Paramedicine is the totality of the roles and responsibilities of individuals trained and credentialed as EMS practitioners.
[3] A health profession focused on assisting individuals, families, and communities in the wake of acute or sudden onset of medical emergencies or traumatic events,[citation needed] paramedicine is practiced predominantly in the prehospital setting and is based on the sciences of human anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology.
[citation needed] In the United States, such regulated tasks as starting an IV, administering medication, and invasive procedures are performed under the direction of a licensed physician.
[citation needed] In the United Kingdom, paramedics practice as independent clinicians under their own licence, as regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council, with complete autonomy to pronounce death, administer controlled drugs, and generally treat patients as they see fit.
[5] A major emphasis of paramedic theory is the integration of emergency medical services, both intraprofessionally and extraprofessionally.