Understanding your preferred learning style isn’t just a study trick, it’s a career advantage. In the high-pressure, constantly evolving world of paramedicine, knowing how you absorb information best can help you retain skills, build confidence, and fast-track your professional development.
Following our earlier article outlining the VARK learning styles (Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing, and Kinesthetic), let’s now dive into how you can figure out what works best for you, and how to make the most of it.
🧠 Why Learning Style Awareness Matters
Paramedics deal with complex protocols, critical decision-making, and ongoing professional development. When your learning style is aligned with how you study, train, and absorb information, you can:
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Learn faster and retain more.
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Reduce frustration and improve confidence.
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Make the most of CPD and training time.
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Perform better under pressure.
✅ Quick Self-Assessment Prompts
Ask yourself the following questions:
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When I try to remember information, what do I visualise?
(Diagrams? A lecture I heard? My own notes?)
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How do I usually approach learning something new?
(Reading? Practising? Watching a demo? Talking it through?)
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When do I feel most focused and engaged during training?
(Listening to a podcast? Watching a video? Doing a simulation?)
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What study methods have helped me most in the past?
Your answers will give you strong clues about your natural preferences.
🧪 Try This Simple Test
Take a free VARK questionnaire online—it only takes 5–10 minutes and will give you a breakdown of your learning preferences. Some paramedics find they have one dominant style; others are multimodal and benefit from mixing styles.
Recommended: vark-learn.com/the-vark-questionnaire
💡 Real-World Example: Meet 'Jess'
Jess is a third-year paramedic student who used to struggle with theory-heavy learning. After taking the VARK quiz, she realised she’s a kinesthetic learner—she retains information best when practising hands-on. By shifting her study habits to include more simulation time and physical walk-throughs of clinical procedures, she not only improved her marks but felt more confident on placement.
🔄 What If You Have More Than One Style?
Great! That means you can blend approaches. Many paramedics are multimodal learners. For example:
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Read protocols (reading/writing)
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Highlight or colour-code (visual)
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Talk through cases with a colleague (auditory)
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Practise in a scenario-based session (kinesthetic)
Combining styles creates stronger retention and adaptability on the job.
➡️ What’s Next?
Now that you’ve explored your learning style, we’ll follow up later this week with tips on how to adapt your habits and apply this knowledge to real-world paramedic learning—whether it’s CPD, clinical training, or prepping for a promotion.
Because when you learn smarter, you lead stronger.
