Kit Orange

I wanted to do something that felt more immediately like I could provide value to my community. I was reading music at another university, but began looking at the emergency services. I initially began to prepare for the fire service selection process, but then felt myself more drawn towards the ambulance service and paramedicine.

I love simulation sessions. Our lecturers apply the knowledge they’re teaching to practical scenarios. The in-depth debriefings afterwards are the best way to learn from mistakes and build confidence in our practice.

I hope to work for the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) as a paramedic. My main placements take place at Dukinfield ambulance station with NWAS. They provide the opportunity to attend patients with a very broad range of medical conditions. I’ve also been to placements in operating theatres, A&E, paediatrics, mental health, and the acute medical unit.

Building confidence in my decision-making on placement has been challenging. The best way to handle it has been through continually asking for feedback from our qualified clinicians.

Studying in Manchester has upsides and downsides. I’ve enjoyed spending time with similarly dedicated and keen people, learning together. And it’s great to be in the city, which is very convenient for travel. However, I feel that younger students may miss out on the broader university experience of studying on the main Ormskirk campus, miss out on a lot of events.

The Manchester campus generally has everything we need. It’s smaller than the Ormskirk campus, though, so doesn’t have access to as many facilities. I was living in Manchester at the time of my application to university, and Edge Hill’s Manchester campus was the most convenient location. I live in my own home and have a very manageable commute. It’s just a 10-minute train and then a 15-minute walk.

We set up the Edge Hill University ParaSoc (paramedic society). It’s dedicated to organising social, learning, and fundraising events for students studying in Manchester.

To anyone considering studying this degree at Edge Hill, I would say the course is what you make of it. To learn the most and become the best clinician you can be, you must work hard and be self-motivated.