Physician Associate Studies (Taught Postgraduate) (Taught)

Course summary

St George's Physician Associate Studies (MPAS) is a postgraduate-level qualification for life science graduates who wish to become Physician Associates. Over the course of two years you will learn how to take medical histories, perform physical examinations, request and analyse investigations, diagnose illnesses and develop treatment and management plans. The course has an outstanding pass rate on the Physician Associate National Exam and excellent graduate employment. St George’s shares its campus with one of the UK's largest teaching hospitals, making it the ideal place to study. With unrivalled access to clinical resources and working professionals, the course will fully equip you with all the skills and knowledge required to support a multidisciplinary team in the diagnosis and management of patients. Course Highlights

The programme is the longest running physician associate course in the UK.

Dedicated primary care placement throughout Year 1. In Year 2, you will move through a wide range of specialities based in London’s top hospitals.

Year 1 student to staff ratio is approximately 9:1.

About St George's, University of London Established in 1752, St George’s is the UK’s only university dedicated to medical and health sciences education, training and research. We share our site with a major London teaching hospital which is both on the clinical frontline for a diverse local community and a centre of excellence for specialist conditions. At St George's, you’ll study in a clinical setting with like-minded individuals working across a variety of healthcare professions. St George’s has enjoyed an outstanding track record of research and innovation in infectious disease ever since the ‘father of vaccinology’ and St George's alumnus, Edward Jenner, created the world’s first vaccine (against smallpox). Recent research has included a focus on tuberculosis, malaria, HIV in low and middle-income countries and Covid-19.

Modules

We operate a modular system for this course which means the qualification is obtained by a process of credit accumulation – a model used on courses throughout the UK and Europe. The course is designed to cover all aspects of the Physician Assistant Competence and Curriculum Framework to ensure that graduates are able to succeed in the National Examination at the end of the course and work as physician associates in primary or secondary care. You can find extensive information about the modules you can expect to study on this course on our website: https://www.sgul.ac.uk/study/courses/physician-associate-studies#modules

Assessment method

Assessments are designed to prepare you for the PA National Examination and will be a mixture of written papers, written examinations and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations. A portfolio of your development of the core clinical skills and competencies is monitored throughout both years and is submitted for assessment at the end of each year. Written coursework assignments and/or presentations are set for the modules in Personal and Professional Development, and Foundations of Clinical Medicine. You can find further information about assessment methods for this course on our website: https://www.sgul.ac.uk/study/courses/physician-associate-studies#studying.

How to apply

International applicants

You can find extensive information about the support St George's provides for International students on our website: https://www.sgul.ac.uk/study/offer-holders/international-student-support. This includes guidance on the visa application process, preparing for your studies, enrolment, support during your studies, and English language requirements.

Entry requirements

Undergraduate Degree You should have or be expected to achieve, a minimum of a second class degree (2:2). For healthcare graduates, a pass is required. All degrees must be awarded before 1 August on the year of entry. Human Physiology is a necessity for all applicants. Please see below for a list of degree titles that are considered to contain suitable levels of Human Physiology content. If your degree does not contain Human Physiology, you will need to complete some Physiology study in order to be eligible for the course. Alternative evidence of recent Physiology academic study (NVQ Level 4 and above) will be considered. Please note that at present graduates of UK Physician Associate Studies programmes are not eligible to work as Physician Associates in other countries. International Degree We welcome applications from applicants around the world. For information on the requirements for your country, please visit our International Qualifications for Postgraduate Study page. Please note that at present graduates of UK Physician Associate Studies programmes are not eligible to work as Physician Associates in other countries. UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) Please visit our website for details.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Channel Islands	£10750*	Year 1
Republic of Ireland	£10750*	Year 1
England	£10750*	Year 1
Northern Ireland	£10750*	Year 1
Scotland	£10750*	Year 1
Wales	£10750*	Year 1
EU	£23000*	Year 1
International	£23000*	Year 1