Meet the new team players: physician associates

Physician associates (PAs) were introduced into the NHS to add a new kind of team player to the medical workforce. The role originated in the US where they are known as physician assistants and have been practising since the mid-1960s ( Peate 2016 ).The PA competency and curriculum framework states that a newly qualified PA must be able to perform clinical work 'at the same standard as a newly qualified doctor', and trainees undergo a rigorous two-year postgraduate training ( Peate 2016 ). Before becoming eligible to practise, they must pass a Royal College of Physicians licensing exam and certified PAs are required to retake the examination every six years.