MSc PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATE STUDIES

MED-7000E  (30 Credits)

This module is about preparing students to study to become PAs. It will equip students with the competence and confidence to practice their basic clinical skills in the workplace which will allow them to efficiently utilise and build on their workplace learning during the remaining course. There will also be knowledge based lectures covering background clinical science and social science as well as some learning theory and aspects of law, ethics and professionalism. Following formative assessment opportunities in the skills laboratory students will be encouraged to practice basic procedural skills in the work place under supervision. Two observed work-place summative assessments for each skill are required to be signed off.

MED-7001X  (30 Credits)

Further Information will be provided shortly.

MED-7002D  (30 Credits)

This module provides the background learning for the major surgical specialities including gastroenterological, orthopaedic, urological surgery as well as obstetrics and gynaecology. Clinical placements provide an opportunity to reinforce campus learning and develop and build on clinical skills learnt in modules 1 and 2. Students who have not yet completed all their summative work based assessments of procedural skills will have further opportunity to demonstrate competence which must be done by the end of this module. Written and practical OSCE examinations at the end of module 3 are blueprinted across the first year (modules 1-3) of the course and determine that students have made sufficient progress to move to year 2 of the course.

MED-7003E  (30 Credits)

This placement gives students experience of medical care outside of hospital and of mental health care. They will learn about the NHS and the different roles health care professionals play in the wider community. This module provides the background learning for the Primary Care placement and the Mental Health, Neurology and Ophthalmology placements. In addition it provides the bulk of the Paediatric background although the Paediatric placement will take place in Module 5, there will be significant opportunity for Paediatric patient interaction in the Primary Care placement. Also in this module there will be one day, or the equivalent, for the Health Improvement Project. There are odd sessions within the timetable devoted to Module 6. Clinical placements will provide an opportunity to reinforce campus based learning and to develop and build upon the clinical skills learnt in modules 1 and 2. The placement in Primary Care will encourage the student to be more focused and specific in their examination and develop the knowledge and skills to undertake a brief focused examination as opposed to a full in-depth examination. They will continue to develop their detailed history taking as well as developing more specific management plans.

MED-7005X  (30 Credits)

Module Description
This module the students will be exposed to healthcare for children and adults in acute admitting services. Also to a paediatric placement. It is expected that these senior students will, under appropriate supervision, play more active role in delivery of health care and be fully integrated into the clinical team. At the end of this module there is a written and practical skills (OSCE) examination which is blueprinted across the whole 2 year course. Satisfactory performance in these two assessments will be a pre-requisite for sitting the national UKAPA examination http://www.ukiubpae.sgul.ac.uk/the-national-examination-and-re-certification. Once the national exam has been passed graduates are eligible for inclusion on the National Managed Voluntary Register of PAs.

MED-7005X  (30 Credits)

This module provides the opportunity for students to study one area that interests them in greater depth. The module will also allow them to demonstrate higher academic skills including analysis of evidence as well as planning and organisation. Students will present their projects verbally before submission of their dissertations and the feedback they receive will help them with their final write-up. The summative assessment of this module is by way of a written dissertation.

Your time with us will be evenly split between theory and practice. Our two-year course is made up of six taught modules, each of which will be followed by a clinical placement. 

Module 1 – Foundation Skills for Physician Associates 

This module will equip you with the competence and confidence to learn and practice your basic clinical and procedural skills in the skills laboratory – and then in the workplace, under supervision. It will include knowledge-based lectures covering background clinical science and social science, as well as aspects of law, ethics and professionalism.

Module 2 – General Medicine 

This module provides the background learning for the majority of the general medical specialties including cardiology, respiratory medicine, gastroenterology, renal medicine, haematology, endocrinology, dermatology and old age medicine. Your clinical placements will then provide an opportunity to reinforce your campus learning and build on the clinical skills you will have acquired in module one. 

Module 3 – Surgery 

This module provides the background learning for the major surgical specialties, including vascular surgery, orthopaedics (including rheumatology), urology, obstetrics and gynaecology, ENT and general surgery. Once again, your clinical placement will provide an opportunity to reinforce your learning and to further develop your skills from the previous modules. 

Module 4 – Community Medicine and Mental Health 

The placement in this module will help you gain experience of mental health care as well as medical care beyond a hospital setting. It will include primary care, community paediatrics, psychiatry, ophthalmology and neurology. You’ll use the time to learn and develop clinical and communication skills, with patients presenting with a range of undifferentiated conditions. 

Module 5 - Emergency Medicine (adult and child) 

In this module you will be exposed to specialist healthcare for children and will get your second chance to experience acute adult admitting services. This module includes hospital paediatrics, emergency medicine and emergency surgery. By this point in your course it’s anticipated that, under appropriate supervision, you will play a more active role in the delivery of health care, and you’ll be fully integrated into the clinical team. 

Module 6 – Student-Selected Placement with Health Improvement Project  

Ensuring patient safety and continuous improvement in healthcare quality and efficiency are key responsibilities for all healthcare professionals. This module provides you with the opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills in health improvement to a specialism that interests you.  

Module six will also allow you to demonstrate higher academic skills including synthesis and analysis of evidence. And you’ll have the opportunity to develop real-time experience in planning and executing a clinically relevant health improvement project.  

Your teaching will include lectures, seminars, case-based learning, group work and online resources, provided by our expert Physician Associate team, as well academics from within the wider Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and senior clinicians from the surrounding general practices and hospitals. Your learning will be supported by electronic resources including Blackboard, our Virtual Learning Environment, in which you’ll find presentations, supporting material and reading lists to accompany lectures and seminars. You will have access to additional online resources including clinicalkey, Capsule and Clinically speaking. The critical components will preferably be delivered face to face otherwise live online, depending on the circumstances at the time. Other material will be available online to complete in your own time. We anticipate 2-3 days per week on campus during the theory blocks for face to face teaching and other sessions as below. The workload will still require full time study to complete the weekly online material and tasks on the off campus days. 

You will be taught communication skills in small groups, with expert facilitators and trained actors. This will be online if unable to do face to face on campus. 

As well as theoretical sessions, you will be taught examination and procedural skills in our state-of-the-art Clinical Skills Resource Area (CSRA), next to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in the Bob Champion Research and Education Building (BCRE). The CSRA is equipped with high-fidelity simulation equipment (SIMMAN), which you will use for at least one session per module during your training. You will also have access to our skills laboratory area, providing it is not being used for teaching or OSCEs (observed clinical examinations), enabling you to use the equipment for self-directed practice in your own time. What’s more, you’ll have the opportunity to use a range of training facilities when on placement at our partner teaching hospitals.

Independent study 

As a Master’s student, you’ll be expected to identify and address your own learning needs. And, in order to optimise what you take away from each session, you’ll be strongly advised to read up on topics before your lectures, and supplement your formal teaching with group work and independent study.  

Your teaching will include lectures, seminars, case-based learning, group work and online resources, provided by our expert Physician Associate team, as well academics from within the wider Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and senior clinicians from the surrounding general practices and hospitals. Your learning will be supported by electronic resources including Blackboard, our Virtual Learning Environment, in which you’ll find presentations, supporting material and reading lists to accompany lectures and seminars. You will have access to additional online resources including clinicalkey, Capsule and Clinically speaking. The critical components will preferably be delivered face to face otherwise live online, depending on the circumstances at the time. Other material will be available online to complete in your own time. We anticipate 2-3 days per week on campus during the theory blocks for face to face teaching and other sessions as below. The workload will still require full time study to complete the weekly online material and tasks on the off campus days. 

You will be taught communication skills in small groups, with expert facilitators and trained actors. This will be online if unable to do face to face on campus. 

As well as theoretical sessions, you will be taught examination and procedural skills in our state-of-the-art Clinical Skills Resource Area (CSRA), next to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in the Bob Champion Research and Education Building (BCRE). The CSRA is equipped with high-fidelity simulation equipment (SIMMAN), which you will use for at least one session per module during your training. You will also have access to our skills laboratory area, providing it is not being used for teaching or OSCEs (observed clinical examinations), enabling you to use the equipment for self-directed practice in your own time. What’s more, you’ll have the opportunity to use a range of training facilities when on placement at our partner teaching hospitals.

Independent study 

As a Master’s student, you’ll be expected to identify and address your own learning needs. And, in order to optimise what you take away from each session, you’ll be strongly advised to read up on topics before your lectures, and supplement your formal teaching with group work and independent study.