Physician Associates (PAs)

What is a physician associate?

Physician associates (PAs) are clinical graduates, trained to the medical model and intended to seamlessly integrate with the modern healthcare workforce. They have received 4-5 years of training, having completed an intensive 2-year university course at diploma or Masters’ level and a 3-year biomedical or healthcare-related degree. In a few cases, the physician associate may have trained via a 4 year undergraduate Masters' of Physician Associates Studies (MPAS) course. With 37 Higher Education Institutes providing PA training programmes, there is an increasing number of qualified PAs in the UK.

PAs are intended not as a substitute for GPs, but as a complementary role, to work alongside the wider practice team in providing continuity of care for patients, especially those with long-term conditions. PAs can diagnose illnesses, develop management plans, and perform physical examinations. With support, PAs can conduct themselves autonomously; they require a named consultant for supervision purposes, but as they gain experience, the necessary level of supervision will decrease.

How should I go about recruiting a physician associate?

Recommended guidelines:

• Ensure that your GP practice is clear on what role they need to fill, and the duties involved in primary care.
• Write a clear job description detailing the duties of the role / what is expected of the PA. Bear in mind that the PCN will need to grant the PA some variation in working hours when offering the job position.
• Produce a clearly-defined and thorough job plan for the PA, taking into account CPD / career progression and a means by which to monitor their progress in primary care.