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Physician Associate

Yes I understand this but it was changed purely for the fact it was causing confusion with the actual physician assistant role (ODP).

Why are you on this forum?! 😂

Yes, I'm quite sure that's the only reason.

Is there any reason I ought not to be here? We're associates aren't we? :K:

Reply 81

ZKay

7

Hi,

I have started a thread for prospective Queen Mary PA students as I haven't come across one yet :smile:

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4421778#primary_content

Reply 82

katherine_uon

Hi!
I'm currently considering physician associate as a career but am still in the researching/ life planning stage. My auntie is a GP who I told that I was considering this course last year and when I last saw her (Christmas) she said that she had spoken to a PA and asked her about the job. Her feedback from the PA was that she sometimes found it frustrating as she wasn't involved in much of the 'curing' side of patient care. I was just wondering what you all thought of this and if this would bother you?
Katherine

Reply 83

Rameses

1

Original post by katherine_uon

Hi!
I'm currently considering physician associate as a career but am still in the researching/ life planning stage. My auntie is a GP who I told that I was considering this course last year and when I last saw her (Christmas) she said that she had spoken to a PA and asked her about the job. Her feedback from the PA was that she sometimes found it frustrating as she wasn't involved in much of the 'curing' side of patient care. I was just wondering what you all thought of this and if this would bother you?
Katherine

Hi Katherine. it depends on what your aunt meant by "curing" side.. It depends where the physician associate is, the role of a physician associate in an hospital environment will be different from that working in a GP practice which is the good thing about the nature of the PA training-the flexibility to branch into different things based on our generic training. Now that been said, PAs working in GP certainly do diagnose and manage conditions, perhaps maybe the person your aunt encountered is a new PA who is still learning the ropes?

Reply 84

RachaelH95

1

Hi everyone I am currently in my final months of my Biomedical science degree at LJMU I have been following the physicians associate defgree since it was first introduced. With all the changes in criteria and entry requirements since it first started my worry is I don't have enough work experience in a hospital/NHS environment. Does anyone think that with my background degree in Biomedical Science that I will be able to manage the knowledge that is required of a PA? Applications for Liverpool and Manchester don't open till October 2017 so my plan is to get as much work experience as possible from now till then to help build my CV and help towards my personal statement. Anyone have any advice I would gratefully appreciate
Thank you Rachael :h:

Reply 85

j_vicente

7

Original post by RachaelH95

Hi everyone I am currently in my final months of my Biomedical science degree at LJMU I have been following the physicians associate defgree since it was first introduced. With all the changes in criteria and entry requirements since it first started my worry is I don't have enough work experience in a hospital/NHS environment. Does anyone think that with my background degree in Biomedical Science that I will be able to manage the knowledge that is required of a PA? Applications for Liverpool and Manchester don't open till October 2017 so my plan is to get as much work experience as possible from now till then to help build my CV and help towards my personal statement. Anyone have any advice I would gratefully appreciate
Thank you Rachael :h:

Hi Rachel. Im a seconf year PA student and I actually went to Uni in Liverpool, and when I was doing my Bachelours I was very mindfull that I had to get a lot of clinical experience if I even wanted to get into a medical degree. My advice is try to volunteer at the Royal Hospital. I was a volunteer there for almost 3 years and it was a wonderful experience. I even had the opportunity to watch some surgeries as the head of my department was aware that I wanted some medical experience and asked surgeons to allow me in their procedures. I also volunteered abroad witn the Womens Hospital, so they also have very good programmes that you can partake. I am sure that these would make your application a lot more competitive. Good luck!

Reply 86

Samisam

2

Hi everyone I am quite new to TSR. Just want to know has anyone received an interview or successfully secured a place in this course with a 2.2 or should I just give up on hope!

Reply 87

j_vicente

7

Hey
I don't think you should give up hope just yet if you have a 2:2, I have met people who got into PA who where short of a 2:1. It is harder and I won't lie, specially now when the course has become so well know and the competition increased exponentially but I think that if you really want to do it then apply! Why not? A strong application, with a very strong work/volunteering background can earn you points to top up he grades. If you have a master's degree in top of the BSc, then you are basically at the same point in competitiveness.
Now, I feel like is worth mentioning that this is a extremely demanding course. I know that sometimes people don't get the grades they wish they did in uni due to circumstances that were beyond their control, but if you think that having a 2:2 was only due to lack of studying and dedication, then maybe the PA course if not the best fit.
That being said, if you know that's what you want, apply! Is the only way to see if you get in

Reply 88

Samisam

2

Thank you for the reply. I understand that the course is very demanding, I was only 2 marks away from a 2.1 not that that makes it any better! I got that mark because I wasn't able to perform well on one of my papers due to me being unwell and had to resit where they capped my marks, so I know I have the potential. I have applied to Brunel and I know they ask for a 2.1 or 2.2 with good clinical experience. I work in a pathology lab as an Mla for 2 years but I don't think that's clinical! I do have some clinical experience but only 6 months worth. Here's hoping I suppose!

Reply 89

orca93

7

Original post by j_vicente

Hey
I don't think you should give up hope just yet if you have a 2:2, I have met people who got into PA who where short of a 2:1. It is harder and I won't lie, specially now when the course has become so well know and the competition increased exponentially but I think that if you really want to do it then apply! Why not? A strong application, with a very strong work/volunteering background can earn you points to top up he grades. If you have a master's degree in top of the BSc, then you are basically at the same point in competitiveness.
Now, I feel like is worth mentioning that this is a extremely demanding course. I know that sometimes people don't get the grades they wish they did in uni due to circumstances that were beyond their control, but if you think that having a 2:2 was only due to lack of studying and dedication, then maybe the PA course if not the best fit.
That being said, if you know that's what you want, apply! Is the only way to see if you get in

Hello, I've sent you a private message on student room as the email you gave bounced back to me :smile:

Thank you so much !

Reply 90

marielom

Hi I was wondering if you can give me tips on personal statement?
Ie how long it should be and what kind of things do i need to put in it?

Reply 91

j_vicente

7

Original post by marielom

Hi I was wondering if you can give me tips on personal statement?
Ie how long it should be and what kind of things do i need to put in it?

The university website will tell you how your PS should be. Postgrad applications require personalise personal statements to every Uni so work on a good neutral PS that you can modify for every application.
The main things you should be discussing are:

- Who are you and what is your academic background/achievements
- Why would you like to become a PA? (You don;t need to say why you would rather be a PA and not a doctor. In fact, I don;t recommend it)
- What do you know about the PA profession, and how can you see it fitting the NHS?
- How can your background help you in becoming a PA
- What other aspects of yourself are useful for a PA (e.g volunteering, previous work, previous experiences..)
- Why are you applying to that University? (what aspects of that particular University/course have attracted you and why do you think it is the best place to study to become a PA)

Hope it helps

Reply 92

marielom

Original post by j_vicente

The university website will tell you how your PS should be. Postgrad applications require personalise personal statements to every Uni so work on a good neutral PS that you can modify for every application.
The main things you should be discussing are:

- Who are you and what is your academic background/achievements
- Why would you like to become a PA? (You don;t need to say why you would rather be a PA and not a doctor. In fact, I don;t recommend it)
- What do you know about the PA profession, and how can you see it fitting the NHS?
- How can your background help you in becoming a PA
- What other aspects of yourself are useful for a PA (e.g volunteering, previous work, previous experiences..)
- Why are you applying to that University? (what aspects of that particular University/course have attracted you and why do you think it is the best place to study to become a PA)

Hope it helps

thank you so much this really does help a lot! I sent my sgul application already so hoping to send a few more. How are you finding the course btw?

Reply 93

j_vicente

7

Original post by marielom

thank you so much this really does help a lot! I sent my sgul application already so hoping to send a few more. How are you finding the course btw?

h

I'm glad it helps :smile:

. The course is really hard work but extremely gratifying. In my Uni the first year is mostly academic although we do go Indo placement, but the second year is mainly just hospital and GP placement. So far I'm really enjoying getting to use all the knowledge we got in the first year. I hope you enjoy it. If you are passionate about medicine, I'm sure you will

Reply 94

orca93

7

Hi guys

Just to let you know there a new facebook group for PA applicants you may find useful :smile:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1794852010838384/

Reply 95

axc804

Hi,
I'm hoping someone out there will be able to help me!
Does anybody know what the date of the last national exam was in January? And do we know any more past dates for the exams in January for previous years?
Cheers, Abby

Reply 96

AndC95

Hi there,

I am interested in applying to be a PA ! I am currently in 3rd year of my undergraduate study and have being looking around at universities which offer PA courses. I have two main questions

1. Should I be looking to study a PGDip or a Masters ?
2. Once qualified in the UK will I be able to work in the USA as a PA ?

Reply 97

j_vicente

7

Original post by AndC95

Hi there,

I am interested in applying to be a PA ! I am currently in 3rd year of my undergraduate study and have being looking around at universities which offer PA courses. I have two main questions

1. Should I be looking to study a PGDip or a Masters ?
2. Once qualified in the UK will I be able to work in the USA as a PA ?

1. Right now having a PgDip of a Masters in PA does not make a lot of difference. Most courses with a PgDip are gradually upgrading for a Masters (or give you the option to do a Dissertation and upgrade if you want). Since the profession is so new we are still at the stage were there are not enough PAs to fill in all vacancies, (however this will diffidently change soon as competition is increases with more graduates) which means that there is no obvious reason to require an MSc to be employed yet. You're future employers could in theory require that you have an MSc, I guess. It is always their preference. If you want to be 100% on the safe side, do an MSc course, why not? Is only another 60 credits and if you have done a dissertation before, you can certainly do it again.

2. No. UK PAs cannot work outside the UK and we don't know if and when this will ever happen. Additionally, the US is the birthplace of the PA profession. They are very well established and have many many universities that train PAs. I don't see why they would hire an overseas trained PA instead of a homegrown one.