MSc Physician Associate Studies

Student support available includes a £5,000 travel grant, spread across the two years of your studies. This covers the cost of travel to placements. Students registered on the MSc programme may also be eligible for a Postgraduate Loan of up to £11,836. There is no further funding available and you would be required to partly self-fund this programme.

Applicants should hold or be predicted an Upper Second class degree (2:1). This may include the life sciences (e.g. biomedical science, biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, healthcare science) or allied health professions (eg pharmacy, audiology, nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy).

Although we encourage applications from other healthcare professionals, we do not accept applications from candidates with medical degrees or those who have previously studied for, but not completed, a medical or healthcare degree.

All applicants should hold GCSE qualifications in Maths and English Language at grade B (6) or equivalent. Applicants with equivalent or non-standard qualifications will be considered on an individual basis.

From the 2022/23 admissions cycle we will be gradually integrating the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) into our selection process. Applicants who have taken UCAT and achieved a total cognitive test score in the top third of UCAT test takers and Band 1 or 2 in the Situational Judgement test will receive a guaranteed interview, subject to meeting our other criteria for admission. Applicants with a Band 4 SJT will not be considered for admission. Where UCAT has been sat it must be declared on the application. Applications are still encouraged from applicants who did not sit UCAT and these will be shortlisted following our normal process.

International students must demonstrate English proficiency through a secure and approved testing system.

We ask for English language proof if you are from non-majority English speaking countries (a list of majority English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Home Office, can be found here).

Specifically, we require a minimum of:

• IELTS - 7.0 overall (with 6.5 in all components)

See further information about requirements for your country.

Applications are first screened according to whether or not they meet our standard academic threshold as published on our website.

Those applications that do not meet the appropriate academic criteria will not progress to the next phase of the screening process, and will receive notification that their application has been unsuccessful through UCAS in due course.

Applicants who pass the initial screening will be shortlisted by a panel of academic staff members. All components of your application will be taken into account at this stage, but the most crucial part will be your Non-Academic Information Form (NAIF). Please take your time and carefully consider every answer when completing the NAIF.

Please note that we do not read the UCAS personal statement. A personal statement is therefore not required.

See more information about the application process.

We do not make any offers without interview. Please see our interviews page for more information.

Interviews are likely to take place between February and June. If you are shortlisted for an interview we will contact you by email. Unsuccessful decisions and offers will be made via UCAS.

All offers of a place are subject to satisfactory health screening. The health screening is based upon the Higher Education Occupational Physicians/Practitioners (HEOPS) standards of medical fitness to train for medical students [PDF, 71KB].

A potential student may be concerned that their health or disability may affect their ability to fulfil the competency standards of the course. Any such applicants are encouraged to contact the Occupational Health Service and/or The Disability Advisory and Support Service at an early stage in order to explore the situation in depth and consider the feasibility of making reasonable adjustments. Hopefully the process will prove helpful to the student in deciding whether to pursue an application.

The health screening requires the completion of a detailed health questionnaire by the applicant and a possible appointment with the University's Occupational Health Department. In order to be admitted and continue on the programme, students must be deemed as medically fit for both practice and theory by the Occupational Health Department. You will be required to comply with any viral screening as requested by the Department of Health.

General enquiries about health screening should be addressed to Student Occupational Health, Tel +44 (0)161 275 2858, Fax +44 (0)161 275 3137.

Please see also the Procedure for Admission to Courses Requiring Medical Fitness Assessment [Word, 59KB].

You will be required, as part of the non-academic conditions of your offer, to provide a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. In the UK, this takes the form of an Enhanced Level search by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and will reveal any criminal convictions, spent or unspent, as well as any police cautions, warnings or reprimands.

Regulations and record systems in other countries vary. If you receive an offer from us, you will receive a link to further information.

Anyone who considers it possible that a criminal record or other disclosure may reveal any offence must contact the Admissions Team before applying.

You may apply for deferred entry for a year, although we would generally recommend that you apply with up-to-date academic information and work experience. Please note that receiving an offer in the current admissions cycle does not guarantee you a place in the following year.

Please also be aware that the funding model is subject to change and may not be available in future years. Students deferring a place will receive a funding scheme (if available) applicable to the year in which they start the course, rather than the year of application.

The course is non-modular, providing you with an opportunity to develop and consolidate skills throughout each year of the course.

Taught content is delivered in blocks of study of increasing complexity alongside the two longitudinal themes of Personal and Professional Development (PPD) and Consultation Skills (CS), with assessment periods at the end of each year. Each taught block feeds seamlessly into the next and all components of the programme are compulsory.

You have the option of spending an elective period in the Second Year experiencing healthcare or socially responsible activities overseas, carrying out a research project or experiencing a new medical or surgical specialty.

Course content for Year 1

The first year of the course begins with a four-month period of intensive study where you will develop your understanding of the essential basic and clinical sciences that facilitate safe and effective practice.

After this core block, you will rotate through a series of clinical placements before returning to campus for additional teaching.

The curriculum is built around a core content of common clinical presentations and pathologies that are organised according to their relative biomedical complexity. The content of each taught block is delivered using a problem-based learning (PBL) approach through the study of clinical cases/scenarios.

Each case integrates elements of the taught content and you will learn about and reflect upon the related biomedical, behavioural and population sciences appropriate to the case.

PBL is supported by small group teaching, lectures and workshops to form a truly integrated curriculum with very high levels of contact time.

Course content for Year 2

The second year of the course provides more advanced specialist instruction in the core medical and clinical sciences alongside a comprehensive programme of clinical reasoning to prepare you to sit your national postgraduate examinations.

• Royal College of Physicians
• Health Education England

• Health Education England
• Faculty of Physician Associates at the Royal College of Physicians
• Physician Associate Schools Council
• General Medical Council