We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2026/27 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2025/26 courses.
Train to become a fully qualified physician associate with our MPAS Physician Associate Studies programme.
Gain the skills and knowledge to become a physician associate: a healthcare professional trained in the medical model, being developed across the NHS.
As a member of a medical team, you'll work under the supervision of doctors in hospitals and GP practices, supporting the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Taught by experts from the School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy and the School of Biological Sciences, this course offers:
In the National Student Survey 2024, 92% of our Pharmacy students said teaching staff are good at explaining things (92.13% of responders from the School of Pharmacy).
This course is approved by the General Medical Council.
The first two years will equip you with a strong biological science base, and the ability to apply this learning to inform medical practice. These two years align with our BSc Medical Science degree.
Alongside your scientific learning, you will also acquire:
During the final two years of the programme, your learning will mirror our established MSc Physician Associate Studies.
Complete placements within many areas of medical practice, across a variety of hospital and community settings.
In the first two years, you will undertake mini work-shadowing placements to understand the working environment of the NHS. During your third year, you will undertake longer periods of placement in primary/secondary healthcare settings. In your final year this will increase so that you are on placement four to five days most weeks, rotating around multiple healthcare settings to ensure that you are well prepared to practise anywhere as a physician associate upon qualification.
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) and will then be able to register with the GMC.
