Overview

To attain the PA-C designation, you must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE). PANCE is a computerized, multiple-choice test that comprises 360 questions that assess basic medical and surgical knowledge.

Eligibility Requirements

In order to take PANCE, you must graduate from a program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) as a Physician Assistant Program or a Surgeon Assistant Program. PA program graduates will be deemed to have graduated from an accredited program if their PA educational program was accredited at the time of their matriculation.

**Even if you have earned a medical degree from another country, you must still graduate from an accredited PA program to take PANCE.

Did you graduate before July 1994? See below for more details about PANCE eligibility.

You’re also eligible to take PANCE if you:

• completed a program between July 1, 1994 and December 31, 2000 that was accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs as a Physician Assistant or a Surgeon Assistant Program.
• completed a program between January 1, 1986 and June 30, 1994, that was accredited by the American Medical Association Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation as a Physician Assistant Program or a Surgeon Assistant Program, or
• completed a program between January 1, 1977, and December 31, 1985, that was accredited by the American Medical Association Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation as either a Program to Educate and Train Assistants to the Primary Care Physician or a Surgeon Assistant Program, or
• completed a program before December 31, 1976, that was accredited by the American Medical Association Council on Medical Education as either a Program to Educate and Train Assistants to the Primary Care Physician or a Surgeon Assistant Program, or
• have been awarded unrestricted eligibility and have previously taken the initial certification examination administered by the NCCPA.

Individuals who have never been certified and who graduated from an ARC-PA accredited physician assistant program on or after January 1, 2003, will be eligible to take PANCE for up to six years after completing the requirements for graduation from that program. During that six-year period, the examination may be taken a maximum of six times. When either the six attempts or six years is exhausted, whichever occurs sooner, the individual loses eligibility to take PANCE. The only way to establish new eligibility to take PANCE is to enter into and complete an unabridged ARC-PA accredited physician assistant educational program.

Registration Information

PANCE: 2008       
Advance PANCE registration with payment of $425 is required, but you may schedule your exam anytime (depending on testing center availability) within the 180 day timeframe established for you to take the exam based on your expected graduation date and the successful submission of all required materials to NCCPA.

When registering for PANCE, please consider the following requirements:

• NCCPA does not accept applications until 90 days prior to your expected completion date (as provided by your program directors).
• The earliest date you'll be able to test is seven days after your program completion (provided your program director has confirmed your graduation.) This date will be reflected on your exam acknowledgement.
• You have 180 days from the beginning of your exam timeframe to the end of your timeframe in which to take the exam. These dates will be reflected on your exam acknowledgement.
• You may only take PANCE once in any 90-day period or three times in a calendar year.
• If there's any chance that you won't complete your PA program requirements on time, wait until you are confident of your program completion/graduation date prior to registering for the exam.

Testing centers are located throughout the U.S. and other select countries. Visit www.pearsonvue.com/nccpa to schedule your exam date and for directions to testing centers in your area.

Self Assessment

NCCPA has designed a self assessment that you can take as soon as NCCPA receives your PANCE eligibility from your PA program. The self assessment includes 120 multiple-choice questions that have been extracted from the actual PANCE and PANRE item banks and provides you an opportunity to view questions similar in format and style to actual exam questions. In addition, the online assessment is designed to reflect the time constraints (1 minute per question) associated with the actual exam, which allows you the opportunity to ensure that you can effectively manage your time. Students who register for the exam will have 180 days during which to complete the 120-minute assessment. Priced at $35, the self assessment is a tool to assist you in assessing your relative strengths and weaknesses as you prepare for the initial certification exam.

Questions about the Self Assessment? Find answers to frequently asked questions or sign in to your personal certification record to register for the self assessment.

Ready to register?

To access the PANCE or self assessment application, you will need to sign in to your personal certification record. If this will be the first time you've signed in to our Web site, you will need to set-up your online personal certification record by entering your social security number, birth date and e-mail address before you'll be able to register for the exam.

Sign in to register online.

webmaster • (678) 417-8100
12000 Findley Road Suite 200 • Duluth, GA 30097-1409