Physician Associate Studies

Our course gives you a solid grounding in the knowledge and skills you'll need to support doctors in ‘first contact’ health care, either in general practices or in hospitals. Our integrated, systems-based approach places the patient at the centre of care and helps your skills as a rounded clinician. The course is designed to give you a solid foundation of knowledge to take into clinical placements and allow you to maximise the two years spent here.

Course description

Physicians Associates (PAs) are health professionals who see patients and address their health needs while working under the supervision of doctors. Qualified PAs have direct contact with patients in their assessment: taking histories, performing examination, making diagnoses and considering management plans as part of the wider clinical team.

The role is supported by the Faculty of Physician Associates as it works toward the profession becoming registered with the General Medical Council.

A career as a Physician Associate is a great option if you're passionate about working in a frontline clinical environment within a multi-disciplinary team.

Students benefit from our world-class facilities and expertise. You will acquire a firm grounding in the knowledge and skills of generalist medical care to equip you to deliver ‘first contact’ health care, either in general practices or in hospitals. The course will be delivered in a systems-based, integrated way which places the patient at the centre with a first stage mainly based in the University and a second stage in our partner hospitals and General Practices.

The University is working closely with local Acute Trusts (hospitals) and Clinical Commissioning Groups (primary care) so that our graduates have the right qualities to meet the needs of potential employers and the public as a whole. The course has an excellent success rate in the National PA examinations and is predominantly led by the profession as tutors and academic tutors. For more information please contact the course director.

At present, the UK Physician Associate qualification does not allow you to work as a Physician Associate in other countries.