Physician Associate Studies MSc

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2025-26.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

You'll develop your understanding of clinical practice through a combination of:

• case-based self-directed learning
• clinical skills laboratory teaching
• hands-on experience in clinical settings

Year one runs over 46 weeks and includes:

• five weeks training in clinical, communication and diagnostic skills. This is using mannequin-based and role-play simulations
• a 27-week course introducing core clinical knowledge. This is through clinical case studies and lectures
• one day a week in a primary care setting. You'll be developing history taking and examination skills
• a five-week placement in a hospital-based setting to introduce the role of the PA
• introduction to research methodologies
• preparation for undertaking the dissertation element in Year 2

Year two comprises 32 weeks of essential rotations. The rotations are in:

• emergency medicine
• mental health
• primary care
• obstetrics and gynaecology
• paediatrics
• general medicine
• surgery

You will then undertake an eight-week apprenticeship in a specialty of your choice. Students will set their own learning objectives and work with the team to experience working as a PA under clinical supervision.

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

• Dissertation
• Observation of professional practice
• Written examination
• Written exercise
• Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

Assessments will include:

• 7,500 word dissertation which will represent audit or a literature review to support patient safety and/or quality improvement
• written exam - comprised of single best answer questions
• clinical exams - consisting of Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE's)
• written skills exam - assessing your ability to request diagnostics and interpret data
• professionalism- is assessed throughout the course
• self-directed diary of learning/portfolio of evidence
• skills assessments in the workplace

Your teaching and learning is also supported by the Medical Learning Environment (MLE). MLE is a Virtual Learning Environment. You'll use the MLE to view your calendar, complete learning diary entries and view the course resources.

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:

• PA team, academics and clinical tutors
• University Student Services Team, in particular the dedicated post graduate student support
• School of Medicine Wellbeing Advisor
• near peers

You'll also be assigned an academic member of staff. They will be your personal tutor throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.

• Mrs Emma McAllister - Degree Programme Director
• Ms Lana Shakespeare PA- Year 1 Lead
• Ms Alice Fitzpatrick PA - Year 2 Lead
• Ms Nicola Townshend – Learning and teaching assistant

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Check the government’s website for more information.

For 2024 entry,  NHS England will support eligible students enrolled onto the MSc Physician Associate Studies course with an education bursary of £2,653 in each year of study. The bursary for 2025 entry has not yet been confirmed.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database. 

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information. 

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section.

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.