Physician associates are healthcare professionals who work under the supervision of doctors and have regular direct contact with patients
As a physician associate, you'll work as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team, providing care to patients in a range of settings, including hospitals, GP practices and community services. You'll support doctors in the diagnosis, management and care of patients under the overall supervision of a named senior doctor, such as a consultant or general practitioner (GP).
Your responsibilities may include taking medical histories, carrying out physical examinations, requesting and interpreting appropriate diagnostic tests within your scope of practice, and contributing to patient management plans. You'll also need to recognise when advice, support or referral is needed from doctors and other healthcare professionals.
Physician associates are a distinct profession regulated by the General Medical Council (GMC). They support doctors as part of the healthcare team but are not doctors and do not replace them.
This is not a route to becoming a doctor. For information on how to train to be a doctor, see hospital doctor or general practice doctor.
What do physician associates do?
As a physician associate, you'll work within a defined scope of practice and under the supervision of a named senior doctor. Typical activities include:
- taking medical histories and assessing patients during face-to-face, telephone and online consultations
- carrying out physical examinations and clinical assessments
- supporting the diagnosis, management and care of patients as part of the wider healthcare team
- requesting and interpreting appropriate diagnostic tests within your scope of practice
- carrying out approved diagnostic and therapeutic procedures relevant to your role
- developing and reviewing management plans in partnership with patients, their families and carers
- arranging further investigations and referring patients to doctors or other healthcare professionals when appropriate
- supporting patients with acute and long-term health conditions
- providing advice on health promotion, wellbeing and disease prevention
- maintaining accurate clinical records and completing reports, correspondence and other administrative tasks.
Physician associates are currently unable to prescribe medicines or request ionising radiation, such as X-rays or CT scans, although future changes to legislation and professional regulation may affect aspects of practice.
Physician associate salaries
- Jobs in the NHS are usually covered by the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay rates consisting of nine pay bands. Entry-level physician associate posts are typically paid at Band 6, with salaries ranging from £39,959 to £48,117.
- After gaining experience and completing any employer-supported development programme, physician associates commonly progress to Band 7, where salaries range from £49,387 to £56,515.
- Experienced physician associates working in senior, specialist or leadership roles may progress to Band 8a, with salaries ranging from £57,528 to £64,750. These roles typically require significant clinical experience and additional responsibilities.
Income figures are intended as a guide only.
How many hours does a physician associate work?
You can expect to work around 37.5 hours per week. Working hours vary depending on the setting and specialty. Physician associates working in primary care settings, such as GP practices, often work regular daytime hours, while some hospital-based roles may involve shift work, including evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays.
Part-time work and job-share opportunities may be available.
How do you become a physician associate?
To practise as a physician associate, you must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). To be eligible for GMC registration, you'll need to complete a GMC-approved physician associate qualification and pass the national registration assessment.
The most common route into the profession is a full-time postgraduate physician associate qualification, usually leading to a Masters degree, which typically takes two years to complete. Courses combine academic study with clinical placements in a range of healthcare settings.
You'll normally need a degree in a life science, biomedical science, health science or healthcare-related subject to gain entry to a postgraduate course. Entry requirements vary between institutions, but many providers ask for at least a 2:1 degree, although some may consider applicants with a 2:2 alongside relevant healthcare experience.
A small number of universities also offer integrated undergraduate Masters degrees in Physician Associate Studies. These courses typically take four years to complete. Entry requirements vary, so check with individual course providers for details.
For all courses, you'll need to pass occupational health and criminal records checks before starting clinical placements.
After successfully completing an approved qualification, you'll need to pass the Physician Associate Registration Assessment (PARA) before applying for GMC registration.
Search the GMC's list of approved physician associate courses.
What skills does a physician associate need?
You'll need:
- clinical assessment skills to take medical histories, carry out physical examinations and identify signs and symptoms of illness
- clinical reasoning and decision-making skills to interpret clinical information, contribute to diagnoses and support patient management plans
- knowledge of diagnostic investigations to request and interpret appropriate tests within your scope of practice
- communication and consultation skills to explain medical information clearly, discuss treatment options and build rapport with patients and their families
- multidisciplinary teamworking skills to work closely with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to deliver coordinated patient care
- professional judgement and awareness of scope of practice to recognise when advice, supervision or referral is needed from a doctor or another healthcare professional
- clinical record-keeping skills to maintain accurate patient notes, reports and other medical documentation.
Physician associate work experience
Relevant healthcare or patient-facing experience can strengthen your application for physician associate training and help you develop an understanding of the profession.
You may be able to gain experience through work shadowing, volunteering or paid work in healthcare settings such as hospitals, GP practices, care homes, community health services or hospices. Contact local NHS organisations, GP surgeries and healthcare providers directly to enquire about opportunities. Shadowing a physician associate can provide valuable insight into the responsibilities and scope of the role.
Experience of working with patients, service users or members of the public can help you develop communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills, which are important for physician associates.
Students on physician associate courses come from a range of academic and professional backgrounds. Previous experience in healthcare roles such as nursing, pharmacy, paramedicine and the allied health professions can be particularly useful. Applicants may also have experience from healthcare support roles or a background in life or biomedical sciences.
Before applying, it's important to research the profession and understand how physician associates work as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team under the supervision of doctors.
Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.
Who employs physician associates?
Many physician associates work in general practice, acute medicine or emergency medicine, although opportunities are available across a growing range of medical specialties.
You could be employed in:
- community healthcare services
- GP practices
- hospitals (both NHS and private), including emergency departments, inpatient wards, outpatient clinics, surgical specialties and paediatrics
- mental health and psychiatry services
- rehabilitation services.
Look for job vacancies at:
Where can a career as a physician associate lead?
When you start work as a physician associate, you'll usually receive structured workplace support and supervision to help you develop your clinical skills and confidence.
You'll be expected to undertake continuing professional development (CPD) throughout your career to maintain and develop your knowledge and skills. CPD activities may include attending courses and conferences, taking part in quality improvement and research projects, completing additional training and participating in professional networks. As a GMC-regulated profession, physician associates must also meet ongoing professional standards and revalidation requirements.
During your first five to ten years in practice, you may develop expertise in a particular area of medicine, such as acute medicine, emergency medicine, mental health services, paediatrics or primary care. Your broad medical training can also provide opportunities to move between specialties and healthcare settings.
With experience, additional responsibilities and further training, you may progress into senior clinical, leadership, education or research roles. Career progression is often influenced by factors such as clinical experience, specialist expertise, involvement in service development and quality improvement, and a willingness to take on management, teaching or mentoring responsibilities.