What Do Physician Associate Students Do On GP Placements?

In her continuing adventures of Physician Associate Studies, Aimee tackles a vital question – what do Physician Associate students do on GP placements? She takes up through the different tasks and skills that Physician Associate students will learn about when undertaking work experience at a GP practice and why it’s an important part of the course. 

The last time I wrote about placements, I was just seven hours into the whopping 1,600 placement hours that Physician Associate students are required to complete in order to qualify. I have now clocked up around 56 hours, all on GP placement so far. 

During the first year of the PGDip in Physician Associate Studies at Swansea University, we go out on placement to a GP surgery once a fortnight. We also complete placement blocks of three to five weeks in hospitals, with the first one starting this week. 

So, what do Physician Associate students do in GP land? 

Shadowing 

There is an initial period where students will shadow GPs and other members of staff in their designated practice. Different practices will have a different range of staff. GPs and practice nurses are standard, but my practice has GPs, nurses, nurse practitioners, paramedics, pharmacists, a health visitor and health care support workers.  

History Taking 

Once settled in, students will begin practicing history taking skills. Once getting used to taking a history, it becomes easier to ask more targeted questions rather than following the set flow taught in class. After taking a history from a patient, students present findings to the GP tutor, and then examine the patient together. 

When my confidence has grown, I’m sure that this exercise will extend to me taking a history and performing the relevant examination before presenting my findings to the GP tutor along with my proposed action plan. 

Skills Sign Offs 

As with all health care courses, Physician Associate students have a set of skills that they are expected to become competent at before qualifying. GP placement days provide a great opportunity to get some of these skills signed off. For physician associates, this includes (among others)… 

• Taking blood samples 
• Giving injections 
• Performing an ECG 
• Analysing urine samples 
• Taking smear tests 
• Setting up an IV infusion 
• Inserting cannulas 

Note Taking and Navigating the Computer Systems 

One very important skill that health professionals must master is taking notes. In GP practices, everything is computerised, so Physician Associate students learn how to use this system while on placement. 

Patient notes are a legal document which must be accurate and thorough so that future professionals who see the patient know exactly what has been done and what has been discussed with the patient. I would personally argue that this is one of the most important skills that Physician Associate students must learn. 

Rural vs. City GP Practices 

What happens on GP placements will vary between practices, especially those in rural areas vs those in city centres. 

In general, the population seen in rural practices will be mostly elderly people with long-standing health problems such as heart failure and chronic airways diseases. City centre practices will see more of a variety of patients including students, drug users and individuals whose first language is not Welsh or English.  

The resources available in city centre vs rural practices will also vary considerably. In Swansea, I am lucky enough to spend time in both rural and city centre practices, ensuring a well-rounded understanding of general practice. 

GP Placement Benefits 

Overall, GP placement days are an opportunity for Physician Associate students to engage with patients, practice skills and to further knowledge of the services being provided by primary care. 

It is also a great way to introduce people to the role of the Physician Associate, since it is a fairly new development – even the GPs we shadow ask us questions about our role! 

So, future PA students, although many people look forward to the excitement and fast pace of hospital placements, make sure you embrace the opportunities to witness general practice and become pioneers for the PA profession! 

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