Physician Associate Studies, MPAS

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Key Course Details

UCAS Code: B148
Mode of Study: Campus Based
Typical Offer (view equivalents): UK 2:2
Location: Singleton Park Campus

Start Date	Tuition Fees - Year 1
Sep 2025	NHS

MPAS 2 Year Full Time

UCAS Code: B148
Mode of Study: Campus Based
Typical Offer: UK 2:2 - More Information
Location: Singleton Park Campus

Start Date	Tuition Fees - Year 1
Sep 2025	£ 23,100

Physician Associate Studies, MPAS

There’s a growing demand for Physician Associates across the UK.

Course Overview

Are you interested in a career as a Physician Associate, working as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team in hospitals and GP surgeries, assessing, diagnosing and managing patient treatment?

Our integrated two-year Masters in Physician Associate Studies (MPAS) degree is a full-time, intensive educational course teaching you to work as a safe and competent clinically trained healthcare professional in the National Health Service.

Year one will be university-based, comprising of systems-based clinical learning and practical sessions led by experienced clinicians. In addition to this you will have early exposure to clinical placements in primary care and later in the year exposure to secondary care. Year two will be predominantly placement based with placements across Wales and subsequent periods of time spent back in university to consolidate learning. In clinical placement, you will apply your learning in the care of real patients under the supervision of a clinically qualified mentor.

Throughout your degree you will have opportunities to work effectively with patients, develop a range of practical and clinical reasoning skills, and reflect on practice to identify your individual learning needs.

You must pass all assessments to be eligible to progress from year one into year two of the programme and from year two to the PA national examination. Regardless of which programme you have undertaken in the UK, you must pass the PA national examination to enter professional practice and work as a qualified PA.

International Applicant Information

Why Physician Associate Studies at Swansea University?

Our integrated two-year Masters in Physician Associate Studies degree is the only course in South Wales and will help you develop the knowledge and clinical skills to pass the PA National Examination and start your new healthcare role. We have a outstanding pass rate and this achievement makes us a leading place to study and train to become a Physician Associate in Wales and the UK. We use our Top 5 ranking for overall Research Quality (REF2021) to inform our teaching and ready you, our students, to practice in the Welsh NHS.

Early in the programme you will benefit from clinical placements with a high level of patient contact. Your clinical placements are underpinned by clinical skills labs and clinical teaching delivered by our dedicated teaching staff. We use a systems-based teaching method to deliver the educational material across all body systems and utilise a variety of teaching modalities (lectures, small groups, role play) to cater for a range of learning needs. Whilst the programme is face to face we do deliver some sessions remotely and make time for directed and self-directed learning enabling students to manage their work-life balance.

Through our curriculum we aim for you to graduate from our Physician Associate programme as confident, competent and safe Physician Associates delivering healthcare across the breadth of clinical practice.

Your Physician Associate Studies experience

From the moment you arrive at the Medical School, our specialist staff will help you plan and prepare for your future by identifying and developing skills that will enable you to make the most of your postgraduate degree and enhance your career options.

You will be allocated a personal tutor for the duration of the programme who will offer regular meetings, guidance, encouragement and support. In addition to this we have regular contact with students through cohort meetings and termly listening forums. We value student feedback and use this to continuously improve the programme.

Clinical Placements may take place in GP surgeries and hospitals across Wales. There is an individual circumstances procedure for any students who may need to have placements local to them, but this is not always guaranteed. Accommodation and travel expenses may be provided or refunded, depending on the location of the placements.

Physician Associate Studies employment opportunities

There is a national recruitment process for Physician Associates in Wales. This process is undertaken by Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW). As a commissioned programme HEIW all students who accept a place to study at Swansea on the MPAS programme will be required to commit to working in Wales for 18 months post qualification. Should you not take up a post or fail to stay for the 18 months, you may be required to pay back tuition on a pro rata basis.

Modules

Students are required to undertake 100 credits in year one and 80 credits in year two

Year 1 (Level 7T)

FHEQ 7 Taught Masters / PGDip / PGCert

Students choose 100 credits from the following:

Compulsory Modules

Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code
Foundations in Clinical Medicine 1	Academic Year	40	PMXM02
Health Care Law and Ethics	Academic Year	10	SHHM51
Research and Evidence based Practice	Academic Year	10	SHHM62

Optional Modules

Core module with Welsh language option

Choose Exactly 40 credits from the following Modules:

Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code	Guidance
Clinical Skills and Placements 1	September-June (TB1+2)	40	PMXM01
Sgiliau Clinigol a Lleoliadau Gwaith 1	September-June (TB1+2)	40	PMXM01C

Year 2 (Level 7T)

FHEQ 7 Taught Masters / PGDip / PGCert

Students choose 80 credits from the following:

Compulsory Modules

Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code
Foundations in Clinical Medicine 2	Academic Year	40	PMXM03

Optional Modules

Core module with Welsh language option

Choose Exactly 40 credits from the following Modules:

Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code	Guidance
Clinical Skills and Placements 2	September-June (TB1+2)	40	PMXM04
Sgiliau Clinigol a Lleoliadau Gwaith 2	September-June (TB1+2)	40	PMXM04C

Entry Requirements

To apply for this programme, you must have achieved the following by the time of application:

Minimum grade C at GCSE in Mathematics
Minimum grade C at GCSE in English/Welsh

AND achieved or predicted* to achieve a minimum of one of the following:

2:2 undergraduate Bachelors or integrated Masters degree in a healthcare or biosciences subject (examples below), or
2:1 undergraduate Bachelors or integrated Masters degree in a non-healthcare or non-biosciences subject, with relevant work experience and demonstration of values in line with the NHS constitution. These will be considered on an individual basis.

Examples of relevant healthcare and biosciences degrees include:

Life sciences: Anatomy, Biology, Physiology, Human Biology, Neuroscience, Physiology, Psychology, Biological Science, Microbiology

Healthcare: Physiotherapy, Diagnostic Imaging; Radiotherapy, Paramedic Studies, Audiology, Dentistry, Nursing, Operating Department Practice, Optometry, Midwifery

Biomedical sciences: Biomedical Science, Applied Medical Sciences, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Science, Medicinal Chemistry, Biochemistry, Medical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Medical Genetics

*Pending results of degrees used in support of applications must be confirmed no later than 31 July in the year of intended enrolment. Offers which are conditional on degree results will be withdrawn if results are outstanding after this date.

Concurrent enrolment

University regulations do not permit concurrent enrolment in the Physician Associate Studies programme and any other award-bearing programme at this or any other university. All other degree programmes must be completed before enrolment on this programme.

Previous study

This programme is not open to applicants who have previously pursued a Physician Associate Studies programme (fully or in part), and transfers from other PA Studies programmes are not permitted.

We do not consider applications from students who have previously commenced a Physician Associate Studies, Medicine or health related programme and not progressed due to academic failure, fitness to practise or professionalism issues. If an applicant has left a previous programme for other reasons, their application may be considered on a case-by-case basis, which must be supported by evidence provided by their previous Higher Education Institution.

Bursary eligibility

The Physician Associate Studies MPAS programme is open only to applications from UK/EU (Home) candidates who are eligible for NHS Bursary funding. Information about how to confirm your eligibility can be found on the University's Fee Status Assessment page. Information on the NHS Bursary can be found here.

How You're Taught

We are proud to provide an outstanding educational experience, using the most effective learning and teaching approaches, carefully tailored to suit the specific needs of the course. Teaching is mainly face to face on campus, enabling full engagement with your lecturers and fellow students. Practical skills sessions, lab work seminars, and workshops predominantly take place in person, allowing for group working and demonstrations. We also operate virtual labs and Simulated Learning Environments which will facilitate greater access to training opportunities in the future. However, our approach also includes the use of some online learning to support and enhance traditional face-to-face teaching.

Online learning may take place ‘live’ using software such as Zoom, allowing you to interact with the lecturer and other students and to ask questions. Lecture recordings also allow for more flexibility to revisit material, to revise for assessments and to enhance learning outside of the classroom. Some modules have extra resources in Canvas, such as videos, slides and quizzes enabling further flexible study.

A variety of teaching modalities are used to deliver sessions including but not limited to lectures, small group work, clinical skills lab and simulation. Clinical placements form a significant part of the programme which provide excellent learning opportunities enabling you to link theory to practice. Placements are throughout Wales.

You will be assessed across both years of the programme using different assessment methods; Progress Tests, presentations, essays, and Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) web-based and e-learning. Throughout your degree, the emphasis will be on practical as well as analytical skills.

Welsh Provision

At least 40 credits

There are opportunities for Welsh speakers to study at least 40 credits of this postgraduate course through the medium of Welsh. Many University departments develop and offer Welsh medium or bilingual modules as part of their courses so you will need to discuss the possibilities with the relevant Programme Director. You can study a module or modules through the medium of Welsh where possible or submit your dissertation in Welsh with guidance from a subject specialist through the medium of Welsh.

Academi Hywel Teifi is here to support you throughout your time at Swansea University. We can offer you:

Access to generous Welsh-language study scholarships or bursaries.
Access to the Arwain mobile app for the latest information about Welsh-medium courses and modules available to download free on the App Store and Google Play.
An interview through the medium of Welsh when applying for a place.
Personal correspondence in Welsh, English or bilingually.
The option to create and submit your coursework or sit exams through the medium of Welsh (even if you have chosen to study in English), and your work will be assessed in Welsh.
A Welsh-speaking Personal Tutor.
One-to-one support to improve your academic Welsh language skills.
An opportunity to gain an additional free qualification that serves as evidence of your Welsh language ability for future employers.
Membership of the Swansea University Branch of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

Visit the Welsh Language Rights webpage for further information about Students' Welsh Language Rights.

Continuing to study through the medium of Welsh will be:

a natural step for you if you have studied through the medium of Welsh at undergraduate level.
a way of maximizing your chances of getting the best education.
a way of receiving a high level of support as the study groups are smaller.
a valuable addition to your CV and career development.

You will have the option to have your interview conducted through the medium of Welsh when applying for a place on our PA MPAS course.

Meet Your Lecturers

Physician Associate Studies students will be taught by a range of qualified physician associates, doctors, other healthcare professionals and world leading researchers based at the Medical School, giving you unrivalled access to teaching on our latest medical research.

Principle staff supporting the MPAS Physician Associate course are:

Programme Director: Professor. Jeannie Watkins, PA-R
Deputy Programme Directors:
- Dr Sharon Hartwell
- Andrew Leckie, PA-R

Module Leads

Clinical Skills: Dr Sharon Hartwell
Foundations in Clinical Medicine: Andrew Leckie PA-R
Ethics and Law: Angela Smith
Research and Evidence Based Practice: Jeannie Watkins, PA-R
Placements: Andrew Leckie, PA-R

Other Leads

Procedural Skills, Mandatory Training and Academic Mentor: Mrs Collette Hill
Anatomy Lead: Dr Chris Summers
Community Based Learning Lead: Dr Llinos Roberts
Student Support and Guidance Lead: Collette Hill
Health and Conduct Lead: Mr Neil Price
Quality Lead: Emma Westwood

Assessment Leads

Progress Test Assessment: Mr Steve Capey
OSCE Assessment: Dr Sharon Hartwell

Admissions Leads

Dr Arun Ramachandran
Dr Mike Gilbert

Tuition Fees

Start Date	UK	International
September 2024	NHS	£ 22,000
September 2025	NHS	£ 23,100

Tuition fees for years of study after your first year are subject to an increase of 3%.

You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

Current students: You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.

Funding and Scholarships

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study.

If you're a UK or EU student starting a master’s degree at Swansea University, you may be eligible to apply for Government funding to help towards the cost of your studies. To find out more, please visit our postgraduate loans page.

To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

Academi Hywel Teifi at Swansea University and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol offer a number of generous scholarships and bursaries for students who wish to study through the medium of Welsh or bilingually. For further information about the opportunities available to you, visit the Academi Hywel Teifi Scholarships and Bursaries page.

Funded Places

The PA programme is currently supported through the Welsh Government bursary.

Welsh Government has advised that funding for this course is only available for students who are willing to commit to 18 months of post-qualification employment in Wales. By accepting an offer of an interview you are confirming that you commit to this. Only individuals prepared to make this commitment will be eligible for the full funding package. Please advise us at your earliest opportunity if you wish to withdraw your application or do not wish to take up your offer of an interview. At this time we are not able to offer places for self-funding students.

NHS Wales Bursary Scheme

The Welsh Government, through NHS Wales, provides funding for the Physician Associate Course here at Swansea including the cost of the tuition fees. A non-means tested grant of £1000 for living costs can be applied for. A further means-tested bursary is also available. If eligible for the means-tested bursary may be supported for travel, accommodation (whilst on placement), Childcare, Disabled Student Allowance, Dependents Allowance and Parental Learning Allowance.

*For further details please consult the NHS Wales Bursary Scheme Terms and Conditions document, as these bursaries are administered by NHS Wales and not Swansea University.

We also have a range of Taught Master's Scholarships available.

Additional Costs

Access to your own digital device/the appropriate IT kit will be essential during your time studying at Swansea University. Access to wifi in your accommodation will also be essential to allow you to fully engage with your programme. See our dedicated webpages for further guidance on suitable devices to purchase, and for a full guide on getting your device set up.

You may face additional costs while at university, including (but not limited to):

Travel to and from campus
Printing, photocopying, binding, stationery and equipment costs (e.g. USB sticks)
Purchase of books or texts
Gowns for graduation ceremonies

Placements take place across the region and transport between sites is at the expense of the student. Please contact the Medical School Student Information and Education Office for further information.

You may face additional costs while at university, including (but not limited to):

Buying a stethoscope
Books, course materials and printing or photocopying costs (many recommended textbooks for this course are available in the University or hospital site libraries)
Parking locally and travel to and from campus or Morriston Hospital Teaching site
Photocopying and buying stationery, USB sticks
Hiring robes for graduation

The National Certification Examination for Physician Associates is not part of the course and students will need to make their own arrangements to sit this exam. All costs involved in this will be borne by the student.

Careers and Employability

Swansea Employability Academy (SEA) will support you at each stage of your career journey helping you build a bright future.

Our career support services include:

Employability workshops, employers’ talks, bespoke events and careers fairs
Individual advice and guidance from professionally qualified Careers Advisers
Help with finding jobs, internships, work placements and volunteering opportunities
Access to information resources on a wide range of career management topics
Funding to support student internship opportunities and Student Society/Club events.

We also provide help and advice for Swansea University Alumni up to two years after you graduate.

Academic Support

As well as subject specific support by college teaching staff and your personal tutor, the Centre for Academic Success provides courses, workshops and one-to-one support in areas such as:

Academic writing
Maths and statistics
Critical thinking
Time management
Digital skills
Presentation skills
Note taking
Revision, memory and exam techniques
English language skills (if English is not your first language).

In addition, if you have a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD), disability, mental health or medical condition, the Centre for Academic Success have Specialist Tutors to support your learning, working alongside the Disability Office and Wellbeing Service to support all your needs and requirements whilst studying at Swansea University.

How to Apply

Applications are to be made via UCAS, and open in late September each year.

We understand that applicants may include different types of course in their UCAS choices. As a result, some applicants’ Personal Statements may not reflect all that they want to say about their experiences and motivation to study to be a Physician Associate. We will be happy to receive supplementary Personal Statements directed to the PA Admissions Team. These will replace any Personal Statements submitted via UCAS.

*The application process is under continual review - please note that Swansea University Medical School reserves the right to alter the assessment process deemed suitable for each application cycle.

EU students - visa and immigration information is available and will be regularly updated on our information for EU students page.

Application Deadlines

We recommend that you submit your application to our courses as early as you can in advance of our application deadlines. Courses will close earlier than the application deadlines listed if all available places are filled. You can find further information on our Application Deadlines webpage.

How we Decide

Application scoring

Applications will only be considered following the closing date. A set number of interviews will be offered to eligible applicants with the highest application scores, which will be calculated using the following criteria:

Academic achievement – This category has the maximum score. Weightage will vary based on agreed criteria. Undergraduate degree classification (First > 2:1 >2:2) and GCSE (A/A* > B > C) will be given weightage. Scores are awarded for any higher degrees (PhD, Masters, intercalated degree). Peer reviewed publications will also carry weightage. The academic scores are additive, which would mean than scores in various sections are added together.
Work experience – Scores are given for paid or unpaid (volunteering) experience in medical or non-medical fields. Previous experience in healthcare is given a higher weightage. Scores in this section are not additive. The area where you will get the highest score will be considered.
Contextual factors – Residency in Wales, undergraduate degree in Wales and GCSE in Wales are given weightage. Verifiable information that evidences financial and educational status of the individual or their family will be considered. Examples would be receiving income support, free school meals, universal credit, time spent in care, asylum support, no other family member completing secondary education or higher education. Scores in this section are not additive. The area where you will get the highest score will be considered.

Interview

The interview process is designed to take account of the personal and academic qualities needed as a Physician Associate, and the capacity to meet the requirements of the Physician associate and anaesthesia associate generic and shared learning outcomes (gmc-uk.org); PA_curriculum; Physician associate registration assessment (PARA) content map (gmc-uk.org), as follows:

Communication Skills
Coping with pressure and resilience
Insight and Integrity
Team working
Problem solving
Understanding the scope of practice of the Physician Associate role

On your interview day, you will be invited to attend two separate interviews, each of 20 minutes duration. They are conducted by pairs of trained interviewers, taken from our panel of clinicians, academics and Physician Associate colleagues. Your personal statement will be made available to interviewers for review and you may be asked about it.

Conditions of Offer

Any offer made is conditional, subject to evidence of qualifications, satisfactory references, a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) or police check and occupational health clearance.

*The application process is under continual review - please note that Swansea University Medical School reserves the right to alter the assessment process for each application cycle.

Increasing Provision of Allied Healthcare Professionals in Wales

We have a commitment to increasing intake of physician associate students from Wales. Rank list will be developed based on the points-based weighted scoring system. The initial offers for interviews will be sent out in the rank order. A waiting list will be maintained. Offers of interview places from the waiting list will be determined based on domicile, secondary school attended and region of origin with preference for remaining places given to students applying from Wales.

Fitness to Practise

Candidates with Disabilities

Medical schools have to consider the impact of health conditions and disabilities on students’ fitness to practise as a doctor. This is because they have a responsibility to ensure that students are eligible to be registered by the General Medical Council. All offers are subject to occupational health and fitness to practise clearance. The details you provide will also help us consider what reasonable adjustments are possible in order to assist with specific health challenges and disabilities.

If you have a disability, ensure you declare it on the UCAS form by ticking the relevant box. Disclosure will not affect screening of your application. If an offer is made you will be contacted by the Occupational Health Department to discuss your situation.

If you are unsure of how a disability will fit in to the application process or you need more information, contact occupational health team. You should also inform the admissions team if you are eligible for any special considerations during the written tests or interviews on the basis of your disability.

Health Screening and DBS Checks

All successful applicants accepting a place will be required to complete health declaration and immunisation forms. Your General Practitioner will have access to details of your immunisation history and should be able to share with you on request. These will be screened by our Occupational Health Department. Some students will be contacted by an Occupational Health Physician for further information where appropriate. Occupational health review could involve blood tests and immunisations to ensure your safety as well as safety of patients.

Students will be required to complete a successful Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before admission to the course.