STUDENTS are being offered a taste of life on the frontline as a college responds to the needs of modern healthcare.

Placements with paramedics and in A&E are being provided for eligible students studying qualifications in health and social care and clinical health care support at Darlington College.

Until now student placements tended to be limited to working in residential care homes helping staff and befriending residents.

But Darlington College has broadened the range of work experience to the field of rapid response.

Students will be able to opt to work with North East Ambulance Service staff or in hospital.

Potential professions range from phlebotomy to paramedic sciences, mental health care to social services.

Programme leader for clinical health care Jaime Leanne Ross said: “This is an invaluable opportunity for students to gain an insight into the variety of careers in health care.

“Students must be over 18 for the frontline places and will undergo a careful interview process to ensure they are suited to such a placement. It will be an incredible experience.”

For gap year student Hans Kukreja studying at Darlington College proved to be just what the doctor ordered.

The 20-year-old, of Darlington, excelled in his studies and on his placement and has now secured a coveted place to read medicine at Imperial College, London.

He applied for medicine last year but was unsuccessful despite gaining grade As in maths and chemistry, an A* in biology and the highest award of D3 in physics.

He decided to take a gap year but instead of working or travelling abroad he enrolled on the CACHE level 3 diploma in health and social care course at Darlington College and found a placement on the dementia ward.