A new healthcare professional who, while not a doctor, works to the medical model, with the attitudes, skills and knowledge base to deliver holistic care and treatment within the general medical and/or general practice team under defined levels of supervision.
The Physician Associate is a graduate who is then trained in line with the Competence and Curriculum Framework for the Physician Assistant (previous title of the Physician Associate) to achieve either a post graduate diploma or MSc obtained from one of the universities recognised and approved to provide the training in the UK. Alternatively, a Physician Associate may have achieved an equivalent qualification from a recognised university in another country. The purpose of the role is to support and assist medical staff. Physician Associate training is currently a full time two year programme comprising 50% theory and 50% clinical practice. Once qualified the Physician Associate will be required to undertake 50 hours of CPD annually.