Institute of Medical, Biomedical and Allied Health Education (IMBAE)
  1. Centre for Biomedical Education
  2. Centre for Clinical Education
  3. Centre for Allied Health
  4. Education life
  1. Physician Associate Section
    1. Physician Associate Clinical Supervisor Guide
Medical, Biomedical and Allied Health Education (IMBAE)

Physician Associate Section

The Physician Associate Team are responsible for the development and delivery of the Masters in Physician Associate Studies (MPAS) programme.

We are renowned for providing a comprehensive, diverse, and inclusive educational program that cultivates confident, knowledgeable, compassionate physician associates equipped with exceptional communication and exemplary clinical skills. Students graduate from our course with the comprehensive education they require to excel in the Physician Associate Registration Assessment (PARA), as well as in their future employment as safe and competent physician associates.

Our team benefits from having both physician associates and doctors, a combination of whom work solely in education and those whose work balances their educational role with a clinical role. Those who practice clinically, work across a breadth of specialities including general practice, emergency medicine, acute medicine, urology, palliative care, intensive care, sport medicine and HIV.

Some of our faculty held lead roles nationally, other staff members have had prominent national roles including board positions for the PA national exam, the OSCE and SBA writing groups and educational committee roles as well as ambassador positions with NHS-England. Our active presence over the years in these national groups demonstrates our commitment to excellence which, in turn encourages our students to become informed, professional and outstanding physician associates.

What we do

The Physician Associate Team:

Develop and quality assure all the modules that run across the 2 years of the programme including:

  • Foundations of Clinical Medicine (FCM)
  • Personal & Professional Development (PPD)
  • Physician Associates Applied Clinical Knowledge and Skills (PAACKS)
  • Applied Pharmacology (AP)
  • Investigations in Clinical Medicine (ICM)
  • Evidence Based Practice (EBP)
  • Physician Associate as a Professional Evaluation Report (PAPER).

Deliver all the core teaching activities including the following:

  • Clinical examination and communication skills
  • Small group teaching including professional practice workshops
  • Problem-based learning (PBL).
  • Create, develop, and deliver all the assessments including written examinations and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs)
  • Recruit, coordinate and quality assure all clinical placements in primary and secondary care
  • Provide pastoral support via a personal tutor programme
  • Perform academic scholarship relating to physician associate and medical education.

Who we are

Tripti Chakraborty, PA-R Senior Lecturer
Course Director
Physician Associate as a Professional (PAPER A/B) module lead

Amy Donaldson-Perrott, PA-R, Reader
Divisional lead
Welfare lead

Chandran Louis, PA-R, Senior Lecturer
Chief Examiner (written assessments)

Chanceeth Chandrakanthan, PA-R Senior Lecturer
Applied Pharmacology (AP) module lead
Sub-module lead: Problem Based Learning (PBL)

Dr Mathavi Uthayanan, MBBS Lecturer
Foundations of Clinical Medicine B (FCM B) module lead
Sub-module lead: personal and professional workshops and reflections

Beck Hickman, PA-C/R Lecturer
PPD-B lead
OSCE year two responsible examiner

Ellie Van Vuren, PA-R  Lecturer
Admission tutor & Year 2 Deputy

Rekka Kandasamy, PA-R  Lecturer
PPD-A Co-module lead (clinical examination skills)

Alexandra Wolley, PA-R Senior Lecturer
Foundations of Clinical Medicine A (FCM A) Module Lead
PA Applied Clinical Knowledge and Skills-B (PAACKS-B) module lead

Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, LRCP, MRCS , MRCGP Senior Lecturer
Medical advisor

William Porter, PA-R Lecturer

Brian Dzitiki PA-R Lecturer
PPD-A co-module lead (communication skills)
Responsible Examiner: written exams

Jay Cameron, PA-R Lecturer
Sub-module lead: Primary care Deputy Lead

Jamie Saunders, PA-R Lecturer
OSCE year one responsible examiner
Investigation in Clinical Medicine Module Lead


Learn more about our MPAS programme