Course summary

Physician associates work under the supervision of a doctor to perform routine physical examinations, take medical histories, assist in procedures, order tests, diagnose and treat many illnesses and counsel patients about managing medical problems. Our curriculum ensures students learn the appropriate clinical and communications skills in preparation for meeting patients. With excellent access to clinical resources and working professionals both in the community and hospitals, as well as in our brand-new medical building. Our course will equip you with all the skills, knowledge and practical experience required to pass the licensing examinations and for a rewarding career. The course is a well-established two-year postgraduate education programme, which equips you with the relevant knowledge, develops your clinical capabilities, competencies, and reasoning to work across 20 specialty areas in the UK, such as internal medicine, general practice, surgery and emergency medicine. You will develop key skills to be able to work within multi-professional healthcare teams supporting clinical specialists. You will be trained according to the medical model, and learn how to diagnose common conditions, formulate patient healthcare management plans, and understand when to refer patients and ask for help. Your learning will include a mixture of campus-based activity such as lectures, seminars, face-to-face tutorials, skills lab training and communication skills, as well as clinical placements. During placements you will be carefully supervised, develop key interpersonal skills with patients and colleagues, and work collaboratively with your clinical supervisor and other healthcare professionals to manage patient care. On successful completion of the course, you’ll be able to take the national Physician Associate Registration Assessment (PARA), which allows you to register with the General Medical Council and work as a physician associate in the NHS. Placements Practice learning experiences are in primary, secondary care and voluntary environments, including GP practices, hospitals, hospices, community hospitals and other out-patient and community settings. In the first year of the course, you will undertake one-day-a-week placements in primary care, A&E and out-patient departments from January to August. These are based predominantly in Three Counties of Worcestershire and Herefordshire and Gloucestershire. The second year is mostly placement based with four weeks of academic in-days, some on a Friday. You will be assigned to acute hospital Trusts or primary care and rotate through a rich variety of different specialties. Your second year will therefore involve travel and experiencing longer periods of placement attachments. Why the University of Worcester? The University of Worcester is a campus university, meaning everything you need is on site. We’re based in a vibrant cathedral city just 40 mins south of Birmingham and an hour north of Bristol, and our beautiful green campuses have plenty of parking and quality on-site accommodation. At Worcester small class sizes, supportive tutors and professionally focussed courses mean you’ll be prepared for your dream career. These are just some of the reasons why we’re first in the UK for both graduate employment and quality education.

• First in the UK for sustained employment and/or further study (excluding specialist institutions), 5 years after graduation – Longitudinal Education Outcomes data 2024.

• First in the UK for quality education – Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings 2024.