End of transition for physician associates and anaesthesia associates

I haven’t started an application for registration

If you intend to practise as a PA or AA in the UK after the end of transition, you need to be registered with us and you should apply for registration as soon as possible. 

If we get your application after 14 September 2026, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to make a decision on it before the legal requirement to be registered as a PA or AA takes effect on 13 December 2026. You must stop working in these roles from 13 December 2026 until we have made a decision on your application. This decision must confirm that you have met the requirements, and that we have granted you registration.

Your next steps depend on if you have activated your GMC Online account with us.

We may have previously sent you emails about applying for registration. If you followed these instructions and have activated your account, please log onto GMC Online to make an application.

If you have not activated your GMC Online account, please refer to any previous emails (sent by APAT@gmc-uk.org) and follow the instructions. If you can’t find an email from us, please telephone our contact centre on 0161 923 6602 for further support. They are available Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.

I’ve started an application for registration, but haven’t submitted it yet

If you intend to practise as a PA or AA in the UK after the end of transition, you need to be registered with us and you should apply for registration as soon as possible.

If we get your application after 14 September 2026, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to make a decision on it before the legal requirement to be registered as a PA or AA takes effect on 13 December 2026. You must stop working in these roles from 13 December 2026 until we have made a decision on your application. This decision must confirm that you have met the requirements, and that we have granted you registration.

I previously applied for registration

You may have previously applied for registration but:

• you withdrew your application
• we refused your application 
• we refused to make a decision on your application. 

If you intend to practise as a PA or AA in the UK after the end of transition, you need to be registered with us and will need to submit another application for registration as soon as possible.

Please follow any advice or guidance we gave about your previous application.  

If we get your application after 14 September 2026, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to make a decision on it before the legal requirement to be registered as a PA or AA takes effect on 13 December 2026.  

If you aren’t registered by 13 December 2026, then you cannot use the protected titles of PA or AA and must stop working in these roles until you are granted registration. 

I've already submitted my application for registration 

Thank you for submitting a registration application. Please refer to our emails for information on next steps.

If we have asked you for more evidence or to complete an ID check, please send this to us as soon as possible so this does not delay the progress of your application.

I've given up my registration or been removed from the register

If you intend to practise as a PA or AA in the UK after the end of transition, you need to re-register with us.

Please read our guidance on re-entering the register and email leavingandreturning@gmc-uk.org if you wish to make an application.

I'm a PA or AA who qualified outside of the UK

If you have already made an application as an international PA or AA, or are currently having your qualification assessed, please refer to our recent correspondence for further guidance.

If you have not yet made an application and intend to practise as a PA or AA in the UK after the end of transition, you should follow our application process for PAs and AAs who qualified outside of the UK. Please refer to our registration guidance for international PAs and registration guidance for international AAs.

Additional information for PAs and AAs who qualified in the USA

If you are a US-qualified PA, and your US qualification and Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) pass were the basis of your admittance to the Faculty of Physician Associates' managed voluntary register for PAs, we will currently accept your PANCE pass in place of a UK PANE/PARA pass.

These arrangements end on 13 December 2026 and after this time, you will need to make an application to have your qualification assessed and apply as an international PA.

Please note that there are additional evidence requirements and fees attached to the international registration pathway. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with the change in requirements so that you can make an informed decision in advance of the end of transition.

Further guidance can be found in our registration guidance for international PAs and registration guidance for international AAs. 

I'm an AA who started studying before September 2023

Under the transitional arrangements, we don’t currently require those who started studying as an AA before September 2023 to hold a valid anaesthesia associate registration assessment (AARA) pass.

However, from 13 December 2026 you will be required to demonstrate an in-date pass in the AARA exam as part of your registration application. 

We encourage you to familiarise yourself with the change in requirements so that you can make an informed decision about whether to apply for registration in advance of the end of transition. Read our registration guidance for newly-qualified AAs for more information.