection Control Skill Set
- PUACOM005 Foster a Positive Organise Image in the Community
- PUASAR022 Participate in a Rescue Operation
- PUASAR024 Undertake Road Crash Rescue
- PUASAR032 Undertake Vertical Rescue
- SISORSC003 Perform Complex Vertical Rescues
- VU23311 Prepare to Work within the Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System
Paramedic careers
Paramedics are medical professionals who attend car accidents, workplace injuries, and other medical emergencies where an ambulance has been called. They provide medical treatment and emergency support at the scene, as well as ongoing support in the ambulance and in transit to the emergency room.
As a Paramedic you could be assisting an athlete who has been injured during a public match, treating someone on the side of the road who has been injured in a car crash, responding to a serious incident that has occurred on a construction site, transferring a non-emergency patient to another healthcare facility, replenishing medical supplies in the ambulance, or preparing a follow-up report after a medical emergency.
Paramedicine is a challenging occupation and to succeed you will need to be quick-thinking and level-headed, physically fit, and able to cope with the sight of blood and traumatic injuries.
