Paramedic Science interviews
Find out everything you need to know about your Paramedic Science interview.
If you've applied for BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science and Out of Hospital Care, you're in the right place.
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Find out everything you need to know about your Paramedic Science interview.
If you've applied for BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science and Out of Hospital Care, you're in the right place.
Congratulations on being invited for an interview, we are really looking forward to meeting you.
We aim to make our Paramedic Science interviews as relaxed as possible, as it’s our opportunity to learn more about you and your interest in Paramedic Science. It’s also a chance for you to see our fantastic facilities and ask any questions you might have about the University, your chosen course or the application process.
We often have Student Ambassadors in attendance as well, who are there to share their experiences and to support you on the day. If you haven’t already, you’ll soon receive an email containing your interview date and time. We'll aim to provide you with an interview date as soon as possible, however this can take up to three weeks during holiday and busy periods. You'll also receive a text message as a reminder – if you have updated your number or are unsure if you have used the correct number, please contact us as soon as possible and we can update your record.
We would recommend you do some research into current discussions, problems and challenges within healthcare. We would also encourage you to research Paramedic Science at the University of Sunderland. As our course is accredited by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), we would also encourage you to visit the HCPC website to learn more.
You may want to consider the rationale for choosing this career and how your personality lends itself to this occupation. Reflect on what attracted you to the profession and show you have researched into the career, and you understand the role. You'll need to back up your answers with personal experiences. This can come from a number of examples delivering care in a professional environment, voluntary, caring for family members or volunteering with youth groups.
For more hints and tips about how to prepare, read our article about interviews for healthcare degrees.
You are welcome to bring a notebook to prepare for your interview, however you will not be allowed to refer to this during your interview. You can bring beverages with you, however we ask they are in a closed container.
Please dress smartly to your interview, but ensure that you are comfortable.
Your Paramedic Science interview will take place at our City Campus, in the Gateway Building.
You can reach us by car, bus, train or Metro. In your confirmation email, you'll receive a free parking permit. Please note a parking space is not guaranteed. Alternative car parks can be found on the Sunderland City Council website.
If you are travelling by Metro, the nearest station is University for City Campus.
Did you know that we offer a travel bursary to support you with travel expenses? If you are based in the UK and live more than 20 miles away from the University, you could claim back up to £100 depending on your location. For further details including eligibility read our terms and conditions or contact us on travel.bursary@sunderland.ac.uk.
View our AccessAble accessibility guides for support with planning your journey.
For our April 2023/2024 intake you'll take a numeracy and literacy assessment, which will last 30 minutes (you are not allowed a calculator). If you are applying for September 2024/2025 or April 2024/2025 you will not have to complete the assessment.
Please allow the full morning or afternoon for your interview, which will consist of a group activity followed by an individual interview. The group activity is a discussion-based task and will assess your numeracy and literacy skills along with your communication skills.
At the beginning of the day you'll meet a member of the interview team or a Student Ambassador in the Gateway Building who will escort you to a holding room.
You'll participate in your group task or individual interview first, then swap over. Your interview will be assessed by a member of the Paramedic Science academic team and a Patient, Carer and Public Involvement (PCPI) participant.
The group activity is a discussion-based task, where you'll demonstrate your understanding of current issues and challenges within healthcare. You'll also carry out an activity where you'll be assessed on your values, critical-thinking, communication, and team-working skills. The group activity will last around 45 minutes to an hour.
The individual interview lasts roughly 15 minutes, although this varies from applicant to applicant. You'll be asked a range of straightforward open questions, giving you an opportunity, based on your experience, to demonstrate your attributes and values.
There will also be an option for you to tour the campus and ask any questions you may have about the course.
We strongly encourage you to attend your on-campus interview, as this is your chance to experience the campus and meet us in person. However, we do offer a limited number of online interviews. These are for students that have extenuating circumstances or live a substantial distance from the University and are unable to travel to the campus. Online interviews are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Online interviews will take place on Microsoft Teams and will follow the same structure as our on-campus interviews. You'll receive the link to the welcome introduction in your confirmation email. Within the welcome you’ll be provided with a second link, this will be the link for your group activity and individual interview. During your group activity you'll be provided with your individual interview timeslot. At the allocated time you'll rejoin the interview meeting.
The University operates a gathered field approach for admissions for Paramedic Science for our September intake. Therefore you won't hear the outcome of your interview until all eligible applicants have been interviewed. If you are successful at interview you may be given an offer for either our September or April intake. Any offer will be subject to Fitness to Practise, DBS and if applicable, academic conditions.
We'll email you with the outcome of your interview and you'll also be able to view this decision on your myApplication portal and UCAS Hub.
If you have a query about your application, please contact studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk.
If you have any questions about your Paramedic Science interview, please contact us at applicant.interviews@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3374.