Physician Associate
A physician associate is one of the new medical associate professional (MAP) roles emerging in the NHS that operate within multi-disciplinary teams as part of the continuing drive to provide safe, accessible, high-quality care for patients in hospital and community services.
They provide crucial support to doctors and have regular direct contact with patients.
You will work within a defined scope of practice and can expect to work 37.5 hours per week in a flexible pattern to meet the needs of the NHS. This will likely include working across a seven-day period as you may be required to work shifts which can include out of hours, nights and weekends.
What does a physician associate (PA) do?
According to Health Education England
Physician associates (PA) are healthcare professionals who work as part of a multidisciplinary team with supervision from a named senior doctor (a General Medical Council registered consultant or general practitioner), providing care to patients in primary, secondary and community care environments
Physician associates contribute to increasing the numbers of the medical workforce and increase access to quality care for patients. They act in an enabling role, helping to reduce the healthcare team’s workload, and bring new talent to the NHS, adding to the skill mix within the teams.
While trainee doctors and surgeons rotate through different specialties, physician associates offer continuity and stability both for patients and for the team in which they work. Physician associate support also provides cover so that trainee doctors can attend training, clinic or theatre.
It is important to recognise, as per the Royal College of Physicians, that physician associates are not doctors, and must not be regarded as substitutes for doctors, but as supplementary members of the multidisciplinary team.
How do physician associates fit into the NHS workforce?
Physician associates' ability to work within the medical environment is enabled by collaboration and supportive working relationships with their supervising clinician, meaning that there is always someone who can discuss cases, give advice and attend to patients if necessary.
Physician associates can be found working in GP surgeries, accident and emergency departments, and inpatient medical and surgical wards throughout the UK.
What are the responsibilities of a physician associate?
Physician associates work within a defined scope of practice and limits of competence. They:
- take medical histories from patients
- carry out physical examinations
- see patients with undifferentiated diagnoses
- see patients with long-term chronic conditions
- formulate differential diagnoses and management plans
- perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
- develop and deliver appropriate treatment and management plans
- request and interpret diagnostic studies
- provide health promotion and disease prevention advice for patients
There is a Core Capabilities Framework for Medical Associate Professions (MAPs) 
that sets a standard and offers the opportunity for MAPs to develop and evidence their knowledge and skills enabling the highest standards of practice as well as providing a structure for career and role development across a variety of settings.
You will need to familiarise yourself with this framework to ensure that you can meet the requirements.
Currently, physician associates are not able to:
- prescribe
- request ionising radiation (for example, chest x-ray or CT scan).
Salary, progression and regulation
Physician associate salaries in the UK are based on the Agenda for Change pay system. The pay scale is as follows:
- Preceptorship posts that support newly qualified physician associates with the transition to the workplace typically start at around £35,392 (Band 6).
- Following your preceptorship year, you will usually be employed on Band 7, starting at £43,742 and rising to £50,056 based on your skills and experience.
- Experienced (higher-level) physician associates may earn between £50,952 and £57,349 (Band 8a). You will usually need at least five years' experience and a relevant master's degree for these roles.
Income figures are intended as a guide only.
With experience in this role, there is scope to develop your career further, and move into management, research, teaching, or further specialisation.
Health Education England (HEE) is keen to see an increase in the number of physician associates working in primary care.
- The new GP contract which PAs are written into (to save you reading the whole document, they’re mentioned on pages 3, 11 – 15, 100 – 101).
Medical associate professionals (MAPs) are regulated by the General Medical Council (GMC) following the closure of the Faculty of Physician Associates, and all new registrations must go through them. The GMC have created a toolkit that helps you understand the physician associate registration process.
Following a two-year transition period from the previous regulatory body, it will become illegal for a physician associate to practise if they are not registered with the GMC from December 2026.
Assessments to qualify as a physician associate are provided by the Royal College of Physicians on behalf of the GMC.
The Physician Associate National Exam (PANE) is soon to become the Physician Associate Registration Assessment (PARA) following the introduction of the PA Registration Assessment content map.
How do I become a physician associate?
Course providers and entry requirements
There are between 30 and 35 universities offering this programme. Please note that the University of Nottingham does not offer the physician associate course.
Entry requirements are:
- most courses require that applicants have a science, life science, bioscience or biomedical undergraduate degree
- a minority of universities will accept a degree in any discipline and will require candidates to take the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT)
- registered healthcare professionals such as nurses, midwives or allied health professionals can become physician associates
Applicants must apply to each course either directly to the university itself or apply through UCAS. Each course page on the individual university’s website will specify which application route is in place.
Course providers
Physician associate (degree) Apprenticeships
There are a small number of degree level apprenticeships starting from September 2023. Please note, you will have to find an employer who is offering the apprenticeship to be able to apply for this pathway. Visit the Health Education England website for further information about becoming a physician associate.
Nature of the course and funding
The course is a postgraduate diploma (PgDip) or MSc and is a two-year programme. Typical hours are 50-60 hours per week, six days per week, split 50/50 between taught and clinical practice.
Tuition fees for the postgraduate diploma course are typically £9,000 per annum.
Financial support during training
A training grant of £5,000 is available, split over two years. For further details contact your course provider.