MSc Physician Associate Studies

at Bournemouth University

Year 1

MSc Physician Associate Studies students will take the following units:
 

• Introduction to General Medicine for the Physician Associate: Explore the role of the Physician Associate. Develop skills in taking a medical history and examination and become competent in performing a wide range of core procedural skills. The pathophysiology of common acute and chronic conditions in General Medicine will be explored using cases and clinical consultations.

• Emergency Care for the Physician Associate: Learn to diagnose and manage medical and surgical emergencies, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation. You will gain insight into assessing and managing patients with urgent problems and injuries in the Emergency Department, Urgent Care Centres and Out of Hours.

• Mental Health for the Physician Associate: Develop skills in taking a psychiatric history, performing a mental state examination and interpreting the findings. You will critically explore common mental health problems and their management using cases and clinical consultations.

Year 2

MSc Physician Associate Studies students will take the following units:

Women’s Health for the Physician Associate: Develop skills in gynaecological and obstetric history and examination. You will critically explore common gynaecological and obstetric problems and their management using cases and clinical consultations.

Paediatrics for the Physician Associate: Learn to assess and examine young people and children of all ages, including babies and infants, and how to recognise the sick child. You will study child development, child safeguarding and common and serious paediatric illnesses.

Primary Care for the Physician Associate: Diagnose and manage unselected patients with any medical problem under the direct supervision of a GP. Develop skills in taking a focused clinical assessment and complex medical decision-making, while learning about the common acute and chronic conditions managed in Primary Care. 

On successful completion of the course students will be eligible to sit the National Examination and register on the Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register or from 2021/22 the General Medical Council Physician Associate Register 

MSc Physician Associate Studies students will also take the following units:

Exploring and Evaluating Evidence: Critically appraise research evidence, explore various approaches to enquiry and knowledge production, and consider how different philosophical assumptions shape claims to knowledge.

Critically reviewing practice for the Physician Associate (final project): You will write a final project related to one particular aspect of healthcare. Working in small groups, you will work collaboratively to conduct a comprehensive literature review and undertake a critical evaluation of an area of interest relating to your practice.

Programme specification

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry. If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. 

General entry requirements
 

• A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:1, or equivalent, in a required subject. 

Required subjects: Health or Science related subject, e.g.: Biology, Physiology, Neuroscience, Biological Science, Microbiology, Anatomical Science, Physiotherapy, Diagnostic Imaging, Radiotherapy, Paramedic Science, Audiology, Nursing, Operating Department Practice, Optometry, Biomedicine, Biomedical Sciences, Medical Science, Clinical Psychology, Pharmacy, Sports Science.

Excluded subjects: Health & Social Care*, Health Sciences*

*unless adequate levels of biology have been covered in these degrees

If you lack the formal academic qualifications needed to enter a postgraduate or post-experience degree, there are several alternative routes to follow - some based on experience. Contact the Future Students Enquiry Team for more information. 

Please note: due to Health Education England (HEE) funding, applicants must have UK home status to be eligible to apply for this course.

If English is not your first language, you will need IELTS (Academic) 7.5 with a minimum of 7.0 in writing, speaking, listening and reading, or equivalent. 

Annual tuition fees:
 

• £9,500 (UK, ROI & CI)

• £15,000 (Int'l)

PAs are healthcare professionals who work to a medical model alongside doctors in hospitals or GP surgeries. Their role includes examining patients, diagnosing common problems, performing procedures, and recommending treatment.