Former Merton College student Jodie Barnes kickstarted her dream to become a paramedic when she started studying Paramedic Science at Greenwich University last year. Jodie studied Health & Social Care at Merton.
Why did you choose to study Paramedic Science and what are you enjoying about the course?
I chose to study Paramedic Science because each day is different and you're constantly learning new things all the time and expanding your knowledge. Helping people is such a big thing for me as we attend to some elderly patients who may be lonely or not have many family members around them and I'm proud just to be able to help them while we are in their presence.
Are there any particular highlights or achievements that you are proud of?
Being accepted onto the course and achieving the grades I needed was such a big achievement for me as I always doubted myself during my time at College, I never thought I would be able to get onto the course that I have always dreamed of.
Can you tell us about the work placement you are attending as part of your course? What have you done and what have you learnt so far?
I have attended a five week placement on an ambulance as a student paramedic, which involved putting all the skills that we learned in year one into reality. I learned on the placement that there is no such thing as a ‘normal day’ as every day is different and you are speaking with different people every day. I've been involved in many different jobs on the ambulance, one job I attended was a Cardiac arrest. It was my first Cardiac arrest, which was daunting, but I just knew it was important that I stayed focused. After that job everyone was very supportive and made sure I was ok with what I had witnessed.
Other skills I learned included communicating to patients in a respectful manor and taking their observations such as ECGs, HR, Oxygen sats, Pulse, temperature, and BMs. I also got to experience what life is like on the car as a first responder.
Did student life at Merton College help prepare you for life as a university student, if so how?
Yes, student life at Merton College helped me prepare for the life at university. When attending college, I had to do lots of referencing and this helped me to reference in university - as it is very important that you do this correctly. The teachers that taught me at College were great and supported me when I needed help with my personal statement for university. They helped me achieve the grades that I needed to be successful in securing my course place.
What were the highlights of studying a course at college e,g, placements, practical work, trips?
The placement at College helps to prepare you for life as a university student as you get the opportunity to speak to other individuals and it also helps you to get an idea as to what job opportunities you might want to pursue.
What advice would you give students about how to reach their potential at College?
I found that in year 1 in Merton college I did not focus as much as I should have and needed too. Which means I was not aiming for high grades until I went into year two, when I understood the whole grades and points scheme a lot more and it made a lot more sense. It was at that point I realised that I needed to focus and put my head down to get the grades I wanted. My advice would be is to focus from the start as it’ll make a lot of difference when it comes to applying to university and the amount of stress you go through worrying about grades.
Tell us about your career ambitions for the future post university?
Once I have completed my university degree, I will have become a qualified paramedic. I'll go on to work for the NHS Ambulance service and once I've been in the job for six months, I'll be able to start mentoring other students and helping them learn too. After a few years on the ambulance service, I'd like to expand my knowledge and eventually move up to become an Advanced Paramedic, where I'll be qualified to administer different medications in different situations.
