Overview
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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 bms-admissions@brunel.ac.uk 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: BMS-Admissions@brunel.ac.uk
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.
You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour.
Course content
Your course will be delivered over a period of 45 weeks in year one and 48 weeks in year two. The programme is exciting, innovative, and intense, usually requiring you to study on campus from 9am to 5pm, five days a week. You’ll have significant contact hours.
Your first clinical placement will start in the first term of year one, with weekly one day GP placements. In year two most of your time will be spent on clinical placements in a variety of practice settings. You’ll adopt the working patterns of your supervising clinician, so you’ll be working a 40-hour week.
Please note that in July 2019, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has asked the General Medical Council (GMC) to regulate the Physician Associate profession in the UK. Information will be updated for applicants when further details are available.
This course can be studied 2 years full-time, starting in August/September.
Compulsory
- PH5608 - Applied PharmacologyThis module looks at some of the more important groups of drugs encountered by healthcare practitioners. Students will study drug actions, therapeutic and adverse effects, important interactions and examine individual drug responses. The module runs parallel with the Foundations of Clinical Medicine module so that the two complement each other. For example when the student is reviewing the cardiovascular system and diseases in FCM, they will learn about present hypertension medications and anti-anginals.
- Applied Research for Health and Social Care
- Foundations of Clinical Medicine A
- PA Placement Year 1 - General Practice 1
- PA Placement Year 1 - General Practice 2
- PA Placement Year 1 - General Practice 3
- Personal and Professional Development A
- PH5520 - DissertationIn this module, students will learn how to design and conduct an original piece of research. They will work with an academic supervisor on a topic relevant to their disciplinary major.
Compulsory
- Foundations in Clinical Medicine B
- PA Elective Placements
- PA Placement – Accident and Emergency
- PA Placement – Acute Medicine
- PA Placement – General Practice
- PA Placement – Mental Health
- PA Placement – Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- PA Placement – Paediatrics
- PA Placement – Surgery
- Personal and Professional Development B
- PH5520 - DissertationIn this module, students will learn how to design and conduct an original piece of research. They will work with an academic supervisor on a topic relevant to their disciplinary major.
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This course has a placement option. Find out more about work placements available.
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
Read more about the structure of postgraduate degrees at Brunel
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
UK entry requirements
2025/6 entry
How to apply
Please be aware that to apply for this course you will need to submit an application through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
Undergraduate degree
A UK first or 2:1 Honours degree, or equivalent internationally recognised qualification, in a Life or Health Sciences subject area (e.g. Anatomy, Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, Medical Sciences, Medical Engineering, Nursing, Operating Department Practice, Paramedic Pharmacy, Physiology). If you are pending your degree, you must provide a transcript showing you are on track to achieving a 2:1 or above.
Postgraduate degree
We also accept applicants who have a Master's degree graded Merit or above in a Life or Health Sciences related subject provided they have a solid foundation of the basic sciences (e.g. Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Pathology, etc.).
All applicants must have a minimum of GCSE English grade 4/C or above or equivalent qualification.
Personal statements
You should submit a personal statement focused on your motivation to become a physician associate detailing your experience, qualifications and personal qualities as they pertain to becoming a member of the profession. You will be able to submit your statement when you apply through UCAS.
CV
We require a copy of your up-to-date CV. This should detail your education and work backgrounds and a meticulous history of your patient contact experience. The latter should include your role, responsibilities and completed hours, etc.
References
One satisfactory reference is required to support your application this must be dated within the last year. If you have studied in the last 3 years the reference must be an academic reference. Your referee should know you well enough, in an official capacity, to write about you and your suitability for higher education. We do not accept references from family, friends, partners, ex-partners or yourself.
Meeting the minimum entry requirements does not guarantee an invite to a Selection Day or a place on the programme.
Health screening
Successful applicants will have a satisfactory health clearance and are required to undergo appropriate blood tests and immunisations such as hepatitis B, MMR, TB, chicken pox, tetanus and polio (please note, this list may be updated).
Disclosure and Barring Service
Successful applicants are required to have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (formerly a Criminal Records Bureau check).
Professional registration
If you are a current healthcare professional or a member of a registered professional body, please provide details of your registration.
Deferral
Applicants may apply for the next entry point only. While the Physician Associate MSc does not typically permit the deferral of offers, should you receive an offer and need to defer your offer to the entry point following the one you applied for, you should put your request in writing to the Admission Office. They will liaise with the Admissions Tutors for the course and let you know the outcome. You should have a strong reason for the deferral and we regret that we are not able to guarantee that we can accommodate your request.
EU and International entry requirements
If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list. This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.
English language 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.
Fees and funding
2025/26 entry
UK
£13,280 full-time
International
£24,795 full-time
More information on any additional course-related costs.
Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase.
See our fees and funding page for full details of postgraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.
Scholarships and bursaries
Teaching and learning
The course will be delivered by Brunel Medical School using a variety of methods that have been chosen to optimise your learning of clinical theories and skills. All methods have been designed to maximise the level of interaction and engagement with your tutors and fellow students.
All modules will be delivered on campus via in-person teaching with mandatory attendance. Students will therefore be required to attend campus for all modules. Each module will be supported by the provision of additional online learning.
Campus-based teaching will be delivered in small group tutorials within our purpose-built clinical skills rooms.
Support
You will have access to Brunel Medical School’s dedicated Student Support & Wellbeing services along with the wider University support services.
A member of the academic team will act as your personal tutor throughout your time at university. They will be a source of support and will help you to make the most of your studies and time at university. You'll have scheduled tutor meetings and be able to access your tutor as required either online or via face-to-face meetings on campus.
Assessments
A variety of assessment formats will be used to support your learning. This will include campus-based clinical assessments and online exams.
Clinical Placements
You'll be supported by our dedicated clinical placements team, and allocated placements within the NHS.
The schedule of teaching and assessment has been developed to maximise your enjoyment and support during the programme. Through the provision of campus-based teaching we will provide an engaging and stimulating programme that helps you to maximise your learning and professional development in preparation for clinical practice.
Access to a laptop or desktop PC is required for joining online activities, completing coursework and digital exams, and a minimum specification can be found here.
We have computers available across campus for your use and laptop loan schemes to support you through your studies. You can find out more here.
From lecturers with over 30 years’ experience of working as a Physician Associate to an examiner for the national exams at the Faculty of Physician Associates for the Royal College of Physicians, you’ll benefit from the expertise of our highly regarded academic team when you study at Brunel.
Our lecturers have taught, worked or carried out research across the world and this feeds into their teaching. Your learning experience will be a mixture of classroom-based, problem / evidence-based, peer-assisted team-based learning, clinical practice, independent and e-learning and assimilated learning in clinical labs.
Should you need any non-academic support during your time at Brunel, the Student Support and Welfare Team are here to help.
Assessment and feedback
You’ll be assessed on single best answer/multiple choice questions, written short answer questions, papers and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) to begin early preparation for the National Examination. Other assessments will include written assignments, oral presentations, reflective writing and a portfolio of evidence.
You will be assessed on placement by your supervising clinician(s). The assessments from clinical placement modules will contribute to your final degree classification.
All modules must be passed in order to proceed through the course. Normally you’ll be given two attempts at passing each assessment.