Course summary
The Physician Associate MSc is taught by UK trained PAs, doctors, pharmacists, nurses, midwives and paramedics. You learn from the multidisciplinary team that you will work with in the future. It equips you with the skills to take a medical history, perform physical examinations, request and interpret investigations, diagnose and develop treatment and management plans. The integrated curriculum ensures our graduates are optimally prepared for the PA Registration Assessment(PARA). It includes significant time in local and regional clinical placements and simulation facilities. The PA programme launched in 2016, with the first graduates exiting in 2018. We have a 100% pass rate on the PA National Exam. The student experience is at the heart of how we deliver the course and we encourage an open and honest dialogue with our students throughout their two years. It is a very challenging but ultimately very rewarding experience. At a time of significant change in the NHS, PAs are playing an increasingly valuable role supporting doctors and the wider team in the diagnosis and management of patients. For further information on Physician Associates, please visit the Faculty of PAs at the RCP website here. To understand what a Physician Associate does on a day-to-day basis, visit the NHS ‘explore roles’ page where you will find more information and videos. You can also keep up-to-date with our own BSMS PAs Twitter channel @BSMSPAs. The course has a full-time schedule across the week with additional study required at evenings and weekends. There is very little opportunity to undertake work alongside the course. Travel expenses to GP placements in year 1 (once a week) and secondary care placements throughout year 2 will also be payable by the student. Currently we are not able to offer accommodation at placement sites. Please consider this carefully, together with the fees and funding information, before applying.
Qualified teacher status (QTS)
To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:
- Course does not award QTS
How to apply
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- BB96
- Institution code:
- B74
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
EU nationals are required to pay international fees and are not eligible for student funding from the UK government. However, there are exceptions to this for Irish nationals and EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. For the latest information, please see gov.uk/student-finance. If you do not have settled status in the UK and require a work visa, then you will be fee assessed as Overseas and will therefore be subject to the International fee rate. Fees are charged per year. There are expected rises each academic year in line with inflation.
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
Applicants require a 1st or upper second-class (2:1) degree in life sciences or another health-related undergraduate degree within the past five years. Applicants should also have some healthcare related experience in the form of work or shadowing.
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
https://www.bsms.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught-degrees/physician-associate-studies.aspx
Additional entry requirements
Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)
Applicants require a DBS Enhanced disclosure and an Overseas Police Check (if required)
Health checks
Interview
English language requirements
Test | Grade | Additional details |
---|---|---|
IELTS (Academic) | 7.5 | With no less than 7.0 in any element. |
Student Outcomes
There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Provider information
Brighton and Sussex Medical School
Medical Teaching Building
University of Sussex
Falmer
BN1 9PX