Physician Associate Studies

Postgraduate

In Leeds

Price on request

Description

  • Type

    Postgraduate

  • Location

    Leeds

  • Start date

    Different dates available

Physician Associates work alongside doctors and GPs, providing medical care as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. They are dependent practitioners working with a dedicated supervisor, but are able to work independently with appropriate support.
The Physician Associate plays an important role in the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients. They work within a defined scope of practice and their roles and responsibilities include:
Take medical histories
Perform physical examinations
Request and interpret diagnostic tests
Diagnose illnesses
Manage patients with long term illnesses
Perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
Develop and deliver appropriate treatment and management plans
Health promotion and disease prevention advice
Currently, Physician Associates are not able to:
Prescribe
Request X-ray/imaging examinations
More information can be found on the Faculty of Physician Associate website
More reasons to study at Leeds
Studying at Leeds you'll be part of an award winning medical school. This programme has been carefully developed to address local demand. It will equip you for clinical practice, with early clinical exposure and cadaveric anatomy. New technologies will enhance your learning.
You'll have close support from personal and academic tutors throughout the course, whilst also developing your independent learning and research skills.
The Physician Associate Studies PGDip may be for you if you’re committed to working in health and social care, and have the ability and discipline to study intensively. You’ll also need to be an excellent communicator and follow
We hold three ASPIRE-to-Excellence awards for: Student Assesment 2014, Student Engagement 2015 and International Excellence in Social Accountability 2016.
You'll be taught by leading professionals, whose teaching is underpinned by world-leading research.

Facilities

Location

Start date

Leeds (North Yorkshire)
Maurice Keyworth Building, The University Of Leeds, LS2 9JT

Start date

Different dates availableEnrolment now open

About this course

Entry requirements
The Physician Associate Studies programme has a considerable amount of pure and applied science and therefore it is important that our students join us with a fundamental science background in order to cope with the demands of the course. Typical entry requirements include:
Bachelor degree with a minimum 2:2 (hons) in health-related science or equivalent qualification. (For example- BSc Biomedical Sciences, BSc Genetics, BSc Anatomy and Human Biology, BSc Radiography).
We will consider alternative academic qualifications on a case-by-case basis le skills from other...

Questions & Answers

Add your question

Our advisors and other users will be able to reply to you

Who would you like to address this question to?

Fill in your details to get a reply

We will only publish your name and question

Reviews

This centre's achievements

2018

All courses are up to date

The average rating is higher than 3.7

More than 50 reviews in the last 12 months

This centre has featured on Emagister for 14 years

Subjects

  • Approach
  • Primary
  • Teaching
  • Anatomy
  • School
  • Medical
  • General Practice
  • Medical training
  • Team Training

Course programme

Student learning is supported by Self Directed Learning (SDL), tutorials, case based discussions, seminars and dissections.

Core Clinical Skills are taught by the Clinical Skills Education Team at the Clinical Practice Centre based at St James's Hospital. The aim of these sessions is to ensure that all students can perform clinical skills in the clinical enviroment in a safe, competent and confident manner. 1

The first year of the PGDip is mainly based on campus where anatomy, physiology, pathology and therapeutics are delivered in an integrated way. You will spend 1 day a week in Primary care placement during your first year of study.

You will complete 2 modules:

Classroom to Clinic 1

This module will introduce students to the attitudes, skills and knowledge required of a Physician Associate to enable students to deliver holistic care and treatment within the general medical and/or the general practice team under defined levels of clinical supervision.

Spiralled learning, with a focus on increasing integration at a patient level and as a team member in the wider healthcare workforce provides the framework for professional behaviour underpinned by clinical knowledge. A clinical skills e-portfolio will be maintained as evidence of attainment.

The learning outcomes will be met through both taught sessions and compulsory placements.

Foundations of Clinical Practice 1

This module enables you to develop the attitudes, skills and knowledge to deliver holistic care and treatment within the general medical and/or the general practice team under defined levels of clinical supervision.

This module provides the underpinning scientific and evidence base for practice.

YEAR 2

The second year builds on the first year and the there is a bigger focus on placement experience, where you undertake block rotational placements primarily in secondary care. The beginning of the second year is spent at the School of Medicine and will include a service improvement project; following this you will be on placement. The placements include: Acute medicine, general medicine, surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, long-term conditions, cancer and palliative care, care of the elderly, mental health, musculoskeletal and primary care.

You will complete 2 modules:

Classroom to Clinic 2

This module builds on Classroom to Clinic 1 to enable students to develop competence, skills, knowledge and attitudes required of a Physician Associate to enable them to deliver holistic care and treatment within the general medical and/or the general practice team under defined levels of clinical supervision.

Spiralled learning, with a focus on increasing integration at a patient level and as a team member in the wider healthcare workforce provides the framework for professional behaviour underpinned by clinical knowledge.

A clinical skills e-portfolio will be maintained as evidence of attainment.

The learning outcomes will be met through both taught sessions and compulsory placements.

Foundations of Clinical Practice 2

This module enables you to consolidate and further develop the attitudes, skills and knowledge to deliver holistic care and treatment within primary and secondary practice under defined levels of clinical supervision.

This module continues the spiralled learning from the first year of study, and as required to support the clinical placements described in the Competency and Curriculum Framework for Physician Associates

Second year students will be expected to build upon knowledge from Year 1 that is of relevance to a Physician Associate and which underpins the scientific and evidence base for clinical practice.

Patient safety is paramount and this strand of the programme is delivered over both years.

Course structure

These are typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

Modules Year 1

Compulsory modules

  • Classroom to Clinic 1 for Physician Associates 30 credits
  • Foundation of Clinical Practice 1 for Physician Associates 30 credits

Year 2

Compulsory modules

  • Classroom to Clinic 2 for Physician Associates 30 credits
  • Foundation of Clinical Practice 2 for Physician Associates 30 credits

For more information on typical modules, read Physician Associate Studies PGDip in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

This programme will be delivered using a blended learning approach, combining lectures, tutorials, use of online materials, skills sessions and seminars to facilitate deeper learning and allow for a range of student learning preferences.

You’ll have access to a comprehensive range of e-learning resources. Self-assessment (under supervision) and continual assessment are also key elements of the programme.

Our teaching is based on the NHS values in the approach to teaching and learning is founded on best educational practice and innovative delivery.

Outstanding learning resources in our Health Sciences Library and Clinical Practice Centre support your learning. Early exposure to clinical settings allows you to start developing your consultation and practical skills, and your own style as a Physician Associate.

You’ll be taught by leading professionals, whose teaching is underpinned by world-leading research. We’ll encourage you to develop independent learning and research skills in year 2.

You’ll experience self-directed and group learning through the development of your e- portfolio and technology such as apps and online resources.

Case-based learning supports you in integrating your growing knowledge with the real patients you meet.

Inter-professional learning ensures you develop good leadership and team-working skills with other professional groups.

We take support of our students seriously. Regular contact with your personal tutor guides your academic progress and personal development, to enable you to achieve your full potential. Course tutors and support staff are all on hand to help. You’re supported by your fellow students through a peer mentoring scheme.

Assessment

A range of assessments are used to test your knowledge, understanding and clinical competence, these include: project presentations, group work, written assignments, and topic area passports or portfolios that describe placement performance, attendance and professionalism. Reflective accounts of early placement experiences and discussions on topics such as ethics and patient safety issues are entered on-line to a personal Progress File. This accumulates over your years of study both in the accounts of your work and experiences, and in the feedback from tutors. Anatomy is assessed by regular MCQs (multiple choice questions)

End of year exams include written exams and OSCEs (Objective Structured Clinical Examinations). The written exams assess core knowledge and understanding of the material taught in that year (and previously) and include multiple choice questions (MCQs), extended matching questions (EMQs). These methods of assessment are used throughout the UK in undergraduate and post-graduate medicine. They follow a single best answer (SBA) rather than true-false approach, recognising this better reflects real-life medical decisions.

OSCEs assess core clinical skills and their application in the clinical specialties relevant to that examination, and are held both years of study. They typically involve 16 or more clinical stations that require you to demonstrate a specific skill or consult with a patient. These patients are trained actors and their views on your behaviour also feed into the assessment. To pass, candidates are required to achieve the overall pass mark, pass a minimum number of stations. Both the OSCE and written exams have criterion-based pass marks, set by examiners.


Physician Associate Studies

Price on request