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MPAS Physician Associate Studies
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UCAS code
BB96 -
A level offer
AAB including Biology and Chemistry -
Year of entry
2025/26 -
Course duration
Full Time: 4 Years
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Year of entry
2025/26 -
Course duration
Full Time: 4 Years
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:
- industry-specific training.Designed in partnership with our local NHS partners to respond to career needs within the NHS, our course offers you the most relevant, practical content.
- teaching from medical experts. You will be taught by NHS staff and academics whose research prevents disease, improves diagnoses, develops new therapies and advances clinical practice. Everyone who teaches you has on-the-ground experience.
- clinical placements. Take part in placements within both primary and secondary healthcare settings throughout your degree.
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).
Learning structure of the MPAS Physician Associate Studies
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:
- one-day placements in different healthcare environments
- professional skills training, including reflective practice and communication
- knowledge of public health and nutrition, with reference to patient care and clinical practice.
During the final two years of the programme, your learning will mirror our established MSc Physician Associate Studies.
Real-world experience and training
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.