This internationally recognised course is designed to train healthcare professionals to be the clinical leaders of the future by providing a mix of clinical and professional knowledge relevant to the practice of cardiology in contemporary healthcare.
Learning in key professional domains includes service leadership and development, research, commissioning and communication and teaching. The cardiology content of the programme provides comprehensive learning to meet the professional development needs of a wide range of practitioners working in cardiology including: doctors, nurses, paramedics, pharmacists, physiologists and radiographers.
The course aims to increase students’ practical and theoretical knowledge of advanced clinical and interventional cardiology, by promoting their exploration of the current evidence for diagnosis and treatment. The course seeks to enable the student to use this evidence toward good practice through focussing on the practical aspects of the care of common cardiac conditions from a medical and patient perspective. In addition, the course aims to promote a wider understanding of the differing profiles and contributory roles of the various health care professionals involved in the care of cardiac patients.
Most modules are assessed by means of a 3,000 word in-depth evaluation of a topic agreed by the student and module leader. The clinical modules are also assessed by means of an unseen written examination.
PGCert
PGDip
PGCert Modules PLUS
AND
OR
MSc
PGDip Modules
PLUS
On completion of the course, students will have a broad understanding of cardiovascular medicine combined with a portfolio of advanced research and leadership skills to support the development of specialist interest in cardiology and enhance career opportunities.
Physician Associate (formerly known as Physician Assistant) is a rapidly growing healthcare role in the UK, working alongside doctors in hospitals and in GP surgeries. Physician Associates support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients. They are trained to perform a number of roles including: taking medical histories, performing examinations, analysing test results, and diagnosing illnesses under the direct supervision of a doctor.
To understand what a Physician Associate does on a day-to-day basis, Health Education England have produced this informative Day in the Life of a Physician Associate video.
We also run a flexible MSc Physician Associate programme for those who already have their Postgraduate Diploma from a UK or Irish institution.
Please note: the British Physician Associate programme does not qualify you to work in the USA.
The University of Birmingham has been training Physician Associates (formerly Physician Assistants) since January 2008. As one of the longest running programmes in the country, we are delighted to offer this opportunity to graduates to make a valuable contribution to the nation’s health. We work in partnership with hospitals and practices in the Midlands and beyond.
The development of the profession has been led by the Department of Health and has involved the Royal Colleges of Physicians and of General Practitioners as well as the profession itself through the former UK Association of Physician Associates (UKAPA) which is now the Faculty of Physician Associates at the Royal College of Physicians. University of Birmingham staff have taken a key role in the development of the programme at a national as well as a regional level in response to need identified by local healthcare providers. Successful completion of the programme will qualify you to practise as a Physician Associate in the UK.
Please note: the UK PA training programme does not qualify you to work in the USA.
The course
The course leaders regard integration of theory and practice as fundamental to clinical learning.
Regulation
All students will be registered with the Faculty of Physician Associates at the Royal College of Physicians. Graduates currently join a Managed Voluntary Register.
This is a very intense course with a large amount of knowledge and skills to acquire in a relatively short time. You will need to dedicate at least 50 hours each week to learning, much of it by yourself and with your learning set.
At the University of Birmingham we believe in very close integration between the theory learning (‘the hip is a ball and socket joints and the femur anatomy is as follows’ and clinical learning (‘when people fracture their hips it happens like this, they present like this, and your understanding of the hip anatomy enables you to understand why and how hips fracture’). You will also link theory and practice by learning, say, how to examine a hip on each other, on a simulated patient and (often) on a real patient before you see such a patient in a clinical environment.
Birmingham-trained Physician Associates have been very successful in the NHS jobs market with most of our graduates on NHS Agenda for Change Band 7 (starting at £31,383 p,a.) or higher.
Our graduates are working all across the UK (although about half have stayed in the West Midlands) and in a wide range of specialties including: general medicine, acute medicine, cardiology, paediatrics, breast surgery, trauma and orthopaedics, mental health, emergency medicine and General Practice. Many have also chosen to go into teaching and research (part-time while maintaining clinical duties), with five of our graduates currently teaching here at Birmingham.
The number of NHS Trusts and Practices seeking Physician Associates (and the average number working for each Trust/Practice) has increased rapidly throughout the last few years, and we would expect that number to continue to increase at a similar pace over the next few years.
Cardiovascular diseases remain a major cause of death and ill health worldwide. This established MSc programme, taught by scientists and clinicians who are leaders in their field, offers students the opportunity to learn about topical areas in cardiovascular science, preparing them for further research or a career in industry.
Students will develop a detailed knowledge of molecular and cellular cardiovascular science, animal models of cardiovascular disease, microvascular biology and mechanisms by which the heart and vasculature function in health and disease, as well as laboratory and statistical methods. They will gain valuable research skills and an awareness of the ethical, legal and social aspects of developments in cardiovascular disease.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of five core modules (90 credits), two optional modules (30 credits) and the research project (60 credits).
Core modules
Optional modules
30 credits of optional modules drawn from the following:
Clinical Cardiology is an academic MSc module rather than a standard clinical placement. The emphasis is on appreciating the impact of advances in cardiovascular science upon clinical practice.
Dissertation/research project
All MSc students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000-12,000 words and an oral presentation (60 credits).
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, presentations, tutorials, journal clubs, a quiz, statistical and laboratory practicals and anatomical examination of human congenital heart disease specimens. Assessment is through written and oral examinations, coursework essays, case reports, journal club and other oral presentations and the dissertation.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Cardiovascular Science MSc
All graduates of this programme will be well placed for a PhD in this field and a career in research, and will have a sound basis for entry into the pharmaceutical industry.
Basic scientists may use the MSc as a stepping-stone to MBBS studies. The programme also provides an excellent training for related fields such as scientific journalism and in areas requiring critical appraisal of complex data.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
In addition to the academic insight into cardiovascular science, this programme supports the development of a wide range of skills which students will use at work.
Oral and written communication skills are enhanced. Writing essays and the research project dissertation involves searching the literature, selection and interpretation of publications, and organisation of complex ideas into the final report.
Learning activities in the statistics module develop quantitative analytical skills.
Students undertake group and independent projects. They gain insight into research planning and time management. They are supported by a personal tutor and informed by careers events and UCL Careers.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
The UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science brings together world-leading scientists and clinicians working in cardiovascular research to conduct innovative research for the prevention and treatment of diseases of the heart and circulation, and provide world-class teaching and training, and forward-thinking policy development.
UCL has one of the largest, most dynamic cardiovascular research bases in the UK. This interdisciplinary programme is taught in collaboration with UCLH, the Institute of Ophthalmology, the Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Barts Heart Centre, offering students access to a world-leading community at the forefront of cardiovascular research.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Institute of Cardiovascular Science
80% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
This Postgraduate Diploma has been designed to enable you to develop the skills required to become a competent and confident Physician Associate (PA). The programme of study provides an opportunity for you to develop mastery in a range of core PA qualities for example; holistic assessment techniques and appropriate therapeutic interventions, with the ability to diagnose and or manage an agreed range of clinical problems.
The programme aims to develop you to be a flexible and adaptable practitioner, enabling you to engage in new ways of working in relation to health care priorities and to lead and develop practice to ensure high quality patient care delivery. Physician Associates are pivotal to the provision of optimal, higher level care delivery in current and future health arenas; to contribute to this agenda the programme has been designed to develop your core PA characteristics as a critical enquirer and a professional with confidence and competence to challenge, lead and innovate at different levels of care delivery, within a dynamic, inter-professional health care context.
You may go on to specialise in a range of areas including surgery, emergency medicine or primary care.
The programme has been developed in response to identified and anticipated demands for increasing the number PA’s with advanced skills and critical understanding. For the award of the Postgraduate Diploma you will study six 20 credit modules which will include an option module for study in an area of your choice.
You will also be able to select an elective module form a range of topics. You will have an opportunity to develop your practice skills in a range of clinical settings.
Placements
Physician Associate’s are required to work mainly 9.00 am -5.00 pm Monday – Friday, however on occasions they may work outside of these hours including evenings, nights, weekends and Bank Holidays if required. You will be working alongside medical staffing and the shift patterns they work too.
This course aims to meet professional development needs in the field of Physician Associate Studies. The programme has been designed in collaboration with clinical stakeholders, service users and carers and members of the Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing academic team, which has over many years provided Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes for a range of healthcare staff.
It is envisaged that medical colleagues will work in partnership with academic staff who have achieved advanced professional qualifications and who are now subject specialists involved in advisory and research roles; locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
There will be contributions in modules from the Medical Professoriate who are actively involved in research that is influencing care in local, regional, national and international arenas.
Use of the new and highly innovative Physician Associate Laboratory featuring some world-leading technology to help explore anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology. This includes an 'Anatomage Table’ which allows digital dissection of gross anatomy and human (and animal) body system specific images.
The Faculty of Education Health and Wellbeing series of seminars and lectures spans education, sport, care, psychology health and wellbeing, bringing you a variety of engaging speakers and experts from the University of Wolverhampton and many other UK universities, visit http://www.wlv.ac.uk/fehw/lectures
Following graduation form the course you may be able to apply for an internship at one of the local, regional or national healthcare providers which are designed as a period of employment following qualification within which the Physician Associate receives a higher level than normal of supervision and clinical experience. It provides an opportunity to consolidate your learning from initial training and demonstrate its translation into competence in practice.
Physician Associates have been employed locally in the Midlands as follows:
Dudley Group of Hospitals Russells Hall Hospital
George Eliot Hospital
Sandwell and West Birmingham/ City Hospital
Solihull and Birmingham Mental Health
Mid Staffordshire Stafford
University Hospitals Birmingham Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Birmingham Children’s Hospital
Education Opportunities
Following completion of the Postgraduate Diploma you would be able to progress to one of our Top-up Masters Awards such as MSc Health and Social Care or a Professional Doctorate programmes
The MA in Clinical Education addresses the contemporary context, educational theory and practical teaching skills relevant to practitioners of all disciplines involved in education and training of healthcare professionals.
This programme enables participants to develop their research and analytical capabilities in order to:
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of a number of optional modules covering a range of clinical education topics, and either a dissertation (60 credits) or a report (30 credits).
A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) is offered.
A Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits) is offered.
Optional modules
There are no core modules for this programme.
Optional modules
Flexibility and choice are key features of this exciting and innovative programme.
Consequently, there are no core modules, and students may choose from a wide range of optional modules covering a range of topics, from introductory modules on teaching and learning to new modules on leadership, quality improvement and teaching ethics and law.
Dissertation/report
All MA students submit either a dissertation or a report.
The dissertation is based on original empirical research, whereas the report is based on secondary research, often taking the form of a literature review.
Both options have a prerequisite module which is designed to support the research that you plan to undertake. This module should normally be taken in the academic year prior to commencing the dissertation or report, but can be taken in the same academic year.
Teaching and learning
This programme is delivered through a combination of face-to-face daytime and evening sessions and online distance learning. Assessment is by coursework assignments, including 5,000-word essays with reflective components.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Clinical Education MA
Graduates of this programme are currently working across a broad range of areas. Some are working as teaching clinicians in a range of disciplines and professional roles, while others have jobs as lecturers and researchers in clinical and non-clinical areas. Graduates can also be found working as clinical education policy-makers and managers.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
The programme team have extensive expertise and experience in research and practice in clinical education and training. The programme has been developed and run in collaboration with experts from a variety of educational fields across UCL, including the world-renowned Institute of Education (IOE), from the NHS and from policy-makers such as Health Education England.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: UCL Medical School
80% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
This course is suitable for a range of health care professionals who have experience in radiography, nursing, midwifery or other related professions.
The course enables students to achieve the academic qualifications and clinical skills needed to pursue a career in ultrasound or to develop current skills further.
Students need a clinical placement in a recognised department, to engage in a wide range of ultrasound examinations for the duration of the course.
City’s Medical Ultrasound course offers flexible study options for healthcare professionals undertaking obstetrics, gynaecology and / or abdominal ultrasound training and for those wishing to develop their skills further using work based learning options.
Our expert staff provide a supportive environment, encouraging students to develop their academic abilities and clinical skills in preparation for working as a sonographer. Students learn a range of subjects to enable them to explore the underpinning knowledge of safe, effective and evidence-based ultrasound practice, with which to help them develop clinical skills in their own department. Teaching is also supported by specialist guest speakers who provide current, relevant course material.
Students can achieve competency to practice if they successfully complete both academic and clinical components of the programme to PgC level or above.
The course is accredited by CASE (Consortium for the Accreditation of Sonographic Education), allowing you to practice ultrasound in the UK and some overseas countries, on successful completion of the programme. http://www.case-uk.org
A clinical placement is required in a recognised ultrasound department, to provide a wide range of clinical experience and supervision. Students should have their own clinical placement arranged prior to application, with supervised training arranged for an average of three days per week.
The placement needs to provide support for a wide range of clinical examinations. In addition to hands-on clinical experience you need a named clinical supervisor/assessor to provide support during the course. The supervisor must attend supervisor training and provide regular updates on your clinical progress to the clinical co-ordinator.
The ultrasound clinical skills suite is equipped with a real-time ultrasound machine and simulators. The facilities are used for tutorials, self-directed study and formative monitoring of clinical skills.
Students have access to the MedaPhor simulator during the working week and remote cloud based access to tutorials and resources.
Using a flipped classroom approach to teaching and learning ensure that a range of online lectures are available for learning and revision.
A blended learning approach is used: linking academic theory to clinical practice via work-based learning; formal key note lectures; seminars; film viewing tutorials; demonstrations/workshops; e-learning; shared learning; self-directed study and online case discussions. Participation in the learning is an essential component of the course.
The programme team consists of academic staff, many of whom are still practicing clinically. Guest lecturers are invited to share expert knowledge on a range of topics, such as fetal cardiology, fetal medicine and contrast ultrasound.
The department’s academic staff are highly regarded across the institution, with our current programme director, Gill Harrison, winning the institution's prestigious Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
Activities include online lectures and quizzes, lectures, tutorials, workshops and skills suite activities, group activities and group work, games and online case discussions.
A variety of assessment methods are used to cater for a range of learning styles and provide a link between theory and practice.
Assessment methods include
As a student on the Medical Ultrasound course you will learn the underpinning theory of ultrasound production, safe and effective practice, normal and abnormal ultrasound appearances and associated imaging pathways.
You will be able to select from a number of clinical options including obstetrics, gynaecology and / or abdominal ultrasound. Additional clinical areas can be studied via work-based learning modules, if appropriate clinical support is available within the students' clinical department. The course is also designed to develop transferable skills to support clinical practice development.
Modules will take place over one or two days per week, depending on the selected module options. The time in lectures varies, dependent on the nature of the module.
Core modules
Core modules and specific named clinical modules have a blended learning approach, with online lectures, online quizzes and discussions supported by lectures, tutorials and workshops. The average contact time per module is approximately 30 to 35 hours.
Students progressing to MSc must undertake:
On completion of a postgraduate certificate or diploma you can apply for jobs as an autonomous practitioner, working in the NHS or private practice. Many of our graduates have become advanced practitioners, developing additional skills during their career, whilst others have travelled to overseas to enhance their careers.
MSc graduates have also become managers of ultrasound departments, leading service change and developing services to improve patient care. A number of graduates have developed their role in specialist areas, where they undertake research and training and engage in dissemination of their work at national and international conferences and in peer review publications. Some of our graduates return to provide keynote lectures to future generations of ultrasound students or even take on the role of Programme Director running ultrasound programmes.
You can also become an independent practitioner, setting up your own company, providing services to local populations or travel the world and experience different ways of working. Most sonographers are employed at band seven in the NHS.
This programme enables practitioners to gain a formally recognised standard of competence in their chosen area of Special Interest. It is taught and run by advanced clinicians, allied health professionals and service improvement specialists. It is designed for General Practitioners, Nurse Specialists and other medical professionals working in the specialty clinical environment.
There are four distinct versions of the Diploma, tailored to the following specialisms:
As a part-time diploma, this programme contains a large element of work-based learning. Attendance is only required for a total of eight study days on five separate occasions throughout the 18 months, so is accessible to students nationally.
This well established programme is delivered by The Ridge Training Ltd., as an external partner to the Faculty of Health Studies at the University of Bradford. This falls under the collaborative provision regulations, so although the Programmes are taught wholly by The Ridge, quality assurance and assessment are governed by the University of Bradford regulations.
The programme structure is specifically designed to encourage the development of the specialist practitioner role, by encouraging collaborative clinical work-based training between the practitioner and the clinical mentor. The issues of ethics and informed consent are an integrated part of the students’ daily practice, and it is implicit in all the modules that there is conformity to the usual standards and guidelines in these areas.
During the programme the emphasis is on critical thinking, reflective learning and the practice of evidence-based medicine. Students are enabled to directly apply their learning to their current and future roles.
Each module has a number of set learning outcomes, and it is up to you, together with your self-identified local clinical mentor, to identify your learning needs and generate the training plan to fulfil these learning outcomes. You will have a teaching day on the clinical content of each module, after which you will attend at least 14 sessions in suitable clinics of your choice over a period of 6 months (clinical attachment). At the end of this period you will have to demonstrate your competency in managing patients, and an ability to critically reflect on your own practice.
Any module can be selected as a standalone if students do not wish to complete the whole programme. On successful completion of their chosen modules students will be awarded a Certificate. Students who successfully complete all modules gain the Diploma, and will be able to progress to the MSc for Practitioners with Special Interest if they wish. Students who successfully complete the Diploma will have greater breadth of knowledge of cardiology than those who complete the Certificate.
Students will be learning at The Ridge premises, which are located at Cousen Road, Bradford. BD7 3JX.
This is a quality venue, well equipped and an easily accessible location.
Find out more on The Ridge website.
Access:
The Musculoskeletal Medicine with Rheumatology for Practitioners with a Special Interest version of the Diploma is endorsed by the Primary Care Rheumatology Society.
Each module is worth 30 level 7 credits; this nominally equates to 300 hours of work.
120 credits are required to achieve Diploma level.
Certificate level can be achieved by completion of Applied Methodology plus one or two clinical modules.
Cardiology specialism
The British Cardiology Society accredit this programme
There are 3 clinical modules, each takes 6 months to complete:
Plus a non-clinical module – Applied Methodology. The assignments for this can be completed across the 18 months.
MSK with Rheumatology
The Primary Care Rheumatology Society (PCR) endorse this programme.
There are 3 clinical modules, each takes 6 months to complete:
Plus a non-clinical module – Applied Methodology. The assignments for this can be completed across the 18 months.
Gynaecology
There are three clinical modules, each takes 6 months to complete:
Plus a non-clinical module – Applied Methodology. The assignments for this can be completed across the 18 months.
Diabetes
There are three clinical modules, each takes 6 months to complete:
Plus a non-clinical module – Applied Methodology. The assignments for this can be completed across the 18 months.
Students can access the extensive Study Support resources provided by the University.
See: Learning Resources
Further support offered by the University include:
Further programme specific support is provided:
Induction takes place on the first day of the teaching programme. Students are guided through an overview of their chosen programme and the Blackboard system, where all the relevant documents are placed.
The programme tutors and the programme co-ordinator are committed to supporting students as they progress. They provide advice and guidance for all students on all aspects of the course both academically, administratively and pastorally.
Students are able to access the programme co-ordinator and tutors via individual contact (face to face, email or telephone).
Students working at the MSc level are expected to liaise on a regular basis with their project supervisor.
We focus on research themes that have a direct impact on the quality of care.
Our research is locally and internationally significant, undertaken in collaboration with NHS and other partners.
