A peek into the life of a student paramedic

Hello, my name is Eleanor Chapman. I am a 3rd year paramedic student at the University of Hertfordshire. Before coming to university, I was a beach lifeguard for 4 years. It was during this time that I was able to work with both paramedics and the coastguard in medical emergencies—this is what developed my own interest in joining the ambulance service.

It took a lot of hard work, an extra 2 years at college and copious amounts of tea—but I gained the necessary entry grades through access to higher education, and joined the BSc Paramedic Science course in 2014. Unfortunately, I had to repeat my second year but, ultimately, I found this to be a positive experience, as it has given me an additional year of placement to further develop my confidence, knowledge and skills. I do my placement with the London Ambulance Service and while we're usually rushed off our feet, I enjoy every aspect of it (except maybe the Central London traffic!)