Physician Associate Studies

Course overview

The Physician Associate MSc is taught by UK trained PAs, doctors, pharmacists, nurses, midwives and paramedics. You learn from the multidisciplinary team that you will work with in the future. It equips you with the skills to take a medical history, perform physical examinations, request and interpret investigations, diagnose and develop treatment and management plans.

The integrated curriculum ensures our graduates are optimally prepared for the PA Registration Assessment (PARA). It includes significant time in local and regional clinical placements and simulation facilities. 

The PA programme launched in 2016, with the first graduates exiting in 2018, and we have a 100% pass rate on the PARA. The student experience is at the heart of how we deliver the course and we encourage an open and honest dialogue with our students throughout their two years. It is a very challenging but ultimately very rewarding experience.

At a time of significant change in the NHS, PAs are playing a valuable role supporting doctors and the wider team in the diagnosis and management of patients. To understand what a Physician Associate does on a day-to-day basis, visit the NHS ‘explore roles’ page where you will find more information and videos. You can also keep up-to-date with our own BSMS PAs on our X page: @BSMSPAs. 

Course structure

One day a week is spent in a General Practice placement and the remaining three days on campus for large and small group teaching, clinical skills and anatomy.

Friday teaching is delivered online, consistent with the latest evidence and best teaching practice. There will be some Fridays, were assessments or teaching are best suited to in-person delivery, and attendance on campus is required. Adequate notice is provided as to mode of delivery.

• Biomedical and Clinical Sciences for PAs – A (includes problem-based learning) (60 credits)
• Clinical Skills for PAs – A (includes communication and physical exam skills) (30 credits)
• Clinical Practice for PAs – A (GP placements) (15 credits)
• Pharmacology and Prescribing for PAs (15 credits)
• PA as a Professional Evaluation Report (PAPER) – A (10 credits)

Year Two

• Biomedical and Clinical Sciences for PAs – B (15 credits)
• Clinical Skills for PAs – B (15 credits)
• Clinical Practice for PAs – B (clinical placements in regional secondary care trusts and GPs) (70 credits)
• Preparation for Practice (student selected placement within affiliated trusts) (10 credits)
• Evidence Based Practice (3000 word dissertation) (20 credits)
• PA as a Professional Evaluation Report (PAPER) – B (10 credits)

In the second year of study, students are on placement in one of the three regional trusts; East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (ESHT), Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (SASH), University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. Time is also spent at Sussex Partnership NHS Trust for Psychiatry placements in Crawley. While every effort is made to accommodate student preferences, no guarantees can be made of any one particular placement or location.

Assessment

Assessments are designed in a way to best prepare students for the PARA national exam. They comprise of written papers (Single Best Answer (SBA)), dissertation submission, portfolio submissions, presentation and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs).

Term dates – 2024-2025

Cohort 24-26:

Year 1

Term 1: 9 September 2024 – 18 December 2024
Term 2: 6 January 2025 – 16 April 2025
Term 3: 23 April 2025 – 25 July 2025 (this includes assessment period through resits)

Cohort 25-26:

To be confirmed but will be in line with the dates for 24-26.

Cohort 22-24

Year 2

2024

29 July – 2 Aug: Skills Boot Camp at university 
5 Aug  – 11 Oct: Clinical placements 
14 Oct – 18 Oct: University classroom week
21 Oct – 20 Dec: Clinical placements
23 Dec – 3 Jan 2025: Winter break

2025

6 Jan – 24 Jan: Clinical placements
27 Jan – 31 Jan: University classroom week
3 Feb – 11 April: Clinical placements
14 April – 25 April: Spring break
28 April – 16 May: Clinical placements
19 May – 23 May: University classroom week
26 May – 5 June: Clinical placements
9 June – 13 Jun: Revision week
16 June – 27 June: EXAM WEEK
30 June – 11 July: Clinical placement
14 July – 18 July: RESIT EXAM WEEK

Why BSMS? 

Our courses bring together a vibrant mix of professionals from a variety of health and social care backgrounds, ensuring that content is up to date and appropriate. As a result, students gain valuable insights into other disciplines, leading to stronger team working – and, ultimately, to better patient care. 

All our clinical courses include professional modules as standard, ensuring that students develop the skills and knowledge to meet the challenges of a changing health and social care sector. We tailor our courses to reflect the current changes taking place within the wider healthcare environment, including the NHS, local authorities and independent or third sector providers delivering or planning services.

Fees and funding

EU nationals are required to pay international fees and are not eligible for student funding from the UK government. However, there are exceptions to this for Irish nationals and EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. For the latest information, please see gov.uk/student-finance. If you do not have settled status in the UK and require a work visa, then you will be fee assessed as Overseas and will therefore be subject to the International fee rate.

Fees are charged per year. There are expected rises each academic year in line with inflation.

Find out more about fees and funding >

A training grant of approx. £5,306 split across the two years from NHS England (NHSE) has been available for students. This has been available to all students of PA programmes regardless of the university they study at. Universities do not receive confirmation that this will continue until the start of the academic year. Should this continue, it will be received by the university and automatically deducted from your fees. Please note that students do not need to apply for this.

Students can also apply for a Postgraduate student loan of approx. £10,250.

Our BSMS Alumni Postgraduate Scholarships are open for 2025-26 entry.

Alumni with a prior award from BSMS, the University of Sussex or University of Brighton will be eligible for a 20% discount on postgraduate fees, which will be automatically awarded to students who meet the eligibility criteria.