Published: 22 November 2022
In July 2020 it was announced that the General Medical Council (GMC) would take over regulation of Physician Associates (PAs), requiring education providers such as St George’s to align their courses to a new GMC framework.
St George’s has been running a Physician Associate programme, since 2008, and was the first provider in the country to establish a course. Today the Masters in Physician Associate Studies (MPAS) programme attracts over 70 students a year, making it one of the largest cohorts in the UK. Amy Donaldson-Perrot, Course Director and Tripti Chakraborty, Deputy Course Director, explain how the change will affect students.
What does the decision mean for St George’s?
Amy: Hopefully there will be no dramatic change to how we run the course. We already deliver an excellent, robust programme which adheres to guidance from the GMC. But it is an opportunity for courses across the country to ensure they are delivering a good standard of education. When the PA course was set up at St George’s in 2008, we were one of four programmes in the country - now there are 41 programmes. Our graduate employment and pass rates are exceptional, but not all providers are like this.
Tripti: I think GMC involvement is a good thing. There will soon be 3,500 PAs nationally, and this is a way to ensure all providers are delivering consistently and to a high quality. It also adds more validity and visibility to what we do as PAs.
Amy: We are already mapping what we deliver, and we can see where we align with the GMC guidelines. Many of our staff hold positions on the board and committees of the Faculty of Physician Associates, so we’ve been heavily involved with shaping national provision of PA courses for many years. We’re motivated by passion and excellence and proud to offer that to students.
Tripti: One area of potential change is for placements, where historically it’s been a numbers-led approach – in terms of hours and assessment. This will see a shift to quality and clinical outcomes, looking at the experience students will get and how to demonstrate this. That’s a positive move for students nationally, as it should lead to parity of education and experience on clinical placements. Some HEIs need more support to get good clinical placements, but we have a long history of doing this, and our close relationship with the Trust is a huge benefit.
What’s the St George’s difference?
Amy: Our faculty is made up of PAs – we are a team of 16, which also includes doctors as well, so students benefit from our wide range of experience. We teach as PAs ourselves, whereas other programmes might not have PAs on the faculty.
Tripti: The MPAS is delivered via hybrid learning using different approaches, including sessions with actors to help prepare students for placement, including how to break bad news and encouraging patients to do things they might be resistant to.
Tripti: Amy and I are St George’s alumni – Amy was a graduate of the first cohort. So we draw on first-hand experience as former students. We can offer insight, support and knowledge as we know what it is like to be at St George’s. It’s a very intensive course, so we give students an extra level of care. Being on a hospital site is another distinctive difference. We are in a diverse area of London, which actually reflects the diversity of the staff and students on the course. This diversity is a real strength and reflects the patient population they will go on to help.
How has being a PA changed since your time as students?
Amy: When I studied, it was a very small cohort, and I was one of 12 to qualify. So, the number of qualified PAs has increased, but recognition too. Before we had to push to get into GP surgeries, but now the presence of PAs is far more widespread. It’s also diversifying into specialist areas such as mental health. We’d encourage our St George’s colleagues to take on a PA student for a clinical placement and welcome a discussion about possible opportunities.
Tripti: There’s a much better understanding of where the PA role fits within the NHS.
That increase in awareness is creating more opportunities for our graduates. We’ve seen some move into primary care, others running their own clinics or assisting in theatres. We’re now seeing senior PAs taking on managerial roles or become partners in practice.
Tripti: It’s a really exciting time to be a PA in the NHS. Being regulated gives us a seat at the table, will increase interest in the profession and ultimately lead to more people studying to be PAs. We’re incredibly proud at St George’s to be at the forefront of this and excited to see where it goes.
Learn more about the MPAS at St George’s.