13 July 2026
“It is a proud moment not only for me, but also for my family and everyone who has supported me throughout the journey"
Aaron Harlow-Stephenson
A former firefighter, who re-trained as a paramedic at the University of Sunderland, is set to continue his lifesaving career providing frontline emergency and urgent care to patients across the north-east.
Aaron Harlow-Stephenson, from Durham, recently graduated with a Paramedic Science and Out of Hospital Care degree having already secured a full-time position as an Ambulance Support Practitioner with the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS).
In his role, Aaron will assist senior clinicians, like paramedics, to provide emergency, urgent, and non-urgent pre-hospital care. He will drive ambulances under blue-light conditions, prepare clinical equipment, monitor patient vital signs, and provide basic life-saving support.
It has been a long-held ambition of Aaron to work in paramedicine, after a personal tragedy changed his career path.
Before coming to university Aaron was a firefighter for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue. He became a Clinical Care Assistant for NEAS, assisting paramedics on emergency calls.
Aaron, 27, said: “I have always been drawn towards careers that involve helping people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
“A particularly significant influence was the loss of my uncle. The professionalism, compassion and care shown by the emergency services during that difficult time left a lasting impression on me and strengthened my determination to pursue a career where I could make a positive difference to others.
“What attracts me most to paramedicine is the privilege of being invited into people’s lives during moments of crisis and having the opportunity to provide both clinical care and reassurance when it is needed most.”
During his studies, Aaron juggled the challenges of a student paramedic with his passion for rugby, and currently plays for Consett RFC in rugby union, and for rugby league has played for Midlands Hurricanes, Keighley Cougars, Newcastle Thunder and England University Rugby League.
Aaron also added new skills to his already impressive list after spending last summer on a placement at the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance charity.
Aaron said: “The University of Sunderland has played a huge role in helping me progress towards my career goals.
“The course has provided me with a strong foundation in clinical practice, leadership, decision-making and evidence-based healthcare, while giving me extensive placement experience across a variety of healthcare settings.
“The combination of academic learning and real-world clinical placements has allowed me to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence required to begin my career within the ambulance service.”
Last week (Thursday 9 July), Aaron crossed the stage at The Fire Station in Sunderland city centre as part of the University’s summer graduation ceremonies with his fiancée, Kelsey and their one-year-old daughter Lily watching proudly on.
“Graduating feels like a huge achievement and the culmination of years of hard work, dedication and perseverance,” Aaron said.
“Balancing my studies alongside frontline healthcare work, family life and other commitments has not always been easy, which makes reaching this milestone particularly rewarding.
“It is a proud moment not only for me, but also for my family and everyone who has supported me throughout the journey. While graduation marks the end of my undergraduate studies, it also feels like the beginning of an exciting new chapter in my career.”
Mark Willis, Associate Head of School and Principal Lecturer in Paramedic Practice at the University of Sunderland, said: “We are incredibly proud to see Aaron, alongside his fellow students, graduate after three years of hard work, dedication and commitment to both their studies and wider professional development.
“Aaron has consistently demonstrated the qualities expected of a future healthcare professional, and, like all graduates from our Paramedic programme, he is well prepared to deliver high-quality, compassionate care to the communities he will serve throughout his career.”
Aaron was supported by the University’s Futures Fund Archer Award, a cash award that provides students with access to additional training and opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach.
All students on the University of Sunderland’s health profession and public health courses, such as Physiotherapy(opens in new tab), Paramedic Science(opens in new tab) and Occupational Therapy(opens in new tab), include elective placements hosted with the NHS or the wider health community.
Find out more about the scholarships available at the University of Sunderland here.
You can also find out more about studying Paramedic Science and Out of Hospital Care here.