Course description
Physician associates are permanent members of the medical team, responsible for performing physical examinations, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests and recommending therapy. The role of physician associates is increasingly important within the healthcare workforce and individuals with this qualification are in demand.
Our PGDip/MSc in Physician Associate Studies aims to develop the skills required to become an effective practitioner through a combination of teaching and practical placements.
You will be trained according to the medical model and will work in collaboration with doctors and other healthcare professionals to diagnose and manage a wide range of common and complex diseases. Students registered for the Masters programme will also undertake a clinically relevant research project in their second year of study.
A range of benefits are provided by the University to support your career development:
- you may be eligible to receive some financial support during the course;
- Year 2 provides you with an elective period and the opportunity to develop your skills through working abroad;
- develop your skills with the help of our excellent tutors and state-of-the-art clinical teaching facilities;
- integrated training in prescribing safety (in anticipation of prescribing rights for physician associates) and communication skills is provided;
- the University will provide iPads with access to a range of online resources, which are essential during placements.
Aims
You will develop:
- intellectual skills in problem solving and enquiry, critical analysis, logical thinking, clinical reasoning and reflection;
- your knowledge and understanding of relevant principles and practical approaches in the clinical, behavioural and social sciences;
- patient-centred consultation skills;
- advanced clinical skills;
- a detailed knowledge of pharmacology and prescribing safety (in anticipation of changes to legislation to allow physician associates to prescribe).
Special features
Extensive clinical experience
You will receive over 1,600 hours of clinical training, including placements across the full range of medical specialities at teaching hospitals and in community settings. Placement time is split between the first and second years of the programme and you'll spend 24 weeks on placement during year one rather than having to wait until the second year to get hands-on clinical experience.
Work abroad
You have the opportunity to develop your skills by working abroad in Year two. Travel bursaries are available to support this.
Specialist course
This course has been developed as a stand-alone postgraduate taught programme with a graduate-entry ethos and a fully integrated course structure based on clinical presentations rather than body systems.
Excellent teaching
We use a combination of problem based learning (PBL) tutorials, small group teaching and lectures to deliver a course with very high levels of staff-student contact time and excellent student satisfaction. The curriculum is delivered through a mixed methods approach incorporating early clinical skills training, reflective practice, clinical immersion, a short elective, distance learning, and a dedicated 'preparation for practice' block.
Whole Body Anatomy
You will learn about the intricacies of human anatomy through whole body prosection based teaching.
Excellent reputation
Graduates of our programme rank amongst the highest achieving cohorts in the National Examinations. We have an international reputation for excellence in teaching and research, including close links with the Manchester Academic Health Science Centre - the only academic health science centre outside of the south-east.
Coursework and assessment
Course unit details
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.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician Associate - Quality and Evidence | MEDN60030 | 30 | Mandatory |
| Quality and Evidence Project | MEDN60040 | 30 | Mandatory |