MSc Physician Associate Studies

*please note this programme has paused recruitment for Sep 2025 and Sep 2026. This means there will be no Year 1 PA students on placement in 2025/26 – for further information, please contact [email protected]* 

Physician Associates have been trained at the University of Leeds since 2015, and there are now a considerable number of Leeds graduates working across a variety of settings in this region and beyond. 

The Physician Associate (PA) role 

PAs are deployed in several healthcare settings, including primary care, secondary care and mental health trusts and work in the wider multidisciplinary team to promote and maintain patient care. They provide clinical care under the supervision of a senior doctor as part of a supported team and use a wide range of technical and communication skills to ensure the smooth functioning of ward-based care and general practice. They help ensure continuity for patients in all parts of their pathway of care. 

In secondary care, a newly qualified PA can support in the initial assessment of a patient, follow up the management plan, provide health promotion advice and liaise with other services to support efficient discharge planning. In primary care, they can provide aspects of preventative care, support in the administration of basic therapeutic procedures, provide annual health checks and act as an initial point of assessment for minor or common conditions. As PAs become more experienced and undertake further training and development, they can take on additional skills and responsibilities.  

The coordination, standardisation and development of PA roles in the NHS is an ongoing, as seen in the publication of the Leng Review in July 2025. 

Regulation and programme accreditation 

Regulation of PAs by the GMC began on 13 December 2024. Following this, PA courses were assessed against quality standards by the GMC (all documents outlining these standards and the expected learning outcomes for PAs can be found here). The University of Leeds successfully received accreditation in April 2025. We wish to thank all placement providers for their ongoing support and engagement with GMC quality assurance processes. 

PA students and the curricula 

PA students come onto the course having completed an undergraduate degree in a health-related science, primarily a BSc Biomedical Science Degree. MSc Physician Associate Studies is then an intensive and challenging 2-year course with a spiral curriculum and over 1500 hours of clinical placement – please see the  25/26 Curriculum Poster for more information around this. 

Year 1 is mainly campus-based as they build their foundation of knowledge and skills. Year 2 is mainly placement-based as they apply these to real world settings. Our students gain experience in a wide range of primary, secondary and community settings and are supported by all members of the multidisciplinary team. 

Our sincere thanks to all involved in supporting our physician associate students on placement over the years. If you would like to get involved further or have any questions, please get in touch with Sarah Howarth (Academic Lead for Placements – [email protected]) or Anna Foley (Partnerships and Placements Manager for Clinical Programmes – [email protected])