MSc Physician Associate Studies
Key Details
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Science
- Course Length
- 2 years
- Course Start Date
- January 2024
Course Overview
Train for a Master’s in Physician Associate Studies and you’ll be set for a career as a versatile, dynamic healthcare professional. You’ll play a vital role in the multidisciplinary team in both hospital and community settings, working closely with patients, and helping to diagnose and manage their conditions.
On this two-year course you’ll learn how to deliver the highest standards of care to your patients, working within an interprofessional team of aspiring medical and health professionals. Our programme is split 50/50 between theory and practice and, thanks to our strong relationships with local healthcare providers, you’ll benefit from placements that have been carefully tailored to be meaningful and rewarding to you.
You’ll study in the first-class facilities at Norwich Medical School, and at a level that will give you a more rounded experience and a deeper understanding of the needs of both patients and healthcare providers.
Our MSc Physician Associate Studies is a two-year, full-time, intensive postgraduate course in medical science and clinical reasoning. It consists of approximately 50% theory and 50% practice, including over 1,400 hours on clinical placement in both acute and community settings, starting from your second month.
Norwich Medical School has a reputation for pioneering teaching and research. You’ll have access to our first-class facilities, which include the Bob Champion Research and Education Centre and our bespoke Anatomy Suite. And we’re located next to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital on the Norwich Research Park.
We focus on ensuring our graduates are ready to enter and excel in the healthcare profession. So we ensure that you not only get plenty of hands-on experience across a wide range of placements, but also work within a mixed team of trainee medical professionals on campus, giving you a unique understanding into other people’s working roles.
The course is divided into six modules, the first five of which are clinical in content, enabling you to acquire skills in theory, communication, clinical and procedural practice. Each module will then be followed by a placement when you can put your new skills into practice. Your sixth module will focus on health improvement and is a requirement for a Master’s-level qualification.
Studying for an MSc will give you greater understanding of your future employers – and your future patients. Combine this depth of knowledge with placements tailored to your individual requirements, and you’ll have everything you need to get your career off to a brilliant start, benefiting from many and varied job opportunities both locally and nationally.
Our pass rate in the PA National Examination is 100% for theory and very high for the OSCE component, with the UEA average for both elements well above the national average.
Entry Requirements
- Degree Classification
- Bachelors degree - 2.1 or equivalent
- Degree Subject
- Science or Health-related discipline
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
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IELTS: 6.0 overall (minimum 5.5 in only two components with 6.0 in the others
Test dates should be within 2 years of the course start date.
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:
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- Interviews
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an online interview.
- Intakes
- This course is open to UK applicants only. The annual intake for this course is in January each year.
Additional Information or Requirements
If a student has a bachelor’s degree but does not meet the normal admission requirements for the MSc Physician Associate Studies course, they may sit the GAMSAT. This was developed and validated by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and is used to assist in selection of students for graduate-entry programs and to assess capacity to undertake high level intellectual studies in a demanding course. The minimum admission requirement for the PA course is an overall GAMSAT score of 50 within the last two years. Please see the website for further details. Gamsat
Applicants will normally have 3 A-levels at grade C or above, including at least one science subject or equivalent.
Applicants are required to submit two references with their application - one related to their most recent Academic study, while the other may be a professional reference.
Academic study should have been completed within the last 5 years.
PLACEMENTS
As this course includes patient facing placements in health or social care settings, and these are a mandatory component of the course, you will need to comply with the placement vaccination policy. Failure to meet the placement vaccination policy may prevent you from joining the course or may lead to your withdrawal from the course in the future. Future employment may also be subject to this condition.
BURSARY SUPPORT
Students starting the MSc Physician Associate Studies in January 2024 will be eligible to receive a Bursary support from Health Education East of England (HEEoE), amounting to £2,500 per annum. All students must be UK nationals, or have indefinite leave to remain in the UK. There is an expectation that graduates from this programme would work within the National Health Service (NHS) on completion of their course.
Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2023/24 are:
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UK Students: £19,800. Two year full-time course, £9900 per academic year.
If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home students).
We estimate living expenses at £1,023 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here.
Scholarships and Bursaries
The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships; please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
How to Apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
To apply please use our online application form.
Applications for January 2024 will close on 30th November 2023.
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you would like to request further information or to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying please do contact us.
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk
Employability
After the Course
Our course was created as a direct response to new healthcare job opportunities at local acute hospitals in Norfolk and Suffolk. We developed the programme in partnered with these hospitals. They include Ipswich Hospital, James Paget University Hospital, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn and West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trusts, as well as general practitioners in the area.
The course has been developed with your future career and the demands of the healthcare system in mind, and after graduation you’ll benefit from the very many job opportunities both locally and nationally.
Careers
A degree at UEA will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. We've been ranked 1st for Job Prospects by StudentCrowd in 2022.
Examples of careers you could enter include:
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Acute hospital trusts
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General Practice/primary care
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Mental health care
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Research
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Management
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Education