Physician Associate Studies

Why study this subject? A career as a Physician Associate (PA) will mean that you will support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients. This might be in a hospital or a GP surgery. You will be part of a growing profession in the NHS where vacancies currently exceed the supply of skilled professionals, so its a great opportunity to gain employment both nationally and locally.

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University? At BNU, we have great links with several partners within the local community such as Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, so you’ll add exceptional work experience to your CV. The programme has a strong employability focus, working with the trust to solve local skill needs and enable you to become an effective Physician Associate for the rest of your career. Should you wish to stay local and work in Buckinghamshire, your experience will put you in a prime position to continue your role after university.

BNU has a number of well-established partnerships with other health organisations in South-East England too, including Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to enhance your experience and promote practice based learning. Therefore, you will be equipped with experience and expertise that will give you an excellent start to your career as a Physician Associate. In addition to our close links with local and regional trusts and organisations, we are in an ideal location close to London which makes commuting to your course easy and stress free, with a variety on online resources too.

What facilities can I use? We have invested in state-of-the-art, simulated clinical skills areas. You will regularly spend time in these areas, to practise technical skills and use the newest technologies in a safe and supportive environment. In addition, as a student of BNU you will gain access to our gym, personal training sessions, physiotherapy and sports therapy clinic as well as our student union at a heavily discounted price. If you were thinking of doing something extracurricular, why not make use of our sports hall and live music events? All events, activities and societies are free of charge and you can find a range of interests no matter your age, fitness levels or preferences.

What will I study? Our experienced lecturers will prepare you with all the skills you need to provide care and treatment to patients. You will learn to carry out a range of medical activities such as physical examinations, medical histories, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The programme draws on broad science principles whereby anatomical and patho-physiological processes are incorporated into a healthcare practice context. This course was designed in partnership with trusts and placement organisations and we aim to provide all the required skills and knowledge to succeed in placement and in the world of work afterwards.

Over the course of the programme, you will undertake a minimum of 1,600 hours of clinical practice (up to 200 hours of simulation) in order to achieve competency framework requirements. Practice will cover a variety of clinical placements, such as General Practice, Acute Medicine, Accident and Emergency, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Mental Health, Surgery and an opportunity to undertake an elective placement in areas such as: Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, Neurology and more.

Career prospects Upon graduation you can progress to work as a Physician Associate in a range of clinical environments in Primary and Secondary care, including GP surgeries, hospital inpatient wards, and A&E departments.

Your varied clinical placements will prepare you for the working world and give you great employment opportunities after graduation. During the placement, you will have the opportunity to work in the following areas: Accident and Emergency, General Practice, Mental Health and other clinical departments.