CLOSELY ASSOCIATED The demand for Physician Associates in Ireland is expected to grow. RCSI has taken the initiative and established the first MSc programme in Physician Associate Studies. Valerie Ryan reports
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he Physician Associate Studies programme at RCSI hit the ground running last summer, when the first group of six Physician Associates graduated with their MSc in Physician Associate Studies. What soon became clear is that there is growing demand for these roles in the health services. Thirteen more Physician Associates (PAs) will follow in their footsteps when they graduate on May 29 this year, and already the majority have been offered employment in hospitals such as Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, the Galway Clinic, Mater Private, Cork and in primary care. Following in their wake, the College welcomed a fourth cohort of Physician Associate Students in January this year. Across the two-year MSc programme, there are ten first year students on year one at present, and another ten second
The first class of Physician Associates at RCSI graduated in 2018. From left: Alexandra Troy, Maria Macken, Jessica Maddock, Michael James Tracey, Ciara Melia, Trish Anderson.
