Surrey’s longstanding excellent reputation and first-rate facilities combine to provide a postgraduate diploma that will prepare you for an exciting career as a physician associate.
You will be taught by Academics who are internationally recognised for their expertise in medical and who possess a wealth of experience and knowledge.
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
This programme of study, skills development and placement experience allows you to build upon a first degree in biosciences, life sciences or health sciences in order to function as a qualified physician associate.
The programme teaches you to assess, diagnose and manage medical problems competently, consulting with patients presenting with a variety of specified conditions on behalf of, and under supervision of, a senior experienced doctor.
By the end of the programme, you will be able to deliver holistic medical care and treatment to a standard defined by the National Examination for Physician Associates, which will enable you to work in either Primary or Secondary Care.
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
The programme consists of eight taught modules.
On successful completion of the programme, students will receive a Post Graduate Diploma in Physician Associate Studies, but will also need to sit a National Examination comprising a written paper and OSCE examination, set by the Faculty of Physician Associates at the Royal College of Physicians, in order to be able to practise in the NHS.
On passing the National Examinations, the graduate can be registered on the National Register (currently a Voluntary Register but awaiting accreditation and appointment of a Regulatory Body). The graduate can only work as a physician associate in the NHS if he/she is on this National Register. The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
-Introduction to Case Based Life Course Medicine
-Case Based Life Course Medicine 2
-Case Based Life Course Medicine 3
-Case Based Life Course Medicine 4
-Clinical Medicine – Mother and Child, and Psychiatry
-Clinical Medicine – Emergency Care and Surgery
-Clinical Medicine – Medicine and General Practice (1)
-Clinical Medicine – General Practice (2) and Elective
WHAT IS A PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATE?
Physician associates support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients. As a physician associate, you might work in a GP surgery or be based in a hospital, but wherever you work, you'll have direct contact with patients.
You’ll be trained to perform a number of day-to- day tasks including:
-Taking medical histories
-Performing examinations
-Diagnosing illnesses
-Analysing test results
-Developing management plans
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Following successful graduation from this Diploma course, you will need to sit the National Assessment for Physician Associates, set by the Faculty of Physician Associates at the Royal College of Physicians, London.
Passing the National Assessment will allow you to be put onto the National Register for Physician Associates, so that you can practise clinically in the UK.
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME
The overarching educational aim of the programme is to train graduates with a first degree in Biosciences, Life Sciences or Health Sciences, or suitable approved programme, to Post Graduate Diploma level, to function as a qualified physician associate (on passing the National Examination).
Physician associates will be able to:
-Deliver holistic medical care and treatment under defined levels of supervision, in acute and primary care settings in the National Health Service.
-Work effectively with patients and multi-disciplinary healthcare teams from diverse backgrounds.
-Use a patient-centred approach, and be expert communicators, ensuring patient safety at all times
-Promote health and wellbeing on an individual and population basis
-Engage in reflective practice, work within the limits of their competence and engage actively in lifelong learning and professional development
This training includes the necessary knowledge, skills and professional attitudes needed to work to the medical model, demonstrating safe medical practice, medical competence, compassion, reflective and critical thinking in diagnostic reasoning and clinical management.
Graduates will be able to assess, diagnose and manage medical problems competently, consulting with patients presenting with a variety of specified conditions on behalf of, and under supervision of a senior experienced doctor.
They will be able to understand and demonstrate the principles of safe and effective prescribing.
Graduates will be trained to a standard defined by the National Examination for Physician Associates that will enable them to work as physician associates in the National Health Service, with appropriate accreditation and regulation once these have been decided and implemented.
PROGRAMME LEARNING OUTCOMES
Knowledge and understanding
-Demonstrate knowledge of core competencies to medical conditions met during the two year course (in Primary and Secondary Care placements and coursework), as listed in the Competence and Curriculum Framework for the Physician Assistant, 2012.
-Ability to summarise the structure and function of the normal human body throughout the life course
-Ability to describe the pathological basis of core medical conditions throughout the life course
-Ability to describe the wider determinants of health on the individual and society
-Demonstrate application of knowledge and skills in a patient-centred manner for the management of core medical conditions throughout the life course, applying knowledge effectively through clinical reasoning and professional judgement in situations of complexity and uncertainty and in the context of the individual patient’s needs and wishes
-Demonstrate ability to request and interpret common diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for a specified range of common clinical conditions, having demonstrated a comprehensive and critical awareness of the research evidence, national and local guidelines
-Demonstrate ability to act safely and promptly in a number of specified acute medical emergencies, taking measures to avoid clinical deterioration of the patient and making a comprehensive and appropriate referral
-Analyse and interpret evidence to the range of medical presentations detailed in the List of Patient Presentations and the Case Matrix
-Demonstrate competence in performing the full core set of clinical procedural skills (taught in both years)
-Demonstrate professional insight, knowledge of self, and reflective practice in the approach to patients and to clinical medicine
-Demonstrate knowledge of national guidelines and relevant protocols in clinical medicine, and of the structure and function of healthcare in the UK
-Demonstrate a common core set of skills, knowledge and values that promote equality, respect diversity, help promote more effective and integrated services and acknowledge the rights of children, young people and their families, and vulnerable groups
-Describe the ethical and legal responsibilities of healthcare professionals and demonstrate their application to daily clinical practice
Intellectual / cognitive skills
-Interpreting evidence/ determining the requirement for additional evidence – demonstrate ability to interpret findings from a consultation, select interpret and act upon appropriate investigations
-Clinical reasoning and judgement in diagnosis and management – demonstrate ability to formulate a reasonable differential diagnosis, based on data presented and in order of likely diagnoses
-Show ability to recognise when more information is needed, and have a reasonable idea where to find it
-Show ability to seek help if the clinical situation is beyond student/ clinician’s level of competence
-Therapeutics and prescribing – using the British National Formulary as needed, demonstrate understanding of prescribing in clinical setting, under medical supervision. Write accurate and legible prescriptions, or demonstrate accurate use of a computer to generate prescriptions for review and signature by a supervising clinician
-Understand issues that can affect patient compliance with medication and demonstrate strategies to negotiate and improve compliance
-Common core skills and knowledge when working with children, young people and families – demonstrate effective communication and recognise when to take appropriate action in safeguarding
-Awareness of guiding principles and current developments in the NHS
-Public Health – demonstrate how to apply the principles of promoting health and preventing disease, and how to assess community needs in relation to services provided
Professional practical skills
-The patient relationship – demonstrate ability to develop and maintain clinician/ patient relationships, communicating effectively and appropriately with patients and carers
-Explain the boundaries to the PA-patient professional relationship and what they signify
-Perform a holistic assessment, identifying and prioritising problems, and facilitate patient/carer involvement in management, planning and control of health and illness
-Demonstrate ability to provide useful and appropriate health education
-History taking and consultation skills – demonstrate ability to take an appropriate, focussed, and patient-centred history, including the triple diagnosis (physical, psychological and social), and demonstrate how to elicit patients’ ideas, concerns and expectations
-Examination – demonstrate ability to perform an appropriate focussed clinical examination, including a mental state examination if indicated
-Clinical planning and procedures – demonstrate ability to formulate and implement appropriate management plans in collaboration with the patient, the supervising doctor and the multi-professional team
-Demonstrate ability to perform the list of specified core procedural skills safely and competently
-Risk management – demonstrate ability to recognise potential clinical risk situations and take appropriate action. Participate in clinical governance and clinical audit. Demonstrate safe and effective monitoring and follow-up of patients in liaison with acute and primary care/ community teams
-Maintenance of good practice - critically evaluate own performance and practice, identifying learning needs
-Demonstrate how to use evidence, guidelines and audit (including significant event analysis) to benefit patient care and improve professional practice
-Moving and Handling – demonstrate appropriate manual handling techniques for a variety of situations, using any appropriate aids provided
Key / transferable skills
-Professional behaviour and probity
-Showing integrity and sensitivity
-Recognising and working within own limits of professional competence
-Maintaining effective relationships with colleagues
-Documentation and information management – maintaining timely and relevant medical records
-9Teamwork – understand and value the roles of the health and social care teams, demonstrate communication across team boundaries effectively, including handing over patient care
-Time/ resources management – understand and manage own constraints and those of the NHS
-Ethical and legal issues – demonstrate understanding of patients’ rights, competency, confidentiality, informed consent, care of vulnerable patients and how to respond to complaints
-Equality and diversity – demonstrate understanding of people’s rights in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, act with respect towards all patients, colleagues and students, and know how to take action if patients are being abused
GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES
We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.
In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.
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