NCCPA has announced its 2004 exam schedule. For information about deadlines, exam registration policies, and applications, visit NCCPA Connect. Registration and application materials for the following exams will be available this fall.

• Jan. 2 – Mar. 13
• Apr. 1 – July 15
• June 15 – Sept. 30
• Sept. 8 – Dec. 31

• Apr. 1 – July 15
• Aug. 2 – Oct. 31

• Feb. 2 – Mar. 5
• July 1 – 31

• Mar. 15 – Apr. 30
• Aug. 16 – Oct. 1

NCCPA designed a new secure Web site to increase efficiency, facilitate the licensure process and get PAs on-the-job faster.

This secure portal offers state licensing boards the ability to directly and electronically review PANCE scores within 24 hours of their availability, which will dramatically shorten many PAs’ wait from graduation to their first job.

The new portal is being piloted with the California state licensing authority this year and may be offered to all state licensing boards as soon as 2004 if the initial pilot phase continues to go well. The project was launched in response to a request from Rick Wallinder, executive officer of the California PA Examining Committee, for a faster, more secure transfer of PANCE scores. Wallinder is complimentary of NCCPA’s efforts to efficiently meet the needs of state licensing boards.

"This new site speeds up the whole process," says Wallinder. "It’s a smarter way to do business."

Under the current system, PANCE scores are provided only upon request to the state licensing board by e-mail or postal mail, neither of which are as secure as this new Web-based system.

The new secure site is accessible only to state licensing boards and requires a username and password assigned by NCCPA. When new PANCE scores are imported into NCCPA’s database, the system generates an e-mail to notify the state board that new scores are available. The e-mail includes a hyperlink that takes the recipient right to the login page.

For the pilot phase, individual PA scores are being reported for examinees who graduated or live in California.

"The strengths of this new site are its speed and its security," said Tim Perry, NCCPA director of information services. "We are excited about this opportunity to expedite the licensure process for the PAs we certify."

Earlier efforts to expedite PA licensure have included expanding the 2003 PANCE testing windows to encompass 50 weeks of the year and reducing the turnaround time for score reports from four weeks to two.

"Customer service continues to be one of our paramount goals. This newest project is another way for us to better, more efficiently serve the PA population," said Janet Lathrop, NCCPA president.

A. "Clinical" and "professional" simply refer to the nature of the topic of the CME. If the topic directly relates to medicine and patient care, then it is clinical. If the nature of the topic is more "business" related, like billing and coding, then it’s professional.

A. Your certificate will expire Dec. 31, 2003. You can regain your certification by passing PANCE or by taking a recertification exam if your CME hours are up-to-date. Or, if severe and extenuating circumstances (i.e., military deployment) will prevent you from fulfilling the requirements, you may submit a written request (with supporting documentation) for an extension of your certification.

A. No. You could have started earning CME for your 2003-2005 cycle as early as May 1, 2003. If your certificate expires this year, your next CME earning cycle runs May 1, 2003 – June 30, 2005.

A. If you are audited, you will need to provide documentation for your Category I CME hours. Appropriate documentation includes certificates of completion, certification wallet cards, hospital-generated lists of programs attended, a completed AAPA Conference CME Planner or written verification of attendance from the program provider.