Saving lives. Helping the community. Supporting people in crisis. There are few jobs more important than a paramedic. And industry needs are evolving. Paramedics play a vital role in the healthcare system; they assess patients, provide emotional support and free up hospital resources with on-the-spot treatment.

La Trobe's Bachelor of Paramedic Practice (Honours) gives you the knowledge and skills to launch a career in this challenging and rewarding field of health. You'll develop a strong foundation in biosciences and paramedic practice for trauma, cardiac and paediatric management.

Kickstart your career with first-hand paramedic experience. Build the experience and resilience to tackle this challenging career with work-based learning opportunities in hospitals, community settings and with Ambulance Victoria. You can also practice in the Paramedicine Practical Laboratory equipped with industry-standard medical equipment and an outdoor emergency simulation space. You'll graduate ready to apply your practical skills when you're needed most.

You'll learn:

• Human biosciences
  • Learn the fundamentals of anatomy while exploring the nervous, endocrine and other major organ systems of the body.
• Communication skills in healthcare
  • Gain an understanding of counselling and communication skills and how they're applied in a range of healthcare settings.
• Trauma, cardiac and paediatric management
  • Discover the pathophysiology of specific trauma conditions and the assessment procedures you'll need to treat patients presenting with these issues.
• Pharmacology
  • Explore the key role drugs play in the treatment and prevention diseases, including drug classification, administration and basic pharmacokinetics.

The qualification awarded on graduation is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as Level 8.

Sample course structure

Please note, the following course structure is indicative and subject to change depending on your course location, offer year or how you tailor your course with specialisations, majors, minors and electives. Structures for the following year are not normally finalised until October, so the sample provided is based on the most recently approved structure. For more information, please refer to the La Trobe University Handbook.