Physician Associate, MSc (Degree Apprenticeship)
Learn how to develop professional and clinical knowledge to become a Physician Associate on this innovative and challenging programme.
Physician Associates are an invaluable part of the wider multidisciplinary healthcare team. They practice under the supervision of a doctor to provide care for patients in a range of clinical settings.
The MSc Physician Associate is developed in line with the professional standards and curriculum set by the Faculty of Physician Associates (FPA) and the General Medical Council (GMC). This course is designed for graduates with a degree in biological, pharmaceutical, biomedical, or health science who are interested in a career in healthcare. To apply, you need to be employed by a National Health Service (NHS) Trust/healthcare organization as an apprentice physician associate, and your employer will fund your apprenticeship.
School
Location
Duration
3 years part-time
Start month
September
Fees information
For fee information related to this course, please see fees section below
What you should know about this course
What you will study
About the course team
When you join us, you will be taught by an experienced team of experts with an academic, research and clinical background. This includes practicing clinicians from a range of disciplines, including UK trained and registered Physician Associates. The University of Greenwich has a long history in health care education and our academics are leaders in their respective fields committed to sharing their expertise with aspiring clinicians and health professionals.
Come and meet us
We are offering virtual events so that you can still experience how Greenwich could be the right university for you.
Next Open Days
Got a question?
To find out more about our Open Days and Campus Tours or if you need any assistance, please email opendays@gre.ac.uk.
Entry requirements
Qualification
Applicants will normally have a 2:1 or above at undergraduate level in a biological, biomedical, or health profession degree.
We will consider alternative academic qualifications on a case by case basis and may ask for additional details of course and module content to review for suitable human anatomy and physiology content;
- A postgraduate qualification at Merit or Distinction may be considered in cases where the applicant’s first degree is lower than a Second Class award.
- Interview required demonstrating the NHS’s required values and behaviours
- DSB and health check required
Academic and professional references are required for application. Only references from a professional email address will be accepted.
Additionally, apprentices will need to demonstrate:
- Level 2 English & Maths
- For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeships English and Maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3, and a British Sign Language qualification is an alternative to English qualifications for whom this is their primary language.
For more information, contact courseinfo@greenwich.ac.uk or 020 8331 9000.
You can also read our admissions policy.
Further information about entry
Successful completion of the MSc Physician Associate will mean that you are eligible to sit the Physician Associate Registration Assessment national examination and register on the Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register or the General Medical Council (GMC) Physician Associate Register that will replace the voluntary register once GMC regulation starts.
Available to overseas students?
No
Can I use Prior Learning?
Find out more on our Recognition of Prior Learning pages.
How you will learn
Teaching
This course is delivered through blended learning - a combination of classroom and online lectures, where you will engage with learning material before your lecture and classroom time will be used to deepen understanding through discussion with peers. Activities will include problem-based learning cases studies facilitated by our educators.
Class sizes
We aim to recruit around 10-15 students to the Physician Associate programme each year. This class size may be split into smaller groups for seminar teaching for particular modules.
Students also take part in shared / collaborative modules with students on other health care programmes, providing a perfect opportunity to develop skills in group and team working. These collaborative classes are taken by around 50 students, with workshop and lab sessions working in smaller groups of around 15/20 students.
Independent learning
Outside of timetabled sessions, you are also expected to dedicate around 30 hours a week to self-study. This may involve further reading and research, preparing coursework and presentations, and preparing for tests and exams. Our facilities are designed to support you in these activities.
Overall workload
Each module you study towards this degree is worth 15 or 30 credits. These represent around 150 or 300 study hours respectively. If you receive 100 contact hours for a 30-credit module, you should expect to commit 200 hours to independent study to complete it successfully.
Assessment
We make use of a range of types of assessment, both summative and formative. You will undertake online and written examinations, clinical case presentations, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), as well as building a clinical portfolio of evidence of your competencies.
Feedback summary
Information coming soon.
Dates and timetables
Academic year: September Start (Only)
Fees and funding
Your time at university should be enjoyable, rewarding, and free of unnecessary stress. Planning your finances before you come to university can help to reduce financial concerns. We can offer advice on living costs and budgeting, as well as on awards, allowances and loans.
| Full time | Part time | Distance learning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home | N/A | TBC | N/A |
Accommodation costs
Whether you choose to live in halls of residence or rent privately, we can help you find what you're looking for. University accommodation is available from just over £100 per person per week (bills included), depending on your location and preferences. If you require more space or facilities, these options are available at a slightly higher cost.
Funding your study
There is a range of financial support options available to support your studies, including the Aspire@Greenwich award for study resources that many full-time students will receive.
Discover more about grants, student loans, bursaries and scholarships. We also provide advice and support on budgeting, money management and financial hardship.
Careers and placements
Will I have a work placement?
As an apprentice you will be learning on-the-job in clinical practice as well as during your off-the-job learning at the university. You will also undertake additional placements that offer further off-the-job learning opportunities. Whilst you will be allocated to one specific area for employment purposes you will experience a range of work based learning opportunities and you will rotate between different clinical specialties and areas of practice. Your course will involve a range of work based learning opportunities and you will rotate between different clinical specialties and areas of practice. In practice you will be allocated a clinical supervisor with responsibility for an identified trainee Physician Associate and who will support you in developing your knowledge and skills within the clinical environment. Placements are a fundamental part of the course and students need to experience a suitable range and type of clinical placements in order to achieve the required level of competency. Whilst on the course you will be required to compete range of clinical placements during which you will gain experience in a range of clinical specialities.
What sort of careers do graduates pursue?
Graduates from the Physician Associate MSc Degree Apprenticeship course will be part of a growing profession in the National Health Service (NHS) where vacancies currently exceed the supply of skilled professionals. On completion of the course there will be opportunity for career progression in either primary or secondary care with opportunity in over 20 specialties of medicine.
Career options for experienced Physician Associates also includes management, medical teaching or research and the course provides opportunity to develop these transferable skills. Further information can be found on the Faculty of Physician Associates website.
Do you provide employability services?
Our services are designed to help you achieve your potential and support your transition towards a rewarding graduate career. The Employability and Careers Service provides support when you are preparing to apply for placements and graduate roles. It includes CV clinics, mock interviews and employability skills workshops.
Support and advice
Academic skills and study support
Throughout your degree you will have opportunities to work effectively with patients, develop a range of practical and reasoning skills, and reflect on practice to identify your individual learning needs. The university offers a full range of pastoral and academic support services, that can be accessed via the Student Homepage for a wide range of student issues from accommodation to welfare. Students with disabilities will be supported by the specialist services such as Student wellbeing in conjunction with the programme team.
Support from the department
Support will be provided in the first instance through your personal tutor and the programme leader. Where necessary, you can use the support services offered by the university and you will be directed to these by the personal tutor or programme leader - https://www.gre.ac.uk/support You will also have support from your module leaders and dissertation supervisor during the research methods and project modules. Whilst in clinical practice, you will receive support from your practice supervisors.
Not quite what you were looking for?
We've got plenty of other courses for you to choose from. Browse our postgraduate courses or check our related courses below.....
PE, sport and exercise science at the University of Greenwich
Are you interested in teaching or coaching sport? We stand out as one of the few London universities with sports pitches on campus, plus we’ve got a new strength and conditioning lab and great links with Charlton Athletic FC.
Visit our PE, sport and exercise science degrees page.
PE, sport and exercise science degrees
Teacher training at the University of Greenwich
Study at a university with over a century of experience training teachers. We’ve got strong links with schools, and our primary education courses are rated outstanding by Ofsted.
Visit our teacher training degrees page.
Teacher training degrees
Mode of study
Select from the dropdown below.
| Course level | |
| UCAS code | |
| Duration | |
| Location |