The Physician Associate Programme will help you to develop the professional attitudes necessary for your future career in clinical practice. Not only will you need the discipline to organise and regulate your studies for problem-based learning, you also need to recognise that your behaviour at all times – both inside and outside of University and NHS premises – and your treatment of fellow students, academic and non-academic staff and the general public is of paramount importance. During your medical training, the Programme and the GMC will require you to adhere to the principles laid down in the GMC’s Duties of a Doctor, Achieving good medical practice (2016) and Professional behaviour and fitness to practise (2016).
The GMC requires the Programme to pay close attention to the conduct, behaviour and attitude of their students throughout their training, both on and off University and NHS premises. If the conduct, behaviour or attitude of any student is a cause for concern, for example, antisocial or potentially dangerous behaviour, or a pattern of poor attendance, timekeeping and organisation, the Programme has a duty to ensure that appropriate action is taken – both to help the student understand the problem and develop more appropriate and professional behaviours and, importantly, to safeguard patients and colleagues.
The University has the power to exclude a student from the Programme – even if their academic performance is satisfactory – if they feel that the conduct, behaviour and/or attitude of the student is not consistent with the standards required of the profession.
In order to deal with unprofessional attitudes, actions, conduct and behaviour, the Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health has a Fitness to Practise procedure.
The GMC Guidance “Achieving Good Medical Practice” (2016) and “Professional Behaviour and Fitness to Practise” (2016) set out the professional behaviour expected of medical students, key areas of misconduct, the sanctions available for these, and the processes for student fitness to practise arrangements. This guidance is aimed at medical students, medical schools and anyone involved in medical education.
You are expected to adhere to these guidelines.
Please also read the following:
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health Fitness to Practise Procedure