According to Some: A healthcare professional with skills in emergency services, first aid, and ambulance operation.
According to Others: Someone who works 24-hour shifts and has three days off.
But to Me, a Paramedic Is: A professional healthcare technician and a vital part of Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, often the first to provide critical intervention to patients or accident victims in serious condition.
The paramedic’s role begins with providing pre-hospital emergency care, whether due to sudden illness or accident. This care continues during transport to the hospital (in the ambulance) and ends once the patient reaches a facility with medical resources.
A paramedic assesses the patient’s condition, identifies the problem, and administers necessary emergency care, ensuring the safety of the patient, the team, and themselves. They are responsible for managing the scene, preserving evidence in legal cases, and communicating effectively with panicked bystanders.
At a 112 Emergency Station, if no doctor is present, the paramedic is the team leader. However, paramedics are not a substitute for doctors; they receive specialized training for different roles. In our country, it’s mandatory for paramedics to be present on all emergency ambulances without a doctor.
Paramedics are trained to drive the ambulance and operate all its equipment.
Admission Requirements
Admissions are set by OSYM (Student Selection and Placement Center) following the relevant Higher Education Council (YÖK) regulations. Applicants must meet the prerequisites outlined in Article 233 of the University Entrance Guide.
Article 233 specifies that applicants to this program must:
- Provide a health report confirming physical and mental fitness for driving, as it is required in the second year of study,
- Be at least 17 but under 23 years of age at the time of enrollment,
- For male students, be at least 1.65 meters tall, and for female students, at least 1.60 meters tall,
- Have a weight that falls within 5 kg above or 15 kg below their height in centimeters,
- Have the physical capability to assist in carrying a patient on a stretcher with a team member.
Graduates of this program can work in the Ministry of Health, university hospitals, private healthcare facilities, ambulance services, and emergency response units.
Advancement Opportunities
Graduates may transition to higher degree programs via DGS (Vertical Transfer Exam), including:
- Emergency and Disaster Management
- Nursing
- Nursing and Health Services