Personal Statement:Paramedic Science 4

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

I would really appreciate the opportunity to study to become a Paramedic; since I joined St John Ambulance I have enjoyed working as part of a team to help people and to deal with their injuries, the training has been inspirational as well as valuable to me. Apart from basic first aid, I have learned how to use an AED and how to deal with people who are either difficult, stressed or have various mental health problems such as schizophrenia. I feel that by studying to become a Paramedic I can build on the skills that I have learned in St John Ambulance and use them much more regularly. I have read several books about life as a paramedic and feel that the vast amount of different situations and people that one meets as a paramedic makes the job varied, challenging and interesting.

Learning about Anatomy and Physiology has always fascinated me so I will find the science aspects of the course extremely interesting. I also look forward to placements with an ambulance service trust as I feel that I will enjoy the work and the opportunity to practise and develop skills that I will learn on the course, or already possess due to my St John Ambulance voluntary work.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

As I was not aware that I wanted to become a paramedic when I started the IB I chose to do Chemistry and Physics at higher level, as opposed to Biology. I have enjoyed both of these sciences and am enjoying studying Biology AS and A2 in a year. The IB has helped to teach me not only the subjects to a high level, but also how to deal with heavy workloads and manage my time more effectively. Studying English and History to this level have allowed me to improve my vocabulary and analytical skills. As I did my extended essay in a subject that I was not studying, I was able to develop my independent learning and research skills.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

As part of the IB I had to do at least 50 hours of work in the community, I decided that joining St John Ambulance would be a good way of doing this; it is that that has made me want to become a paramedic. Within St John Ambulance I have helped at events of varying sizes, from V festival with over 50 members ranging from first aiders to paramedics, nurses and doctors as well as smaller events with only 2 first aiders. The larger events have allowed me to develop my patient managing skills as I had to deal with multiple patients at the same time. The smaller events have shown me that while, as a first aider, I might not be needed for a long period of time, I must be ready to apply my skills at a moment's notice.

Since I was 12, I have taken part in a weeklong extracurricular learning course each summer with a company called GIFT. These courses have helped shape me as a person by providing stimulating and enjoyable courses as well as providing a good environment to meet new people and make friends. In the courses I have had to use people skills in order to communicate my point to people of varying ages, from 12 right the way through to 18 as well as the lecturers. Throughout my time in secondary and further education these courses have helped me to think critically and further engage with my subjects. During the summer holidays since I left secondary school I have been employed by them, helping in the IT department. During these periods I have helped to set up the new computers as well as assist with any IT problems that have arisen, this has helped to develop my problem solving skills, something that I feel is important for a paramedic to have. My experience with solving computer problems has helped me think logically, as well as to think about causes of problems that may not be immediately obvious. I am very determined to become a paramedic as I feel that I will be able to make a huge difference in people's lives.

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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