All roles/Specialist crew/Paramedic
Specialist crew
Paramedic
The paramedic is the yacht's on-board clinician, treating guests and crew, stabilising emergencies far from hospital and keeping the medical side of a remote cruising programme safe and legal.
- Department
- Specialist crew
- Reports to
- Yacht Captain
- Yacht size
- 70m+
- Contract
- Rotation or permanent
- Starting pay
- €5,000 per month
What the job is
On larger yachts with remote cruising programmes, owners and charter guests want proper medical cover on board, not a first aider with a medical chest. As the paramedic you are the first and often only clinician for guests and crew, sometimes days from a hospital. You assess and treat illness and injury, stabilise serious cases, run telemedical consultations with a shoreside doctor and organise evacuation by helicopter, tender or air ambulance when it is needed.
Most of the time the work is preventive. You manage the ship's hospital and medical stores, check drug expiry dates and controlled drug records, maintain defibrillators and oxygen, and keep crew medical records and ENG1 dates in order. You train crew in first aid, CPR and casualty handling, run medical scenarios during drills, and brief the captain on health risks at the next destination, from dengue and sea urchin injuries to decompression illness.
Few yachts carry a paramedic who only does medicine. Expect a second duty such as watersports cover, safety support, security or interior work on quiet days. You need calm judgement, an even temper in a shared crew mess, and complete discretion, because you will know private details about guests and colleagues. The role suits paramedics with several years of frontline experience who are confident working alone without a hospital team behind them.
What makes a good one
- Calm decisions working alone
- Trauma and emergency care
- Telemedical consultation
- Crew first aid training
- Discretion with private information
A day in the life
- 07:00Check the hospital, oxygen levels and AED readiness, then review the medical log from overnight. A deckhand comes in with a coral cut from yesterday that needs cleaning and redressing.
- 08:00Crew breakfast, then the morning meeting with the captain and heads of department. You flag a guest with a known heart condition and the day's heat forecast.
- 09:00Run a short sun and hydration briefing for the deck team before the water toys go out. Restock the tender grab bag with dressings, adrenaline and a pocket mask.
- 10:30Ride the chase tender during the morning snorkel and seabob session. You keep an eye on the children in the group and the older guests in the water.
- 13:00Back on board, a guest asks you to look at a painful ear after diving. You assess, treat for otitis externa and advise no diving for two days.
- 15:00Stores and admin. You reconcile the controlled drugs register, log expiry dates and order replacements through the agent for delivery at the next port.
- 16:30Lead a casualty handling drill with the deck crew, practising a spinal injury recovery from the swim platform using the scoop stretcher.
- 19:30Help the interior with service setup on a busy dinner night, staying on call with your radio and kit close by.
- 22:30Final check of the hospital and a quick handover note to the officer of the watch on who to wake if anyone becomes unwell overnight.
Pay by country
Monthly crew salary on yachts of 70m and above. Higher figures go to paramedics with critical care, diving medicine or long remote cruising experience. Charter tips are shared with the crew where the yacht charters and can add significantly in season.
- France and Monaco
- €5,000 – 7,000
- Spain
- €5,000 – 7,000
- Italy
- €5,000 – 7,000
- United Kingdom
- £4,300 – 6,000
- USA (Florida)
- US$5,500 – 7,700
- Caribbean
- US$5,500 – 7,700
- UAE
- AED 20,000 – 28,000
- Australia
- A$8,500 – 12,000
- New Zealand
- NZ$9,500 – 13,000
Required
- Registered paramedic (HCPC or national equivalent)
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties)
- Advanced Life Support (ALS)
Recommended
- STCW Medical Care
- PHTLS (Prehospital Trauma Life Support)
- PALS or EPALS
- Diver Medical Technician (DMT)
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
- PADI Rescue Diver
Visas
- Schengen visa
- US B1/B2 or C1/D
- Australian MCV
Where it leads
Paramedic jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Do I need yacht experience to get hired as a paramedic?
No, but you need solid frontline experience, usually three years or more, and your STCW and ENG1 in place. Captains value remote, offshore or critical care work far more than previous time on yachts.
Will I only do medical work?
Rarely. Most yachts expect a second duty such as watersports cover, safety support or helping the interior, so say clearly what else you can do.
Can I give medication under my own registration on a foreign flagged yacht?
You work under the yacht's medical protocols and usually a shoreside telemedical provider, who authorises treatment beyond your normal scope. Check the arrangements with the captain before you join.