Paramedic Courses South Africa: How to become a paramedic in South Africa
bachelor degrees for emt experts Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) or paramedic courses certify one to save lives during inter-facility patient transfers and emergencies like car crashes, fire outbreaks, and natural disasters. Paramedic courses are offered in many institutions in South Africa, and there are minimal paramedic course requirements to join short course paramedic training. Some of the paramedic short courses take two days and have affordable fees. The salaries of paramedics are decent enough for a good quality of life, and the career is adventurous because it involves a lot of fieldwork and traveling.
Source: UGC
EMT training institutions and courses are certified by the Health Professionals Council South Africa (HPCSA). The job is rewarding because, aside from a decent paramedic salary, there is more satisfaction in saving lives. How do you become a paramedic in South Africa?
How to become a paramedic in South Africa
There are various levels of paramedics; hence, paramedic training differs at each level of this career. You can start at the basic and advance to the topmost level. You need to qualify in a specific paramedics course at each level. The career levels include:
Basic Ambulance Attendant (BAA)
These experts provide Basic Medical Care through non-invasive procedures like midwifery, CPR, and any other types of first aid. You must have a Basic Ambulance Assistant (BAA) or Basic Life Support (BLS) or Emergency Care Assistant (ECA) certificate. They are short courses that do not last more than a year.
Source: UGC
Ambulance Emergency Assistant (AEA)
These practitioners offer Intermediate Medical Intervention services like IV drug therapy, chest decompression, bronchodilators, and defibrillation services. You need an Ambulance Emergency Assistant (EAE) or Intermediate Life Support (ILS) certification.
Critical Care Assistant (CCA)
The specialists undergo an Advanced Life Support (ALS) course. They perform complex tasks such as:
- Basic Medical Rescue
- One Man Advanced CPR
- Cardioversion Drug Therapy
- Advanced ECG interpretation
- Advanced Airway management
- Advanced Obstetrical Emergencies & Treatment
Emergency Care Technician (ECT)
ECT course can be done in between ILS and ALS once the person has passed the ILS exams.
Source: UGC
National Diploma (N.Dip EMC) professionals
Their services include midwifery, marine machine, advanced airway management, and aviation medicine. You need a two-year full-time Emergency Medical Care (EMC) diploma training. This diploma can be done by:
- BAAs
- AEAs
- CCAs
- ECAs
- Operational Emergency Care Orderlies (OECOs)
Requirements
At Netcare, the requirements are:
- Senior Certificate with university exemption, or an equivalent NQF Level 4 achievement
- A minimum M Score of 14 with these subject combinations:
- At least a Higher Grade D or Standard Grade C in Biology or Physiology
- A minimum of a Higher Grade D or Standard Grade C in Physical Science
- At least a Higher Grade D or Standard Grade C Mathematics
Bachelors degree EMT experts
Various universities in South Africa are offering these four-year full-time courses. A Bachelor of health sciences (BSc) or Bachelor in Emergency Care (BEMS) or a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) degree in Emergency Medical Care is required for this emergency health expert. You can advance to the Master of Health Sciences in Emergency Medical Care and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Emergency Medical Care.
Source: UGC
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How much are the paramedic courses fees in South Africa?
Paramedic colleges in South Africa charge between R8,500 to R9,000 for the BAA courses. If you cannot afford to pay the paramedic course fees, you can apply for EMT scholarships and grants.
You can download the ER24 paramedic course fees document here. The ER24 offers job opportunities to its top graduates.
Source: UGC
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What are the best paramedic schools in Guateng?
Here are the best paramedic training institutes in Gauteng:
- Ambusave
- ER24 AEA Training
- Netcare Education
- Rescue-Life Africa
- School for Military Health Training
- SRQ Ambulance Training College
- University of Johannesburg
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How much does a paramedic earn in South Africa?
In South Africa, EMT experts approximately earn from R100,000 to R250,000 per month. The salaries vary depending on one's level of experience and whether you are employed in the public or private sector.
How to become a paramedic after completing the paramedic courses
Netcare posts vacancies on this site. You should also look for vacancies at ER24 here. After qualifying in any paramedics course, you will need:
- A valid driver’s license
- Professional Driving Permit (PrDP) in Goods and Passengers
A paramedic course will equip you with the best skills for offering pre-hospital emergency care. However, the career is a lifetime learning process. Enroll in a paramedic school of your choice and pursue your dreams with all you have got.
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Source: Briefly News
