Welcome to RCSI
Important information regarding the MSc in Physician Associate studies programme, the application process and guidelines, student handbook and policies, and contact information for the PA Studies faculty and staff.
Programme Mission Statement
The mission of the RCSI Physician Associate programme is to prepare clinically competent, compassionate, practice-ready physician associates who expand access to high‑quality, evidence‑based care and improve health outcomes across the Republic of Ireland. Through rigorous education, interprofessional learning and diverse clinical experiences, we equip graduates with the knowledge, skills and professional behaviours needed to practise effectively in varied healthcare settings both nationally and internationally.
Programme Goals
Goal 1: Develop Clinically Competent, Evidence‑Based Practitioners
The programme will prepare graduates with the biomedical, clinical and behavioural science knowledge and skills required to deliver safe, effective and evidence‑based care across diverse patient populations and care settings.
Goal 2: Increase Access to High‑Quality Healthcare Across Ireland
The programme will contribute to improved access to timely medical care in the Republic of Ireland by educating PAs who are qualified to practise in settings experiencing workforce shortages or service gaps.
Goal 3: Strengthen Multidisciplinary, Team‑Based Care
The programme will ensure graduates demonstrate effective communication, collaboration and professional behaviours that enable them to function as integral members of multidisciplinary healthcare teams.
Goal 4: Promote Professionalism, Ethical Practice and Compassionate Care
The programme will instil professional values, ethical decision‑making skills, and compassionate, patient‑centred behaviours essential to the delivery of equitable, high‑quality care.
Goal 5: Support Continuous Quality Improvement in Education and Practice
The programme will use systematic evaluation and continuous quality improvement processes to enhance teaching, assessment, curricular design and clinical partnerships, ensuring graduates achieve strong outcomes and meet evolving healthcare needs.
Accreditation is currently provided by the National University of Ireland, which initially approved the Degree of Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies (Major Award; NFQ Level 9; 120 ECTS) with full RCSI support and approval on 7 April 2016. At that time, initial approval of five years was granted, with re-accreditation managed by RCSI per the University guidelines. Re-accreditation is currently extended, per RCSI policies of annual review. No major or minor revisions in the initial curriculum have been submitted to the RCSI Awards and Qualifications committee. The internal process of review and re-accreditation and policies governing the timing of such reviews can be viewed on the RCSI Quality Enhancement Office page.
The RCSI PA programme has applied for Accreditation – Provisional status from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The application is currently pending review on the July 2026 ARC-PA meeting agenda.
Accreditation – Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, or a proposed programme that has not yet enrolled students, appear to demonstrate the programme's ability to meet the ARC-PA standards; or when a programme holding accreditation-provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
Applicants to the RCSI PA programme for the next intake, in January 2027, should note the following:
- If approved for Provisional status, students beginning in January 2027 (continuing for a period of up to five years) and who successfully graduate from the RCSI PA programme have the same eligibility to take the PANCE (NCCPA PA National Certifying Exam) as students from ARC-PA Accredited-Continued programmes.
- Provisional accreditation status, if conferred, will allow RCSI’s PA programme to maintain a pathway towards accreditation.
Implications of Non-Accreditation: The RCSI PA programme is an established programme in the Republic of Ireland, NOT currently accredited by the ARC-PA. Unless the programme is granted Accreditation – Provisional status, there are implications for international students who desire to sit for the NCCPA-PANCE.
If the programme is not granted accreditation: The RCSI PA Programme is not yet accredited by the ARC-PA, and will remain a developing programme seeking provisional accreditation from the ARC-PA. However, the programme still maintains its Irish accreditation status and will enrol students in January of 2027. Applicants should continue to check the programme’s website, which will provide updates on actions related to ARC-PA accreditation.
You can learn more by visiting the ARC-PA website. The programme is committed to transparency and will continue to provide timely updates as the accreditation process progresses.
The PA Studies team schedules an open day in advance of the MSc in Physician Associate Studies programme intakes, before the applications go live on the RCSI website (around February-April).
This is a hybrid event where prospective applicants can choose to attend either in person or remotely via MS Teams. Anyone interested to attend our open day needs to register on the website once the registration link is live, and can do so up to the day before the event. The MS Teams link is then circulated to hybrid attendees on the morning of the event by email.
The open day gives interested applicants an opportunity to get further information on the overall programme, curriculum, teaching schedule, clinical placements, on-campus vs hybrid models, examinations, etc. It also allows them to meet the faculty and staff, as well as current students and past graduates, and is a very interactive event.
We strongly advise anyone interested in applying for the programme to attend the open day.
Details/registration links for our open day are available on our website once the date/time has been finalised by the office; we also advertise this event on our social media accounts (LinkedIn/Instagram).
Before submitting an application online for the MSc in Physician Associate Studies, please ensure you are eligible to apply by reviewing the strict eligibility criteria on our website.
We also have an FAQ guidelines document which answers a number of generic questions we regularly receive by email from prospective applicants, and which you may find useful.
If you have any specific queries regarding a prospective application for this programme, please e-mail pastudies@rcsi.ie for advice. This inbox is answered daily, Mon-Fri.
The student fees refund policy for this programme is available below.
The Irish Society of Physician Associates (ISPA) was established in 2015 by faculty members of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. In May 2019, members of the ISPA elected five new board members to include newly qualified Irish-trained physician associates. These board members are graduates of the RCSI Master's in Physician Associate Studies and continue to work as physician associates in the Republic of Ireland, across a variety of clinical specialties. The ISPA's board members are elected by members of the society and announced at the annual general meeting (AGM). A new ISPA president is elected annually.
ISPA was established to provide professional support to both qualified physician associates and physician associate students in their education, training and continued professional development in the Republic of Ireland (ROI). It is the interim representative body in the ROI.
For additional information about ISPA, please visit their website.
You can also contact them at contactus@ispaireland.ie.
Professor Lisa Mustone Alexander EdD, MPH, PA-C
Programme Director
Lisa is responsible for the overall leadership of the programme. She received her PA training at George Washington University, where she also completed a Master's in Public Health and doctoral degree in Education. She has extensive experience in PA education and front-line clinical experience as a PA. Her doctoral research focused on the identity of the PA profession. Lisa is Professor Emeritus at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. In 1972, at the 50th anniversary celebration of the programme's founding, she was honoured with the creation of the Lisa Mustone Alexander Distinguished Public Service Award.
E-mail: lisaalexander@rcsi.ie
Dr Melanie Cunningham
Director of Education
Dr Melanie Cunningham was appointed the Director of Education for the Physician Associates programme at RCSI in 2024, and also serves as the associate director of the programme. After her surgical training in Ireland, she worked as a clinical lecturer for the Deptartments of Surgery and Microbiology at RCSI, inspiring students to find their passion in the field of medicine. Before studying graduate entry medicine at RCSI, she obtained a BS in Biological Sciences with a specialisation in microbiology and an MPH in Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology. Her academic interests include improving experiential learning for students on clinical placements, understanding the development of personal and professional identity within healthcare roles, and the impact of the language we use in the clinical environment with patients and colleagues.
E-mail: melanieacunningham@rcsi.ie
Alexandra Troy PA-IC
Teacher Practitioner
Alexandra is an Irish-trained RCSI PA graduate from the inaugural class; she worked clinically for 7.5 years before transitioning to academia. She is the clinical lead coordinator for clinical placements, overseeing student placement organisation and support. She contributes to teaching across Years 1 and 2, including lectures, OSCEs, and long case tutorials, and delivers small group teaching to Year 1 students.
E-mail: atroy@rcsi.ie
Stephanie Billault
Programme Co-ordinator
Stephanie is responsible for the administrative logistics around the programme’s intakes, tutorials, exams and conferring ceremonies, and is the first point of contact for general enquiries in the office. She also looks after day-to-day finances, organises the GP rotations for our students on CP6b clinical placements, and ensures the efficient running of the PA Studies office. She previously worked in the RCSI Department of Surgical Affairs looking after the surgical training programmes, and in the RCSI/RCPI Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine. Prior to joining RCSI, Stephanie worked in the Medical Council of Ireland (MCI) Registration Department.
E-mail: stephbillault@rcsi.ie and pastudies@rcsi.ie.
RCSI's Dublin campus contains some of the city’s most iconic buildings, and seamlessly integrates centuries of history with state-of-the-art learning technology and fun social spaces. Designed with our students in mind, the RCSI campus will offer you everything you could possibly need to meet your academic, professional and personal goals while studying at our university.
Our Physician Associate students are mostly based in the RCSI Mercer Building during the didactic phase (year one). We also regularly welcome them back to the Mercer Building at the end of Year 1 and throughout Year 2 for mandatory tutorial days and courses, as well as examinations, while they are on CP6a, CP6b and CP6c clinical placements.
PA students also have access to the main college (123 St Stephen’s Green) where they attend their anatomy lectures and practical sessions during Year 1, as well as 26 York Street where they can study in a quiet space, book small rooms for study groups/revision work, and visit the Library. 26 York Street is also the home to our state-of-the-art simulation centre, where the PA students attend for practical tutorials and exams throughout the two years of the MSc PA studies programme.
You can find more information about the RCSI Dublin campus here.