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MPAS (Hons)

Physician Associate Studies

Attendance

Campus

Start

Duration

4 Years

Start

September 2023

UCAS Code

BB96

Delivery

Campus Taught

Foundation entry

The integrated Master’s in Physician Associate Studies provides an exciting opportunity for you to become a Physician Associate, a medical associate profession, combining university study with practical work-based placements.

This four-year degree takes you through a rigorous training programme to exit with a professional qualification and a master’s degree. The role of a Physician Associate includes interviewing and examining patients, ordering tests and making decisions about patient management.

PAs are trained to be generalist medical practitioners with opportunities to work in numerous specialties. Our programme teaches the fundamentals of medical sciences in interactive groups, practical sessions and lectures. These are supported by case-based learning and clinical placements, enabling you to consolidate and contextualise your knowledge. In Phase I (Years 1 and 2) you'll study alongside MBBS students, with a slight variation in each year. Whilst in Phase II (Years 3 and 4) you'll study alongside our postgraduate entry MSc Physician Associate Practice students. Phase I will largely be based at the Preston campus whilst Years 3 and 4 may involve both the Preston and Westlakes campus. The clinical placements in a wide variety of locations will help prepare you for a career as a qualified Physician Associate.

From the start of the course clinical and communication skills are taught using our state-of-the-art facilities, volunteer patients and simulated role players. Utilising a spiral curriculum, knowledge will be revisited and clinically applied to direct patient care, preparing you for clinical practice.

Please note, with the General Medical Council’s (GMC) ongoing regulatory developments, we can confirm this programme (modules and content) will be aligned to the new curriculum for September 2023.

Why study with us

A unique programme, the first of its kind in the UK that leads to an integrated undergraduate master’s degree and ability to practice as a Physician Associate.
Our School of Medicine is ranked as the Top Medical School in North West England (The Guardian University Guide 2021)

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Learn about our MPAS (Hons) Physician Associate Studies course01 / 02

Our Volunteer Patients

What you’ll do

Employability in the NHS for qualified PAs, once you have passed the National Exam as well as the programme at university, is currently 100% as demand is far in excess of supply.
50% of the final two years of the programme is spent in clinical environments. These clinically based placements will help to illustrate how teams work within the NHS.
Develop a career in the medical team, providing direct medical patient care.

Module overview

Course delivery

Following the pandemic, we have found that some courses benefit from a blended learning and teaching approach. Therefore, the majority of your teaching will be face-to-face on campus aside from a small amount of online teaching where we have learnt it works best.

80%Face-to-face

20%Online

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information. However, our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may cause alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses. Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies or revisions to subject benchmarks statements. As well as to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

Join us on campus

Book a place at our Undergraduate Open Day on Saturday 17 June. Here you'll be able to explore our campus and facilities, meet academic staff and chat to students.

Book your place

View the course facilities

Future careers

Employability in the NHS for qualified Physician Associates is very strong, and demand has historically exceeded supply.

As a PA you will have the opportunity to work in a number of medical specialties, and also have opportunities in research and academia.

Fees and funding

2022/23

Full-time£9250 per year

International

Full-time£28000 per year

2023/24

Full-time£9,250 per year

International

Full-time£30,000 per year

Scholarships and bursaries

We have a wide range of bursaries, scholarships and funds available to help support you whilst studying with us.

Select your country to see eligibility information and how to apply by selecting more info on the cards below.

Select your country/region

Please note that the MPAS (Hons) Physician Associate Studies is an undergraduate Integrated Masters and therefore lasts four years (whereas traditional undergraduate degrees last three years). Also, the final two years are not traditional university semesters – rather, they involve a 46-week teaching programme with six weeks of holidays a year only.

Whilst there is much traditional teaching as would be expected at university, the teaching and learning strategy is more than just this. You will have access to state-of-the-art Human Anatomy Resource Centres with a virtual dissection table (anatomage) and to modern clinical skills areas; simulation, typical ward environments, single consultation rooms, paediatric facilities, operating department areas.

Regular cases help to frame each sub-module area of learning, eg respiratory focus, or neurological. Whilst developing teamwork and leadership skills through these sessions, you are directed to focus your learning in a thoughtful and intelligent manner.

The assessment strategy for the programme is varied and includes examinations (eg single-best answer multiple-choice questions and short answer questions), written assignments and clinical examinations (eg objective structured clinical examinations and direct observed procedural skills) as examples of our different approaches.

The NHS, teaching with excellence, and provision of clinical placements, ensures rich and fulfilling relationships across the sectors from the full geographical area. These relationships can facilitate clinical practitioners from the NHS coming into the classroom to help deliver frontline, up to date health care materials, which is essential in training future Physician Associates, enabling them to enter straight into work on successful graduation.

Our programme teaches the fundamentals of medical sciences in interactive small groups practical sessions and lectures. These are supported by case-based learning, providing an opportunity for you to consolidate and contextualise your knowledge. From the start of the course clinical and communication skills are taught using our state-of-the-art facilities, volunteer patients and simulated role players.

During the first two years of the programme, you will be learning alongside students who are enrolled onto the MBBS programme. The final two years will employ a spiral curriculum principle to enable continuation of developing confident and competent students to begin their career in the healthcare arena.

Outside of the classroom environment, the provision of clinical placements includes a full spectrum of opportunities: urban and rural, specialised hospital and general practice; single-handed or multi-disciplinary. Please be aware that some placements could be during evening and night shifts. Teamwork is an essential quality of being a PA. As a new member of the healthcare team you will be able to influence teamwork, within the support framework of your clinical supervisor, to enhance patient outcomes.

The clinically based placements will help to illustrate how teams work within the NHS. The geographical location of the University is ideal to enable this amazing combination of clinical opportunities, of which we are very proud.

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This course is based in the School of Medicine located in the Faculty of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences

For information on possible changes to course information, see our essential and important course information

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at the University of Central Lancashire on our student contract page