Education and training

By setting out the knowledge, behaviour and skills that will be expected of newly qualified physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) and quality assuring courses, regulation ensures PA and AA graduates are ready to work safely.

We work to make sure that education and training outcomes prepare PAs and AAs to deliver good, safe patient care. 

To read more about PA and AA education and our process visit our education webpages.  

Outcomes

Our pre-qualification education framework for PAs and AAs consists of overarching learning outcomes and an outcomes-based curriculum for each profession. The outcomes ensure consistency, where it's appropriate, between the curricula for both the PA and AA professions. This is especially relevant across professional capabilities such as teaching and leadership. Each curriculum sets out the profession-specific capabilities we expect students to develop. PA and AA students who have been taught under the new framework will start to graduate from summer 2025.

PA registration assessment

We worked with the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and others to develop the PA Registration Assessment (PARA). Students who started their PA course after September 2023 have been taught to the new pre-qualification education framework. They must pass the PARA, to register with us.

The content map for this assessment outlines what we expect it to cover, and are working with the RCP and others to prepare for its delivery. Current students who began their course before September 2023, will sit the existing PA National Examination, delivered by the RCP. 

AA registration assessment

We have worked with the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) and others to develop the new AA Registration Assessment (AARA). Students who have been taught to the new pre-qualification education framework must pass the AARA in addition to their AA qualification to register with us. The AARA will begin from summer 2025. Students whose course began before the new curriculum was implemented won’t sit the AARA.

Quality assurance

During the lead-up to regulation, we worked with course providers and asked them to update their courses, including their syllabus and assessments, using the relevant curriculum. Now regulation has begun, we will approve courses, set conditions for course providers to meet, and publish reports of our quality assurance activity. Our published reports will include an annual summary, for each course provider.

Find out more about our quality assurance process.

Professionalism standards for students

Physician associate (PA) and anaesthesia associate (AA) students are studying to join a trusted profession that will bring them into contact with patients and members of the public, therefore, there is a higher standard of behaviour expected while studying. Achieving good medical practice for PA and AA students outlines the standards expected of them – both inside and outside their course or placement – and shows how the principles and values of Good medical practice apply to them as a student.

We’ve also published guidance for PA and AA course providers on managing professionalism and fitness to practise concerns. The guidance outlines the processes that course providers should follow if they're worried about a student’s professionalism or fitness to practise, and students might find them a helpful reference too.