Physician associates are in demand because of a shortfall in the number of doctors. If you have a first degree in life or health sciences, our Physician Associate Masters degree course will train you in a wide range of clinical skills vital to the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients in primary and secondary care. As the availability of work placements in the UK health service is limited, our course is open to UK and EU applicants only.
As a physician associate, you’ll fill an important clinical role. You’ll be able to take a patient’s history, perform physical examinations and request and interpret diagnostic test results. You’ll be able to diagnose illnesses; develop treatment and management plans; perform therapeutic procedures; and undertake patient education, counselling and health promotion. From year one you’ll undertake integrated primary care placements in GP surgeries. In year two you’ll be on placement for the entire year as well as producing a Quality Improvement Plan for the NHS.
Our Physician Associate Masters degree will help you develop a range of skills relating to the cardiovascular, respiratory and gastro-intestinal systems; the eyes, ears, nose and throat; the skin; and the renal, genitourinary, male and female reproductive systems. You’ll learn to become a caring, capable, knowledgeable and research-aware Physician Associate, with high-level clinical and communication skills.
At ARU, your study will be divided equally between theory and practice, employing the medical model of teaching, learning and assessment. Besides lectures, tutorials, practical workshops, role play and simulated skills work on campus, you’ll complete a programme of clinical placement rotations in general practice, hospital wards and outpatient settings across the East of England in the following clinical specialties (total hours, over 2 years in brackets):
Community-based medicine (440 hours)
General hospital medicine (480 hours)
Front Door Medicine (A&E) (360 hours)
Mental health (120 hours)
General surgery (120 hours)
Obstetrics & gynaecology (120 hours)
Paediatrics in an acute setting (120 hours)
**You’ll spend the majority of your second year in rotational hospital placements. At ARU you’ll have a choice of being placed in Essex or being placed in Peterborough with Northwest Anglia Foundation Trust (NWAFT) which comprises Hinchingbrooke and Peterborough City Hospital. In your personal statement please make reference to your preference for your 2nd year placements. All teaching in Year 1 and 2 will take place at the School of Medicine on our Chelmsford campus.**
This is an intensive and challenging course – but one which offers its own, significant rewards.
Course Details - Modules
Year one, core modules
Medical Practice & Patient Care I
Medical Practice & Patient Care II
Medical Practice & Patient Care III
Policy, Practice & Governance
Primary Care Practice
Year two, core modules
Quality Improvement in the NHS
Medical Practice in Primary & Secondary Care
Course Details – Assessment Method
We use a range of assessment methods to check your progress during your studies and then to make sure that you meet the required standards to register for practice as a Physician Associate.
Although they vary, our assessment strategies are all carefully designed to challenge you so that you expand your critical and creative thinking as well as your problem-solving and skills for clinical practice. The assessments will let you synthesise existing knowledge and accumulate new knowledge in order to evidence the development of your professional practice.
Your progress and achievements will be assessed through theoretical essays, simulated clinically orientated objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), multiple-choice questions (MCQ) and single best answer (SBA) exams. Your placement will be assessed by a Practice Assessment Document (PAD).
This is a two year programme
Please note that you will need to complete all of the above core modules, as well as be successful on all your placements. This is intensive and taught full-time over two years, 5 days a week. This course is longer than a traditional postgraduate programme, teaching takes place for 45 weeks and full attendance is expected for all elements of the course.
You’ll spend the majority of your second year in rotational hospital placements. At ARU you’ll have a choice of being placed in Essex or being placed in Peterborough with Northwest Anglia Foundation Trust (NWAFT) which comprises Hinchingbrooke and Peterborough City Hospital. In your personal statement please make reference to your preference for your 2nd year placements. All teaching in Year 1 and 2 will take place at the School of Medicine on our Chelmsford campus.
Course Details – Professional Bodies
Professional Bodies are not listed for this Course.
How to Apply
26 January This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application Codes
Course code:
B960
Institution code:
A60
Campus Name:
Chelmsford Campus
Campus code:
Points of Entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
Year 1
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry (Year 2 and Beyond)
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry are not listed for this Course.
International applicants
Standard Qualification Requirements
A first degree in life sciences (such as human biology, biochemistry, medical science or allied health degree) with at least a 2:1 classification or an equivalent qualification.
Health experience in a clinical setting is preferred.
An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) disclosure will also be required.
A satisfactory Occupational Health clearance will also be required.
If English is not your first language you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 7.0 with no element lower than 7.0 ( Academic level) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
