Physician Associate Studies PGDip - 2020/1

Awarding body

University of Surrey

Teaching institute

University of Surrey

Framework

FHEQ Level 7

Final award and programme/pathway title

PGDip Physician Associate Studies

Subsidiary award(s)

Award Title
PGCert Medical Studies

Modes of study

Route code Credits and ECTS Credits
Full-time PTC56001 120 credits and 60 ECTS credits

QAA Subject benchmark statement (if applicable)

Other internal and / or external reference points

Faculty of Physician Associates at the Royal College of Physicians (FPA at the RCP) is the professional body and sets the National Examinations. There is currently no Regulatory Body, but this is being sought urgently by the UKIUBPAE and FPA at the RCP. Although not currently regulated, the programme will adhere to the Department of Health (2006, revised 2012) Competence and Curriculum Framework for Physician Assistants (now called Physician Associates in the UK). We anticipate that this will become an accredited programme within the next three years, supported by the FPA at the RCP. There is currently a managed voluntary register (MVR) for all Physician Associates working in the UK, held by the FPA at the RCP. General Medical Council Faculty of Physician Associates, Royal College of Physicians UK and Ireland Universities Board for Physician Associate Education

Faculty and Department / School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences - School of Health Sciences

Programme Leader

DOULTON Jia (Health Sci.)

Date of production/revision of spec

29/01/2022

Educational aims of the programme

  • Train graduates with a first degree in Biosciences, Life Sciences or Health Sciences, or suitable approved programme, to Post-Graduate Diploma level, to function as a qualified Physician Associate (on passing the National Examination).
  • Physician Associates will be able to: Deliver holistic medical care and treatment under defined levels of supervision, in acute and primary care settings in the National Health Service.
  • Physician Associates will be able to: Work effectively with patients and multi-disciplinary healthcare teams from diverse backgrounds.
  • Physician Associates will be able to: Use a patient-centred approach, and be expert communicators, ensuring patient safety at all times
  • Physician Associates will be able to: Promote health and well-being on an individual and population basis
  • Physician Associates will be able to: Engage in reflective practice, work within the limits of their competence and engage actively in lifelong learning and professional development
  • This training includes the necessary knowledge, skills and professional attitudes needed to work to the medical model, demonstrating safe medical practice, medical competence, compassion, reflective and critical thinking in diagnostic reasoning and clinical management. Graduates will be able to assess, diagnose and manage medical problems competently, consulting with patients presenting with a variety of specified conditions (Appendix 1) on behalf of, and under supervision of a senior experienced doctor. They will be able to understand and demonstrate the principles of safe and effective prescribing.
  • Graduates will be trained to a standard defined by the National Examination for Physician Associates that will enable them to work as Physician Associates in the National Health Service, with appropriate accreditation and regulation once these have been decided and implemented.

Programme learning outcomes

Attributes Developed Awards Ref.
Demonstrate knowledge of core competencies to medical conditions met during the two year course (in Primary and Secondary Care placements and coursework), as listed in the Competence and Curriculum Framework for the Physician Assistant, 2012 (Appendix 1). This is with particular relation to the background clinical knowledge required to safely and competently assess, diagnose and manage commonly occurring medical conditions at the standard required of a Physician Associate (ie under medical supervision) K PGDip
Ability to summarise the structure and function of the normal human body throughout the life course K PGDip
Ability to describe the pathological basis of core medical conditions throughout the life course K PGDip
Ability to describe the wider determinants of health on the individual and society K PGDip
Demonstrate application of knowledge and skills in a patient-centred manner for the management of core medical conditions throughout the life course, applying knowledge effectively through clinical reasoning and professional judgement in situations of complexity and uncertainty and in the context of the individual patient's needs and wishes. K PGDip
Demonstrate ability to request and interpret common diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for a specified range of common clinical conditions, having demonstrated a comprehensive and critical awareness of the research evidence, national and local guidelines. K PGDip
Demonstrate ability to act safely and promptly in a number of specified acute medical emergencies, taking measures to avoid clinical deterioration of the patient and making a comprehensive and appropriate referral. K PGDip
Analyse and interpret evidence to the range of medical presentations detailed in the List of Patient Presentations and the Case Matrix K PGDip
Demonstrate competence in performing the full core set of clinical procedural skills (taught in both years) K PGDip
Demonstrate professional insight, knowledge of self, and reflective practice in the approach to patients and to clinical medicine. K PGDip
Demonstrate knowledge of national guidelines and relevant protocols in clinical medicine, and of the structure and function of healthcare in the UK. K PGDip
Demonstrate a common core set of skills, knowledge and values that promote equality, respect diversity, help promote more effective and integrated services and acknowledge the rights of children, young people and their families, and vulnerable groups. K PGDip
Describe the ethical and legal responsibilities of healthcare professionals and demonstrate their application to daily clinical practice. K PGDip
Demonstrate basic applied knowledge for a specified range of common clinical conditions met during the first year of the course (in Primary Care placements and Case Based Study), as listed in the Competence and Curriculum Framework for the Physician Assistant, 2012 K PGCert
This includes: Ability to summarise the structure and function of the normal human body throughout the life course, Ability to describe the pathological basis of core medical conditions throughout the life course, Ability to describe the wider determinants of health on the individual and society K PGCert
Demonstrate a basic common core set of skills, knowledge and values that promote equality, respect diversity, and acknowledge the rights of children, young people and their families. K PGCert
Demonstrate ability to act safely and promptly in a number of specified acute medical emergencies covered in the first year of the course. This includes knowledge of 1a and 1b cases K PGCert
Demonstrate competence performing the core set of clinical skills taught in Year 1. K PGCert
Demonstrate professional insight, knowledge of own professional limitations, and reflective practice in the approach to patients and to clinical medicine K PGCert
Analyse and interpret evidence to the range of medical presentations covered during the first year of the course. This includes knowledge of 1a and 1b cases from the Case Matrix K PGCert
Demonstrate competence performing the core set of clinical skills taught in Year 1. K PGCert
Demonstrate professional insight, knowledge of self, and reflective practice in the approach to patients and to clinical medicine. K PGCert
Demonstrate basic knowledge of national guidelines and relevant protocols in clinical medicine, and of the structure and function of healthcare in the UK. K PGCert
Demonstrate a basic common core set of skills, knowledge and values that promote equality, respect diversity, help promote more effective and integrated services and acknowledge the rights of children, young people and their families, and vulnerable groups. K PGCert
Describe the ethical and legal responsibilities of healthcare professionals K PGCert
Interpreting evidence/ determining the requirement for additional evidence - demonstrate ability to interpret findings from a consultation, select interpret and act upon appropriate investigations. C PGDip
Clinical reasoning and judgement in diagnosis and management - demonstrate ability to formulate a reasonable differential diagnosis, based on data presented and in order of likely diagnoses. -Show ability to recognise when more information is needed, and have a reasonable idea where to find it. Show ability to seek help if the clinical situation is beyond student/ clinician's level of competence. C PGDip
Therapeutics and prescribing - using the British National Formulary as needed, demonstrate understanding of prescribing in clinical setting, under medical supervision. Write accurate and legible prescriptions, or demonstrate accurate use of a computer to generate prescriptions for review and signature by a supervising clinician. Understand issues that can affect patient compliance with medication and demonstrate strategies to negotiate and improve compliance. C PGDip
Common core skills and knowledge when working with children, young people and families - demonstrate effective communication and recognise when to take appropriate action in safeguarding. C PGDip
Awareness of guiding principles and current developments in the NHS C PGDip
Public Health - demonstrate how to apply the principles of promoting health and preventing disease, and how to assess community needs in relation to services provided. C PGDip
Interpreting evidence/ determining the requirement for additional evidence - demonstrate ability to interpret findings from a consultation, and demonstrate basic ability to select interpret and act upon appropriate investigations. C PGCert
Therapeutics and prescribing - using the British National Formulary as needed, demonstrate understanding of prescribing in clinical setting, under medical supervision. C PGCert
Understand issues that can affect patient compliance with medication and demonstrate strategies to negotiate and improve compliance. C PGCert
Common core skills and knowledge when working with children, young people and families - demonstrate effective communication and recognise when to take appropriate action in safeguarding. C PGCert
Awareness of guiding principles and current developments in the NHS C PGCert
Public Health - demonstrate how to apply the principles of promoting health and preventing disease, and how to assess community needs in relation to services provided. C PGCert
The patient relationship - demonstrate ability to develop and maintain clinician/ patient relationships, communicating effectively and appropriately with patients and carers. Explain the boundaries to the PA-patient professional relationship and what they signify.Perform a holistic assessment, identifying and prioritising problems, and facilitate patient/ carer involvement in management, planning and control of health and illness. Demonstrate ability to provide useful and appropriate health education. P PGDip
History taking and consultation skills - demonstrate ability to take an appropriate, focussed, and patient-centred history, including the triple diagnosis (physical, psychological and social), and demonstrate how to elicit patients' ideas, concerns and expectations. P PGDip
Examination - demonstrate ability to perform an appropriate focussed clinical examination, including a mental state examination if indicated. P PGDip
Clinical planning and procedures - demonstrate ability to formulate and implement appropriate management plans in collaboration with the patient, the supervising doctor and the multi-professional team. Demonstrate ability to perform the list of specified core procedural skills safely and competently P PGDip
Risk management - demonstrate ability to recognise potential clinical risk situations and take appropriate action. Participate in clinical governance and clinical audit. Demonstrate safe and effective monitoring and follow-up of patients in liaison with acute and primary care/ community teams. P PGDip
Maintenance of good practice - critically evaluate own performance and practice, identifying learning needs.Demonstrate how to use evidence, guidelines and audit (including significant event analysis) to benefit patient care and improve professional practice. P PGDip
Moving and Handling - demonstrate appropriate manual handling techniques for a variety of situations, using any appropriate aids provided. P PGDip
The patient relationship - demonstrate basic understanding of the importance of clinician/ patient relationships, communicating effectively and appropriately with patients and carers. Demonstrate basic ability to provide health education. P PGCert
History taking and consultation skills - demonstrate ability to take an appropriate focussed history, including the triple diagnosis (physical, psychological and social), and demonstrate how to elicit patients' ideas, concerns and expectations. P PGCert
Examination - demonstrate ability to perform an appropriate focussed clinical examination, including a mental state examination if indicated. P PGCert
Clinical planning and procedures - demonstrate ability to formulate and implement basic but appropriate management plans in collaboration with the patient and the supervising doctor. Demonstrate ability to perform a selection of the list of specified core procedural skills safely and competently in simulation, based on the Case Based Learning Clinical Skills sessions in Year 1 P PGCert
Clinical judgement in diagnosis and management - demonstrate ability to formulate a basic differential diagnosis, based on data presented and in order of likely diagnoses. Show ability to recognise when more information is needed, and have a reasonable idea where to find it. Show ability to seek help if the clinical situation is beyond student/ clinician's level of competence. P PGCert
Risk management - demonstrate ability to recognise potential clinical risk situations and take appropriate action. P PGCert
Maintenance of good practice - basic evaluation of own performance and practice, identifying learning needs. P PGCert
Moving and Handling - demonstrate appropriate manual handling techniques for a variety of situations, using any appropriate aids provided P PGCert
Professional behaviour and probity. Showing integrity and sensitivity, Recognising and working within own limits of professional competence, Maintaining effective relationships with colleagues T PGDip
Documentation and information management - maintaining timely and relevant medical records. T PGDip
Teamwork - understand and value the roles of the health and social care teams, demonstrate communication across team boundaries effectively, including handing over patient care. T PGDip
Time/ resources management - understand and manage own constraints and those of the NHS. T PGDip
Ethical and legal issues - demonstrate understanding of patients' rights, competency, confidentiality, informed consent, care of vulnerable patients and how to respond to complaints. T PGDip
Equality and diversity - demonstrate understanding of people's rights in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, act with respect towards all patients, colleagues and students, and know how to take action if patients are being abused. T PGDip
Professional behaviour and probity, Demonstrate understanding of the need to recognise and work within own limits of professional competence T PGCert
Documentation and information management - Demonstrate understanding of the need to maintain timely and relevant medical records. T PGCert
Teamwork - understand and value the roles of the health and social care teams. T PGCert
Time/ resources management - understand and manage own constraints. T PGCert
Ethical and legal issues - demonstrate understanding of patients' rights, competency, confidentiality, informed consent, care of vulnerable patients and how to respond to complaints. T PGCert
Equality and diversity - demonstrate understanding of people's rights in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, act with respect towards all patients, colleagues and students, and know how to take action if patients are being abused. T PGCert

Attributes Developed

C - Cognitive/analytical

K - Subject knowledge

T - Transferable skills

P - Professional/Practical skills

Programme structure

Full-time

This programme is studied full-time over two years, consisting of 120 credits at FHEQ level 7. All modules are worth 15 credits with the exception of project, practice based and dissertation modules.
Parts of this programme may be studied outside of the standard University structure and may be subject to professional body requirements.

Programme Adjustments (if applicable)

This programme is studied full-time over two academic years. This is because of the volume of knowledge and skills that are required from the programme, to ensure this is delivered adequately to enable the production of a safe clinician. This is mandated by the Faculty of Physician Associates and the UKIUBPAE (i.e. that the course should be a minimum of 90 weeks).

Modules

Opportunities for placements / work related learning / collaborative activity

Associate Tutor(s) / Guest Speakers / Visiting Academics Y
Professional Training Year (PTY) N
Placement(s) (study or work that are not part of PTY) N
Clinical Placement(s) (that are not part of the PTY scheme) Y Yes
Study exchange (Level 5) N
Dual degree N

Quality assurance

The Regulations and Codes of Practice for taught programmes can be found at:

https://www.surrey.ac.uk/quality-enhancement-standards

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.