MSc Physician Associate at University of Reading

Our MSc Physician Associate programme provides essential training for entering an exciting new career as a healthcare professional.

This course is suitable for life science graduates or those with significant healthcare experience.

You will receive training in the classroom and experience a wide variety of teaching methods. You will engage in workplace-based learning in NHS Primary and Secondary Care environments, allowing you to develop your skills and knowledge as a healthcare professional in real settings. All curriculum content is delivered in close partnership with practicing clinicians. Our course provides significant clinical placement hours in primary/secondary healthcare settings. In your final year placement time will increase so that you are on placement 4-5 days most weeks, rotating around multiple healthcare settings to ensure that you are well prepared to practise anywhere as a Physician Associate upon qualification.

This course is approved by the General Medical Council.

Our teaching staff include a practising physician associate and medical practitioners who are able to support you, not only in your clinical learning, but also in the practicalities of working within the NHS. You will also encounter many of our past graduates on your clinical placements who have gained employment with our placement partners.

The responsibility for education, training and professional standards for physician associates sits with the General Medical Council (GMC). Graduates who pass the Reading MSc programme must then pass the Physician Associate Registration Assessment (PARA) to be able to register with the GMC.

97% of our research is of international standing (Research Excellence Framework [REF] 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy). For more information, please visit the Pharmacy website.

Overview

Our MSc Physician Associate programme provides essential training for entering an exciting new career as a healthcare professional.

This course is suitable for life science graduates or those with significant healthcare experience.

This course is approved by the General Medical Council.

Learning

Entry requirements

IELTS: 7.5 overall with no element less than 7.0.

Entry requirements: Normally a good undergraduate honours degree (2.1 or above), in a relevant life sciences subject, for example, biological sciences, biomedical sciences, biochemistry, pharmacy or psychology. A good lower second-class honours degree (2.2) combined with other relevant practical healthcare skills and experience (or qualifications and experience considered to be equivalent to the above) will also be considered.

As part of the application process for this programme, you will be required to attend an interview. Interviews typically run from early April to the end of May/early June.

Application window: Monday 20 January to Friday 25 April (deadline).

Demand for places on this course is high and all successful applicants will be required to pay a £1,000 deposit to hold their place on the course.

Structure

Modules

Compulsory modules

Clinical Knowledge Core Systems

Gain core clinical knowledge to prepare you for placement. You’ll be supported in exercising personal responsibility, simple decision-making and developing independent learning abilities that are required for continuing professional development.

Medical Research and Enquiry

Develop the research skills of a physician associate in clinical practice to plan, design, conduct, and present your research findings. You’ll learn how to use spreadsheets, capture information, and collect data using statistical approaches.

Clinical Skills 1

Combine placement experience with reflection in the classroom, encouraging you to exercise personal responsibility, decision-making, and independent learning – the core skills required for continuing professional development.

Clinical Skills 2

Advance your knowledge by applying your academic learning to practice. You’ll be supported in developing initiative and personal responsibility to undertake decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations.

These are the modules we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they're informed by the latest teaching and research methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Fees

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £12,000

New international students: £30,950

Fee information

International applicants: Please note that, due to UK Home Office rules on placements, the MSc programme is open only to international applicants who already have the right to work in the UK. The University is not able to provide student route visa sponsorship for this programme.

Please note

The fees listed are for one year of full-time study, unless otherwise stated. Fee information will be confirmed in offer letters sent out to successful applicants. You can find further information, including information for part-time study, through our dedicated fees and funding page.

EU student fees

With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read the UK government’s guidance for EU students.

Additional costs

These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. This course will require you to travel to placements in primary and secondary care settings throughout the programme and you will need to fund your own travel. You will need to have a professional standard stethoscope, these cost approximately £90 to £160. The Physician Associate National Certification Examination takes place outside of Reading and will therefore incur additional travel expenses.

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

Careers

A Physician Associate (PA) is a healthcare professional trained in the medical model who works as a member of a medical team under the supervision of a doctor or surgeon in a wide variety of workplaces (including GP practices, community health services and all types of hospital care). PAs support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients and are trained to perform a number of roles including:

taking medical histories
performing examinations
diagnosing illnesses
analysing test results
developing management plans.

The PA role is flexible and is being developed across the NHS to meet major staffing strategies.

Subjects A-B

Subjects C-E

Subjects F-G

Subjects H-M

Subjects N-T

Subjects U-Z

Subjects A-C

Subjects D-G

Subjects H-P

Subjects Q-Z

Subjects A-B

Subjects C-E

Subjects F-G

Subjects H-M

Subjects N-T

Subjects U-Z

Overview

Learning

Entry requirements

Structure

Compulsory modules

Clinical Knowledge Core Systems

Medical Research and Enquiry

Clinical Skills 1

Clinical Skills 2

Fees

Fee information

EU student fees

Additional costs

Financial support for your studies

Careers

MSc Physician Associate

Fee information

EU student fees

Additional costs

Financial support for your studies

Ready for more?