Physician Associate MSc

Program Overview

---

About our foundation years

Our Foundation Year courses are perfect for you if you...

• are returning to education after a long time, or you don't have the qualifications for direct entry into our degree programmes
• are thinking of re-training and would like an introduction to the area
• are an international student wanting an additional year to adapt to the UK academic system
• are still evaluating which degree pathway at UEL is the right one for you

Please note: Foundation years can only be studied full-time. However, you can transfer to part-time delivery once you have completed your foundation year. Please apply to the full-time option if you wish to study in this way.

Physician Associate MSc

Overview

This is a two-year full-time postgraduate course of at least 90 weeks, with substantive time in clinical placement. You will study the anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, microbiology, and pharmacology related to the human body in health and disease.

You will learn how to take a clinical history from a patient, request appropriate investigations, use clinical reasoning, and then formulate a safe and coherent management plan, including referral to specialities, if appropriate. You will study the principles of public health, the psychosocial aspects of health and aspects of common mental health presentations.

You will learn skills to ensure patient safety, how to communicate within a multi-disciplinary team, prevent clinical error, and learn about the process of clinical reasoning and how to reach a diagnosis and suggest the correct management of your patient.

You will also learn research methodologies, the process of evaluation, and how to prepare a research proposal and undertake a service improvement project.

Entry Requirements

• An upper Second Class (2:1) Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject, such as medical, biological or life sciences or other health related subject
• OR An upper Second Class (2:1) Bachelor's degree in a physical science/engineering subject or social work and appropriate modules in biology passed at a minimum of 55% at QAA levels 5 or 6
• DipHE in Nursing, Paramedic Science, ODP with appropriate professional registration and a minimum of two years post-registration experience will be considered
• Overall IELTS 7.5 with a minimum of 7.0 in Writing, Speaking, Reading and Listening (or recognised equivalent)
• An interview is required with a member of the academic teaching team

Fees, Funding and Additional Costs

• Home Applicant: £11,700 per year
• EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course from September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees
• International students: please refer to the International page for full details
• Additional costs: students should also consider the cost of books and other learning aids, a stethoscope, appropriate attire for clinical placements, and travel to placements

Course Modules

• Bioscience and Pharmacology for Clinical Medicine and Surgery 1
• Foundations of Physician Associate Clinical Practice 1
• Bioscience and Pharmacology for Clinical Medicine and Surgery 2
• Foundations of Physician Associate Clinical Practice 2
• Public Health, Behavioural Medicine and Mental Health (Mental Wealth)
• Communication and Clinical Reasoning in Clinical Assessment Practice
• Research Methods and Evidence Based Medicine
• Clinical Placements
• Research Dissertation - Service Improvement Project
• Advanced Clinical Practice

Career Opportunities

Physician Associates are a new type of healthcare professional under General Medical Council (GMC) regulation who receive a broad, generalist medical education. To work as a Physician Associate you will need to pass your university course and then you will need to pass a Physician Associate Registration Assessment (PARA) professional national exam.

You will work alongside doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants and more to provide clinical care as part of an integrated multidisciplinary team either in a hospital or in the community. Physician Associates are dependent practitioners, who as they gain experience and skills can learn to work autonomously, but will always work under the supervision of a fully trained and experienced doctor.

Research

We have two research groups, one working to develop new medicines and treatments, the other in infections and immunity. We're also involved in research that tries to model and predict new drugs using bio-informatics.

How You'll Learn

You'll be taught by a range of staff, who are either medical educators, scientists or work in clinical practice. This will ensure that you develop into safe, competent, reflective, multi-professional and patient-centred clinicians who can work safely under direct or indirect supervision.

Each module is designed so that you can acquire the appropriate level of clinical knowledge and skills to support your clinical work.

Assessment

Year 1:

• 30% OSCE – Objective Structured Clinical Examination (Practical)
• 30% – KBA Knowledge Based Assessment (Theory)
• 20% portfolio
• 20% coursework

Year 2:

• OSCE - Objective Structured Clinical Examination (Practical)
• KBA – Knowledge Based Assessment (Theory)

You will be assessed in various ways as appropriate for each module.

Campus and Facilities

Our historic Stratford campus is located in one of the best-connected areas of London: close to Stratford's thriving town centre, the 2012 Olympic Park, just 15 minutes from London's West End and 20 minutes from Canary Wharf.

Stratford’s facilities include a state-of-the-art library and learning centre, the majestic great hall and specialist laboratories and computing services.

Who Teaches This Course

This course is delivered by the School of Medicine, previously from the School of Health, Sport and Bioscience

The teaching team includes qualified academics, physician associates, healthcare practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers.