Entry requirements To practise as a paramedic, you’ll first need to successfully complete an approved degree in paramedic science or with an apprenticeship degree. You’ll then need to apply to an ambulance service as a qualified paramedic and register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Paramedic science courses usually take between three or four years full time and include a mixture of theory and practical work including placements with the ambulance services.