Paramedic Science

Paramedic science is the clinical and academic discipline that underpins the profession of paramedicine, which delivers pre-hospital emergency care and urgent clinical assessment to patients in a wide range of settings outside the hospital. Paramedics respond to medical emergencies, make rapid clinical decisions in dynamic environments, administer treatments, and transport patients to appropriate care. The profession has developed significantly in recent decades, evolving from a transport-focused service to a highly skilled clinical discipline with its own evidence base and growing scope of practice in urgent and primary care.

At Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, this three-year, full-time BSc prepares you for registration as a paramedic through an integrated programme of academic study and clinical training. You will develop the skills and competencies needed to deliver out-of-hospital care as a member of an integrated health and social care team, covering emergency medicine, pharmacology, anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, and the legal and ethical frameworks that govern pre-hospital practice. Clinical placements are central to the training, giving you direct experience in real ambulance service and emergency settings.

The programme leads to eligibility to register with the Health and Care Professions Council as a paramedic on successful completion. The typical entry tariff of 152 points reflects the competitive and clinically demanding nature of a professional registration programme.

Paramedic science graduates work for NHS ambulance services, air ambulance charities, event medical services, and independent ambulance and urgent care providers. The expanding scope of paramedicine has also created roles in primary care, emergency departments, and community settings. Career progression can lead to specialist and consultant paramedic roles, management positions, and academic careers in paramedicine.

Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in advanced clinical practice, critical care, or health sciences.