Physician Associate MSc

    Physician Associate MSc

    Duration2 year(s)
    Tuition Fee
    GBP 33,344 / Year
    Next IntakeSeptember 1, 2026
    Physician Associate MSc

    About

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    By graduating as a Physician Associate (PA) from Brunel Medical School, you’ll be part of an exciting, important, and emerging group of clinical professionals who support doctors and medical teams within the NHS.

    Working in the healthcare profession can be inspiring and rewarding. A career as a PA will mean that you’ll support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients. This might be in a hospital or a GP surgery. You’ll be part of a growing profession in the NHS where vacancies currently exceed the supply of skilled professionals.

    Our experienced and passionate lecturers will prepare you with all the skills you need to provide care and treatment to patients.

    You’ll learn to carry out a range of medical activities such as medical histories, physical examinations, and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. You’ll also learn how to request and interpret test results, diagnose illness, and develop treatment and management plans.

    At Brunel, we have great links with some of the most highly regarded health providers in London, so you’ll add exceptional work experience to your CV. Your Physician Associate qualification includes over 1,700 hours of professional practice, so you’ll be equipped with the experience and expertise to give you an excellent start as you then embark on your career as a Physician Associate.

    As a Physician Associate student, you will be joining the internationally renowned and well-established College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences.

    Funding

    In the past, Health Education England, now merged with NHS England, has provided a national funding strategy for Physician Associate courses in England. This funding provided £5,000 per student via their university; £2,500 in Year 1 and £2,500 in Year 2 and is available for students entering in 2023.

    Please note that this funding is subject to annual review and may not be available in the future.

    Physician Associate National Examination

    Successful completion of the Physician Associate MSc programme provides eligibility to sit for the Physician Associate National Examination and join the Managed Voluntary Register, until regulation by the General Medical Council (GMC) comes into effect.

    Physician Associate recognition

    Please note, the Physician Associate qualification may not currently be recognised in some countries e.g. USA. Please contact [email protected] for further information.

    National Health Service (NHS) Values

    The NHS Values as shaped by patients, public and staff have helped inspire passion in the NHS and that should underpin everything it does. Individual organisations will develop and build upon these values, tailoring them to their local needs. The NHS values provide common ground for co-operation to achieve shared aspirations, at all levels of the NHS.

    If you are considering studying the Physician Associate MSc Programme at Brunel then you're committed to working jointly with the NHS to demonstrate the values and beliefs of the constitution.

    Contact

    Email: [email protected]

    Telephone: +44(0)1895 268083

    You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour.

    Got a question about this course? Please view our Frequently Asked Questions.

    UCAS course code: BB96, institution code: B84.

    Requirements

    Entry Requirements

    2.6/4, 3.2/5 or 65%

    English Requirements

    • PTEMin 73
    • IELTSMin 7.5
    • TOEFLMin 108

    English Program Requirements

    • IELTS: 7.5 (min 7.0 in all areas)
    • Pearson: 73 (64 in all subscores)
    • BrunELT: 73% (68% in all areas)
    • TOEFL: 108 (min 20)

    You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.

    Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.

    Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.

    Career

    Careers and your future

    Your varied clinical placements will equip you for the working world. In fact, the positive relationships made on your placement can often lead to the offer of permanent employment on completion of your MSc.

    On your placements, you’ll have the opportunity to work in the following areas:

    • Accident and Emergency
    • Acute Medicine
    • General Practice
    • Mental Health
    • Obstetrics and Gynaecology
    • Paediatrics
    • Surgery
    • Electives

    Whilst on clinical placements, you’ll be supervised by doctors and physician associates. All clinical placements are organised on the student's behalf by the clinical co-ordination team. This allows us to provide you with a balanced clinical experience both in terms of the specialities/patient groups you work with and the range of healthcare settings you work in. At Brunel, we recognise the importance of ensuring you're exposed to a variety of health settings which are reflective of current clinical practice.

    We're sympathetic to your needs when we assign clinical placements. However, we're unable to guarantee your clinical placements will be located close to your home, or term-time address, and you may have to commute or live away from home for the duration of a placement or two. We do try to give special consideration to students whose personal circumstances fall within specified criteria, i.e. they have young children, are a main carer, or have a declared disability etc.

    You’ll be joining a growing profession where there are currently plenty of vacancies. Typically, Physician Associate salaries start in band 7 of the NHS Agenda for Change pay scale. However, some Physician Associate roles where an internship is offered fall within band 6.

    Physician Associates work in a variety of clinical settings and specialties including GP surgeries, hospital inpatient wards, and A & E departments. Please see the FAQ page of the Royal College of Physicians Faculty of Physician Associates (RCPFPA) website for more information. The RCPFPA’s most recent census information can be viewed at Census Results.

    For additional information regarding the Physician Associate profession please explore:

    Royal College of Physicians Faculty of Physician Associates

    Matrix Specification of Core Clinical Conditions for the Physician Assistant

    NHS Jobs

    Fee Information

    Tuition Fee
    33,344 / year
    Physician Associate MSc
    Brunel University London
    Brunel University London
    United Kingdom

    United Kingdom, London Borough of Harrow

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