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Our MSc Physician Associate programme provides essential training for entering an exciting new career as a healthcare professional.

This course is suitable for life science graduates or those with significant healthcare experience.

You will receive training in the classroom and experience a wide variety of teaching methods. You will engage in workplace-based learning in NHS Primary and Secondary Care environments, allowing you to develop your skills and knowledge as a healthcare professional in real settings. All curriculum content is delivered in close partnership with practicing clinicians. Our course provides over 100 more clinical hours than the national minimum requirement, with around 350 hours of clinical placements in first year and around 1,350 in second year.

Our teaching staff include a practising physician associate and medical practitioners who are able to support you, not only in your clinical learning, but also in the practicalities of working within the NHS. You will also encounter many of our past graduates on your clinical placements who have gained employment with our placement partners.

The oversight of education and training of physician associates is currently shared by the Department of Health, the Physician Associate Schools Council (PASC) and the Faculty of Physician Associates (FPA) from the Royal College of Physicians. Graduates who pass the Reading MSc or PGDip programme must then pass the Physician Associate National Certification Examination and then will be able to register with the FPA who maintain the Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR).

WHAT CAREER CAN YOU HAVE?

A Physician Associate (PA) is a healthcare professional trained in the medical model who works as a member of a medical team under the supervision of a doctor or surgeon in a wide variety of workplaces (including GP practices, community health services and all types of hospital care). PAs support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients and are trained to perform a number of roles including:

• taking medical histories
• performing examinations
• diagnosing illnesses
• analysing test results
• developing management plans

The PA role is flexible and is being developed across the NHS to meet major staffing strategies. A lack of trained PAs in the UK means that career prospects for graduates are excellent. The predicted growth of the PA role across the NHS to fill an important resource gap indicates strong continued employment prospects for graduates.