11th September 2018
Swansea University Medical School celebrates with health boards as first Physician Associates graduate
Swansea University Medical School has celebrated the achievements of their very first cohort of Physician Associate students at a special celebration along with invited guests from across NHS Wales.
Guests from ABMU, Hywel Dda and Aneurin Bevan University Health Boards joined university colleagues for a special celebration held at the Medical School.
Professor Keith Lloyd, Head of the Medical School said: “Congratulations to the first Physician Associate graduates. Physician Associates are a new role which is seen as a key part of modernising the NHS workforce. We are delighted to continue working with our health board colleagues to ensure they can offer our Physician Associate students clinical placements and employment within their Health Boards.”
Dr Wyn Harris, the Physician Associate Programme Director at Swansea University, said: “The Physician Associate role is a vital step towards re-shaping the NHS so it is a healthcare service fit for the 21st Century and for another 70 years. Physician Associates work to support doctors and take on many of the roles of a junior doctor. They are trained clinicians and can undertake initial patient assessments and carry out procedures. They are trained generally so they can work in all areas of healthcare such as medicine, surgery, paediatrics and mental health and can also work in primary or secondary care.”
Swansea University Medical School launched the two-year course back in September 2016.
Professor Keith Lloyd, Head of the Medical School, added: “Our Physician Associate programme is a real success story for us – many of this first cohort have already secured employment within NHS Wales and the course has also just achieved 100% student satisfaction rating in the Postgraduate Student Survey. Our student numbers have already increased in the two years the course has been up and running and we have received more than 160 applications for the next cohort of 20 students who are due to start in September.”
Second year Physician associate student Cameron Brennan said choosing to study on the Physician Associate course at Swansea was the best career decision he has made. He said: “I am now approaching the end of my course, and taking stock of the world class training and opportunities we have had – I can happily say retraining has been the best career decision I have made to date. Although the Physician Associate profession is new to Wales, the teaching offered at Swansea University Medical School has ensured that we have already began making waves and proving our usefulness across the whole of Wales.”