Physician Assistant (BSc): Information for companies

The "Study programme with enhanced practical training" – similar to dual study programmes – allows students to continuously link academic knowledge with practical experience. Throughout their studies, students are contractually bound to a practice partner and complete regular structured placements. This creates optimal theory-practice transfer, specifically preparing students for professional entry and providing valuable insights into real work environments.

Benefits for your clinic in the "enhanced practical training" model:

• Continuity and regular placements: Students support your medical team not only during mandatory clerkships and the practical year, but also during lecture-free periods.
• Effective practical year contribution: Having been familiar with your clinic's structures for several years, students require minimal onboarding. During the practical year, you benefit from fully integrated, pre-trained junior staff.
• Talent pipeline: The close ties to your clinic facilitate post-graduation employment. You secure qualified personnel for your medical team early on.
• Structured training: All activities are based on a compulsory logbook that transparently defines learning objectives and competencies, co-signed by the clinic.

Framework conditions:

• Study duration: 8 semesters (7 semesters with prior healthcare vocational training)
• Placements: Two months of clerkships during term time, one practical year (200 days), plus full-time work during lecture-free periods each semester
• Supervision: All activities are conducted under medical instruction and responsibility

Structure:

• Semesters 1 to 6: Lectures from March to July, followed by 10 weeks of in-depth practical training; lectures from October to February, followed by 6 weeks of in-depth practical training
• Semesters 3 and 4: Additionally, 4 weeks of clinical traineeship each in April and October
• Semesters 7 and 8: Practical year

This model creates a mutually beneficial partnership: your clinic receives reliable early support, while students gain continuous practical training.

Contract:
A sample contract can be provided by the Practice Officer (pa-praxisbeauftragte[at]hnu[dot]de (opens in a new window)). Please note that contract details are the responsibility of practice partners and students.

The logbook corresponds to the training catalogue for practical placements and is maintained by students throughout their entire studies. A fully completed logbook must be submitted for successful graduation. Students manage the logbook themselves, which is then countersigned by specialist physicians.

If interested, the logbook can be requested from our Practice Officer (pa-praxisbeauftragte[at]hnu[dot]de).​

If you are interested in closer collaboration on the practical training of HNU students, please contact our Practice Officer (pa-praxisbeauftragte[at]hnu[dot]de).

Your benefits as a cooperation clinic:

• Additional support in ward routines, ward rounds, diagnostics, operating theatre preparation and surgical assistance
• Strengthening of your multiprofessional team and relief for your doctors
• Positioning as a modern facility actively contributing to training a new profession recognised by the German Medical Association
• Early opportunity to recruit talented junior staff for your clinic
• The university presents partner companies on its website and links to their homepage

In Germany, there is currently no independent professional law for the occupation of Physician Assistant and thus no uniformly binding legal framework; nevertheless, the legislator defines the fundamentals for the deployment and activities of Physician Assistants in various regulations on medical delegation, which are summarised below.

Main duty of the physician: Acting lege artis (in accordance with specialist standards). This applies equally to Physician Assistants (PAs) – delegated tasks must maintain treatment quality.

Subsidiary duties of the physician: Personal examination and diagnosis where required, appropriate therapy/intervention, patient information and consent, supervision of delegated tasks, documentation, and access to records.

Physician reservation: Patient briefing, medication prescription, X-ray use, transfusions, and diagnosis.

BGH principle (1979): Physicians may delegate to qualified non-medical staff provided the task does not require specialist medical expertise.​

Delegation requires physician presence or immediate availability. Task transfer to PAs depends on service type, case severity, and PA qualifications. Per § 630h (4) BGB, lack of qualification is presumed causative for patient harm.

Breaches of organisational duties count as treatment errors, potentially triggering civil/criminal liability.

PA responsibility: PAs are accountable for executing delegated tasks correctly and may face civil, employment, or criminal consequences for errors.

In summary: Physicians determine necessary measures and select competent PAs. PAs must decline tasks beyond their qualifications.

Recommendation: Implement SOPs for PA task delegation to clarify:

• Delegated tasks
• Extent of supervision
• Organisational reliability
• Senior staff instructions

Here you can directly offer available placements (clerkships, practical year or enhanced practical training) to our students. Use the following link to publish your vacancies internally at the university:

Please complete the form fully so we can accurately record your offers and make them available to students. If all placement positions in your facility are filled, we would appreciate brief feedback to the Practice Officer (pa-praxisbeauftragte[at]hnu[dot]de) so we can update the practice placement management accordingly.