This is a guest blog by current student Eloise Pearce, studying BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science.

The application process when applying to any university, for any course, can be a stressful experience no matter which subject you are hoping to study.  Even more so for the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science course due to its limited spaces and specific qualities needed to be a paramedic. The competition is fierce, and so you need to be well prepared!

The personal statement is an important part of your applications and you should take the time to ensure you write a good one. Due to the volume of applicants applying for the Paramedic Science degree, your personal statement has to make an impression, a lasting impression, a reason for the lecturer reading it to remember you and why YOU deserve a place on the course. Potentially within the first 30 seconds of reading your personal statement, the reader would have already decided whether you will be invited in for an interview or not. Ensure that you include everything in there; from your experience in healthcare, what you have done to prepare for the degree, to your passion for helping others.

Having been through this process myself I can’t express to you enough the importance of your personal statement: the statement that will make or break your future!

Next comes the interview process, each Paramedic Science course structures the interview day differently, when attending an interview at BU you can expect either a simulation, 1 – 1 interview or group interview, or a combination of two of these.

When I attended my interview day, the first part was a simulation, I was presented with three different patients with different needs and I had a set amount of time to act as the paramedic on scene. It is important to note that the lectures are not looking for medical knowledge at this stage, they are looking for effective communication techniques, confident bedside manner and compassion/understanding for the situation, to name a few. The second half of my interview was then a group exercise, again communication is the key to success here, as it plays such an important role in your future career as a paramedic, but most importantly, be yourself and enjoy the day!

Hope this is useful for anyone who is currently considering to apply for the course.

Eloise Pearce

Paramedic Science student