Course summary

Our Physician Assistant Practice MSc is designed for those who want to make a real impact in the evolving UK healthcare system. This programme prepares you to work as a Physician Assistant across all areas of medicine, developing the clinical knowledge, practical skills, and professional confidence to support patients and collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary medical teams. You will develop skills and knowledge to become an integral part of medical teams in a diverse range of clinical environments, by managing patients and providing high-quality medical healthcare support. How you will learn As a Physician Assistant, you will train to work collaboratively with a wide range of multidisciplinary healthcare teams across hospitals, GP practices, and other clinical settings. This integrated role combines medical knowledge with strong communication and teamwork skills, preparing you to deliver safe, effective, and patient-centred care support within the NHS. Your learning on the Physician Assistant Practice MSc course will be delivered through a carefully balanced mix of lectures, seminars, face-to-face tutorials, skills lab training, communication skills workshops, and hands-on clinical placements. You will also take part in case-based learning, where real medical scenarios are used to encourage group discussion, problem-solving, and collaborative learning, alongside dedicated time for independent study. Teaching is a blend of on-campus learning and clinical placements. From Year 1, Term 1, you will spend one day per week on placement, supported by a high proportion of on-campus skills lab sessions within Aston Medical School. From Term 2 onwards, your placements expand into 6–8 week blocks, giving you the chance to apply your medical sciences training in real healthcare environments before returning to campus for further skills development. To support your learning, you will also have access to Blackboard, our virtual learning environment. Here you can access theoretical study materials, recorded lectures, online tutorials, scientific journals, e-journals, databases, and other key resources for revision, assessment preparation, and wider study. What you will learn You will develop knowledge of integrated healthcare and practice, the principles and values of integrated care, and the complex interaction of physical, psychological and social considerations of the patient, and sustainable healthcare to improve the health of the patient, and access patient vulnerabilities and needs. You will also develop knowledge of the principles and values of holistic and integrated healthcare relating to the management and prevention of disease, identify and respond to patient vulnerability. On the course, you will also plan and develop an independent healthcare project of your choosing, negotiated with your Course Director, over the period of the two years of learning.