'PAs went to assist in theatre instead of me': frustrations mount over associates' impact on training

Stock image. iStock.com/ Andrey Zhuravlev

By Erin Dean

Resident doctors regularly report negative impacts of medical associate roles on their training experiences, as unions fear long-term effects on skills and experience.

When reflecting on the experiences of working on a ward with three physician associates (PAs) earlier this year, a doctor on a surgical training programme recalls a “demoralising” time.