Course summary

Physician associates are increasingly important in the health care workforce, supporting doctors and medical teams to diagnose and manage a wide range of common and complex diseases. This stimulating master’s course offers you the clinical skills and knowledge required to provide high-quality care under the direct supervision of a doctor. The physician associate (PA) is one of the newest allied medical professions and presents a unique and exciting route to clinical care for graduates. Physician associates play a key role working as part of a multi-disciplinary team alongside doctors, nurses and the wider health care team to deliver care to patients of all ages. As a physician associate, you’ll take medical histories, perform clinical examinations, order and interpret test results, participate in clinical reasoning and diagnosis, and develop evidence-based patient management plans. Working in partnership with local NHS Trusts, our experienced and dedicated academic staff will support you to achieve clinical learning and skills development. We’ll guide you as you gain the theoretical knowledge that underpins the physician associate role and integrate this knowledge into your practice during your clinical placements. Initially, you’ll focus on developing a thorough understanding of the academic knowledge underpinning the physician associate role. We’ll also support you to gain core clinical skills, developing your confidence and practical knowledge in the safe confines of our state-of-the-art Clinical Simulation Suites before you’re exposed to primary and secondary care environments and practice through short placements. In the second year, you’ll have longer clinical placements in these areas, as well as gain experience in emergency care, paediatrics, mental health, and obstetrics. As a graduate, you’ll have competence in the core clinical skills of the physician associate and possess practical experience of health care procedures, ready for a career in this demanding and rewarding profession.