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You can apply for the recertification exam by signing in to your NCCPA Portal and selecting the “Apply Now” link in the Recertifying Exam Status section of your dashboard.  

Within 1-3 days after your application is processed and completed, you’ll receive an exam acknowledgement email from NCCPA with instructions on how to schedule your exam. 

They are given in both Celsius and Fahrenheit.

Yes, the normal lab values are provided on a separate screen that displays when examinees click “Lab Values.” Some questions may contain lab values that are not included in the separate “Lab Values” screen. In those cases, the appropriate normal range is provided within the text of the question.

Height appears in centimeters, followed by feet and inches in parentheses.  An example would be 175.3 cm (5 ft 9 in).  Weight appears in kilograms followed by the pound value in parentheses. An example would be 86.2 kg (190 lb).

The generic name of a drug is always provided. The brand or trade names are also provided if the drug was approved by the FDA within approximately five years or less.

No, K questions are no longer on the exam.

Yes, you will have the ability to use both functions. A highlight button and a strikethrough button can be found in the top left corner of the computer screen in the test center. Additional instructions on how to use the functions will be included in the tutorial you are presented with before beginning the exam.

You will be notified by email when the results are posted to your NCCPA Portal (approximately two weeks after your exam date).

You must pass by the end of the tenth year, but you may take PANRE up to two times in the 9th and 10th years of your recertification cycle and up to three times in the 10th year of your recertification cycle, with a maximum of four total attempts.

There is a 90-day waiting period between retakes of the same examination.

The 90-day waiting period on PANRE attempts will be waived when (1) there are fewer than 90 days left in the last year of your recertification cycle and (2) you have not already exhausted all PANRE attempts available for the year. In such cases, one final attempt to pass the exam will be permitted.

No, you do not need to submit your CME before taking PANRE for recertification. However, if you are taking PANRE to regain certification, you must fulfill CME requirements prior to applying for PANRE.

First, there are many similarities between the PANRE and the PANRE-LA. Both recertification exams are based on the same core content blueprint. The questions on both exams are written and reviewed by Board Certified PAs and medical editors. Both exams have passing standards that are based on recommendations developed by PAs who participate in standard-setting studies, and passing either the PANRE or PANRE-LA fulfills the recertification exam requirement to maintain the PA-C credential.

There are also several differences. The PANRE is administered in a five-hour timeframe at a proctored Pearson VUE test center, with four hours of testing time (which averages one minute per question), 45 minutes of break time, and 15 minutes to review the tutorial. PAs complete the exam during this one scheduled appointment and receive results typically within two weeks after completing their exam.

The PANRE-LA offers a more flexible and extended delivery format. Over a period of 12 quarters, PAs will be required to participate in a minimum of eight quarters. PAs will take the PANRE-LA online and can log in and out of the exam at their convenience, using a range of acceptable devices (tablets, cell phones, laptops, etc.) that are compatible with the exam delivery system. The timing allotment per question is five minutes. In addition, unlike the PANRE that is administered in test centers that does not allow the use of reference materials, PAs participating in the PANRE-LA are allowed to access printed or online reference materials to aid in selecting their responses to the exam questions. Consulting with other individuals on any of the exam content is not allowed and is a breach of the exam policies.

Scoring to determine if the passing standard has been reached will begin after eight quarters of participation. PAs who reach the passing standard will have met their recertification exam requirement and are exited from the process. PAs who haven’t met the standard at that time can continue taking additional quarters until the end of the three-year process, as needed. After each subsequent quarter, scores will be recalculated using the best eight quarters of performance to determine the pass/fail status.

The questions included on all NCCPA’s exams are written by Board Certified PAs. PAs from across the country, working in a wide array of clinical practice areas write the test questions and then convene to review and discuss every question. The topics covered on PANRE and PANRE-LA are based on the core blueprint that resulted from a practice analysis study that included surveying all Board Certified PAs to gather feedback on the content that would be appropriate for a core recertification exam. Results from these studies were reviewed by panels of PAs to develop the updated content blueprint that is used for both PANRE and PANRE-LA. The blueprint can be found here.

PAs who are currently certified may choose the PANRE-LA as their recertification exam process and may apply in the 6^th year of their certification maintenance cycle. Information on application dates can be found on our Key Dates webpage. PAs seeking to regain certification are not eligible for the PANRE-LA. PAs who participated in the Pilot Alternative for PANRE but were withdrawn or did not pass the Pilot in the 2019-2020 administration are not eligible to apply for the PANRE-LA to meet the exam requirements that were associated with the Pilot. However, they may be able to apply for the PANRE-LA for future recertification exam cycles. No exceptions will be considered for the eligibility requirements to participate in PANRE-LA.

PAs whose recertification is due in 2024 but who are not passing PANRE-LA by the end of 2024 will be given a 12-month extension to continue participating in 2025. If they do not pass after 12 quarters, they will be given an additional extension of 12 months and will have up to three attempts to take and pass the proctored PANRE before their certification expires.

Similarly, PAs whose recertification is due in 2025 but who are not passing PANRE-LA after 12 quarters will be given a one-time extension of 12 months and will have up to three attempts to take and pass PANRE before their certification expires. Please note that any extensions applied will not affect the next recertification cycle.

Yes, PAs who choose to participate in the PANRE-LA must continue to meet the two-year CME and certification maintenance fee requirements to remain eligible for the PANRE-LA and to maintain their PA-C credential. PAs who do not complete the CME requirements to maintain certification will be withdrawn from the PANRE-LA process and will lose access to all the PANRE-LA content and information.

PAs seeking to regain certification are not eligible to take the PANRE-LA and will need to take and pass the traditional PANRE to regain certification

PAs will apply for the PANRE-LA in the 6th year of their recertification cycle and will have access to the exam in January of their 7th year. Visit the Recertifying Exam Status section of the PA Portal Dashboard to find out when you are eligible to apply. Application windows and deadlines can be found on our Key Dates webpage.

The fee for PANRE-LA is the same as PANRE, $350.00. The fee must be submitted for the application to be processed.

PAs who had extenuating circumstances that caused them to miss the December 18, 2024, deadline may request an exception to policy. The request must be submitted to NCCPA no later than April 30, 2025. If the request to extend the application deadline is approved, the PA will begin PANRE-LA in the first available quarter after the decision has been made and will not be allowed to make up the earlier missed quarter(s).

The PANRE-LA is administered over 12 quarters, and PAs are scored on eight quarters of questions. In each quarter, 25 questions are administered, with each having a five-minute time limit. After answering each question, PAs will receive immediate feedback on whether the question was answered correctly or incorrectly and will have access to a rationale that explains why the correct answer is the best response and why the other options are incorrect. PAs will also be provided with references in case they want to read more about the content of the question.

PAs must participate in at least one quarter in the first year and one quarter in the second year. Other than that, PAs may select the eight quarters they complete, and skip quarters based on their preferences and schedules. However, PAs are encouraged to participate in as many quarters as possible early in the process. After participating in eight quarters, PAs who have met or exceeded the passing standard will receive notification that they have passed and have met their recertification exam requirement. PAs who have not met the passing standard after eight quarters can continue participating until the end of the three-year process. After each subsequent quarter, scores will be recalculated using only the responses from the best eight quarters to determine if the passing has been met, and PAs will be notified when they have passed. This process allows PAs the opportunity to continue closing their knowledge gaps and improving their performance to hopefully achieve the passing standard before the conclusion of the PANRE-LA administration

PAs are required to participate in at least one quarter in the first year and at least one quarter in the second year of the PANRE-LA process. PAs who don’t meet this minimum participation requirement will be withdrawn and will lose all access to the PANRE-LA content and information. The PANRE-LA score will be based on eight quarters of exam questions. Other than these requirements, PAs have the flexibility to choose the quarters to participate in; however, they are encouraged to participate in as many quarters as possible early in the process to provide more opportunities to reach the passing score. PAs may be able to complete the exam with a passing score after participating in eight quarters.

No, the PANRE-LA is designed to incorporate the principles of spaced education, spaced assessment, and knowledge retention. Therefore, the structure of the process requires that the exam be administered in smaller sections over a more extended timeframe.

The timeframe for completing questions cannot be extended. If you have met the minimum participation requirement, you may continue in the process. The questions you didn’t answer will be scored as incorrect.

If at the end of the PANRE-LA process, you have not passed and you missed participating in a quarter due to personal health issues only, you may file a request for an exception to the policy. These exceptions to policy are limited to participation in up to two quarters and must be completed in the year immediately following the conclusion of the three-year PANRE-LA process. For additional information, see Exceptions to Policy and Exam Grievances and the PANRE-LA Operational Policies, Procedures, and Authorization.

The blueprint content categories are covered throughout the quarters. However, before each question is provided, PAs will receive information on the content category for the next question and whether that question includes an image. This way, PAs can make the choice of whether to proceed with opening the question to complete it, deferring the question until later in the quarter in case they want to review information on that content area, or wait to open the question because they want to use another device with a larger screen to view an image.

PANRE-LA questions are written just like proctored PANRE questions – multiple choice, most with five answer options. But with PANRE-LA, you’ll receive immediate feedback on each question. You’ll see the correct answer, an explanation of why that answer is correct and the other options are not, and resources to support the explanation. Sample questions are available here.

“Removed” Test Items: A small number of items may be removed from circulation in the first half of each calendar year. These are questions that were identified as problematic during statistical analysis and key validation with a panel of clinically active Board Certified PAs. If a PANRE-LA participant received one or more such test items, the item(s) will have been removed from their score and marked as “Removed” on the PANRE-LA Progress and History pages.

“Replaced” Test Items: After the first quarter of the 3-year exam administration period, PAs receive five questions each quarter on topics they have previously seen. This is to help identify and close gaps in knowledge or, if there are insufficient questions with incorrect responses to choose from, to reinforce existing knowledge. When topics are repeated, the better of the two responses is scored and the other is removed from the cumulative score. PAs may see questions they answered correctly removed from their score and replaced with another question on the same topic that they also answered correctly; no correct answer will be replaced by an incorrect answer. The response that was removed from the score is marked as “Replaced” on the PANRE-LA Progress and History pages.

If you have selected a response prior to the time expiring, that response will be scored and marked as either correct or incorrect, based on the response you chose. If you have not selected response, the question will be marked as unanswered and incorrect.

Throughout the PANRE-LA process, NCCPA gathers data on PA performance combined with the feedback submitted after each question. Using this data, we are able to customize the exam somewhat, while still ensuring adequate coverage of the exam blueprint. For example, after the first quarter, PAs will receive five questions each quarter on topics they have previously seen. This provides PAs the opportunity to demonstrate they have improved their knowledge on the topic, or in cases where there are insufficient questions with incorrect responses to choose from, reinforce existing knowledge. In addition, we are also able to use the data to provide PAs with questions that are more relevant to their practice, again while still ensuring adequate blueprint coverage. In cases where topics are repeated, the better of the two responses submitted is scored and the other is removed from the PA’s score. Questions that have been removed from their score are marked as “Replaced” on the PANRE-LA Progress and History pages.

No, working with others is prohibited. PAs are allowed to use printed or online medical references, but they are not allowed to discuss or share the content of the exam questions or materials with anyone. Doing so is a breach of the exam policies and may result in serious disciplinary actions from NCCPA, including the potential revocation of certification. Learn more about why exam security is a critical component of all NCCPA exams on our Exam Security webpage.

No, PAs only have access to the questions they opened during the PANRE-LA process. PAs who participate in a quarter but don’t open all the questions in that quarter will only have access to the content and critique for those questions that were opened.

PAs who don’t want to continue in the PANRE-LA process can submit a withdrawal request by email ([email protected]) to NCCPA at any time. PAs who have not accessed any exam questions and submit a written request to withdraw from PANRE-LA prior to the close of the first quarter  will receive a full $350 refund. No refunds will be issued after the closing of the first quarter of the PANRE-LA administration unless the PA has filed a request for an Exception to Policy that has been approved. PAs will lose all access to the PANRE-LA content and information when the withdrawal process is completed. The timeframe to apply for and take the proctored PANRE while still certified will vary depending on the timing of the withdrawal.

PAs may be administratively withdrawn from the PANRE-LA if they don’t meet the participation requirements in the first and second years or if they don’t complete their certification maintenance requirements (earning and logging CME and submitting the fee) that are due while enrolled in the PANRE-LA. In addition, PAs could also be removed from the program due to concerns with exam irregularities or disciplinary actions.

Since the PANRE-LA is not administered at testing centers and has a flexible delivery format, some of the routine accommodations (i.e., separate room, frequent breaks) are not applicable. The exam delivery system accommodates font size and color contrast adjustments. Therefore, the only accommodation provided for the PANRE-LA is extended time per question. The standard time allotment per question is five minutes. Based on documented disabilities, PAs may be approved for 1.5 or double-time to answer each question. For clarification, the extended time is per question and not on the overall window for completing each quarter’s questions.

One of the challenges of having a more flexible exam program that can be taken at PAs’ chosen location, on various devices, and flexible schedules is the potential for unstable internet connections or device problems. PAs are encouraged to take their exams in locations where they routinely have strong and stable internet service and on devices that are compatible with NCCPA’s system. We are unable to consider requests to reset questions for completion or to consider exceptions to policy related to internet connectivity or device issues.

If a disconnection does occur, the question timer will continue to count down. If the PA is able to log back in before the 5-minute timer expires, they may select and submit an answer. If logging back in within the allotted time is not possible and an answer was selected prior to the disconnection, that response will be recorded and scored. If no answer was selected, the question will be marked as unanswered and incorrect.

Before any question is included for scoring on the exam, it undergoes rigorous review processes. Certified PAs write and review each exam question. When those questions are administered, we collect and analyze performance data. Questions that don’t perform within the expected statistical standards are reviewed by Board Certified PAs and may be removed from the scoring process based on the analyses and the content expert review.

However, if you have feedback on an item you received, please email [email protected]t. Please include the organ system the question is based on. Feedback will be reviewed first by NCCPA exam development staff and then will be presented to the PANRE-LA item writing committee (a diverse panel of practicing PAs) for review. Questions that are flagged as problematic based on feedback and/or question statistics will be removed from scoring. Please note that you will not receive individual follow-up on the item, but we appreciate your feedback.

Like the proctored exams, PANRE-LA is scored on a scale that accounts for the relative difficulty of the questions an individual PA receives. That means that the passing standard is not tied to a set raw score or percent correct – it will be different for each participant depending on the questions they receive. Your final score will be based on your cumulative performance across 8-12 quarters. In other words, you don’t need to meet the passing standard each quarter.

Additionally, to facilitate learning and reinforce your knowledge, you will receive five questions each quarter on topics seen in previous quarters. If you answer a repeat topic question correctly the second time you see it, we will discard the incorrect response and count the better of the two responses. This provides opportunities to improve your performance over time. We recommend reviewing your “PANRE-LA Item History” from time to time, paying closer attention to questions you answered incorrectly.

You will receive quarterly feedback that reflects your cumulative performance in relation to the passing standard and to other PANRE-LA participants. Your cumulative performance is presented in the form of a graph that will be updated quarterly. In the first quarter of the year, scoring is delayed for data collection and item analysis. You will receive a score no later than the start of the second quarter. Beginning in quarter 2, your score will update immediately upon completion of your 25 questions. This video talks more about PANRE-LA scoring.

After participating in eight quarters, PAs who have met or exceeded the passing standard will receive notification that they have passed and have met their recertification exam requirement. PAs who have not met the passing standard after eight quarters can continue participating in PANRE-LA until the end of the three-year process. After each subsequent quarter, scores will be recalculated using only the responses from the best eight quarters to determine if the passing standard has been met, and PAs will be notified when they have passed. This process allows PAs the opportunity to continue closing their knowledge gaps and improving their performance to hopefully achieve the passing standard before the conclusion of the PANRE-LA administration.

Yes, the AAPA has approved participation in the PANRE-LA as a Category 1 Self-Assessment activity. For each quarter that you complete all 25 questions, you will receive two Category 1 Self-Assessment CME credits. For NCCPA certification maintenance requirements, NCCPA will automatically apply the 50% bonus for self-assessment activities, but keep in mind this bonus only applies to NCCPA CME requirements. Awarding CME credits for the PANRE-LA process recognizes the important element of learning that is incorporated into the longitudinal assessment format. 

No, once a passing score has been achieved following eight quarters of participation, PAs are exited from the PANRE-LA process. This helps to reduce exposure to exam content and preserves the integrity of the exam process.

The PANRE-LA is administered during years 7-9 of the certification maintenance cycle. Therefore, PAs who do not pass the PANRE-LA will have up to three opportunities to take and pass the traditional PANRE in year 10 of the certification maintenance cycle before their certification expires.

PAs being audited are selected by a completely random process. There is nothing that you did or didn’t do that “caused” you to be selected for the audit.

NCCPA audits PAs for a two-year certification maintenance cycle. PAs chosen to be audited will be notified during the year after the PAs previous cycle has ended. A PA could be selected for the audit for up to an entire year after their previous cycle has ended. It is very important for PAs to keep their Category 1 documentation for at least one full year after their two-year certification maintenance cycle has ended. For example: PAs who were audited for the 2013-2015 cycle are notified in 2016.

PAs selected for the NCCPA CME Audit will be notified by the email address and the physical address that we have in your record. Please log into your PA Portal at https://portal.nccpa.net/signin/pa to ensure that your contact information is accurate.

NCCPA will provide you with a CME Audit Transcript that will list all Category 1 activities logged for the cycle being audited. This transcript will be included in the emailed and mailed notifications sent to you.

Six weeks is the standard amount of time allotted to submit your documentation for the audit. Your exact deadline will be listed in both the emailed and mailed notification correspondence sent to you and will be posted under your “CME” tab, which you can access by signing in to your personal certification record, https://portal.nccpa.net/signin/pa.

If you have a severe and extenuating circumstance which has prohibited you from providing the requested documentation in support of your Category 1 credits, you may request an extension to submit your documentation. NCCPA can grant a one-time only 30-day extension of your original audit deadline. Extensions for longer periods of time cannot be granted. To request an extension of your audit deadline, please submit a written request within the six-week period given to respond to the audit explaining your situation and include any supporting documentation you may have concerning your severe and extenuating circumstance. Requests must be received before the six-week deadline passes. This request can be mailed (12000 Findley Road, Suite 100, Johns Creek, GA 30097), faxed (678.417.8135) or emailed to [email protected]. Be sure to include your name and NCCPA identification number on the request.

If NCCPA has a valid email address on record, you will receive an official letter via email. If we do not have a valid email address on record, an official letter will be sent via postal mail to the mailing address we have on record for you. The letter will state your new audit deadline date.

Acceptable supporting documentation includes certificates received upon completion of an activity from the CME provider, a hospital-generated list of programs attended, or written verification of attendance or credits earned from the provider of a CME activity. Other documentation may be considered at the discretion of NCCPA. Acceptable documentation for Category 1 credits should state that the activity has been approved by one of our four CME sponsors (AMA, AAPA, AAFP, AOA, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), or the Physician Assistant Certification Council of Canada (PACCC)). There should also be a statement indicating the number of Category 1 credits awarded for the individual activity. If the documentation you have for a Category 1 activity does not state this information, the activity cannot be considered Category 1 CME.

What is considered acceptable documentation for certificate programs like BLS, ACLS, or PALS?

NCCPA will accept a copy of the card you received, a certificate of attendance or written verification of attendance or credits earned from the provider of the certificate program.

In instances where the certificate shows the credits earned as “contact hours” or “CEU” credit, the certificate of completion accreditation statement will be thoroughly reviewed to determine Category 1 CME credit eligibility.

Please note: In most cases, NCCPA does not accept Category 1 CME credit for activities that award contact hours or CEU credit. However, these activities are approved for Category 2 CME credit.

“Confirmed” credits are Category 1 credits that NCCPA has received documentation for or Category 1 credits logged through the Conference Logging System. Since these credits have already been confirmed as Category 1, no additional supporting documentation is required.

Supporting documentation can be mailed (12000 Findley Road, Suite 200, Johns Creek, GA 30097), faxed (678.417.8135) or emailed to [email protected]. Be sure to include your name and NCCPA identification number on all materials.

It takes approximately 7-10 business days for NCCPA to complete an audit. Once your documentation has been reviewed, if we cannot verify at least 50 Category 1 credits, we will notify you via email (or telephone, if you do not have a valid email address on record). NOTE: It is strictly the PAs responsibility to check the status of their audit to ensure NCCPA has received the appropriate documentation.

Sign in to your NCCPA Portal at https://portal.nccpa.net/signin/pa and click on “CME” in the left-hand menu bar then choose “CME Audit Information”.

Yes. Additional Category 1 CME credits can be submitted to meet the audit requirements as long as the credits have not been previously logged to meet certification maintenance requirements and the credits were earned within the earning window of the cycle that is being audited. Acceptable documentation will have to be submitted in order to have these credits applied to the audited cycle.

PAs who are unable to submit supporting documentation for at least 50 Category 1 credits will fail the CME audit and will automatically be audited for their new cycle.

NCCPA will send an official email to you once your audit has been completed. If we do not have a valid email address, an official letter will be mailed to the address we have on record for you.

No.

PAs who fail the audit because they reported Category 1 CME credits that could not be substantiated, that were erroneously reported as Category 1 activities, or that were incorrectly categorized as self-assessment or performance improvement CME will retain certification but will be audited again during the next two-year certification maintenance cycle and will be subject to the following additional requirements which must be completed prior to the expiration of their current two-year NCCPA certification including:

1. Any Category 1 credits that could not be substantiated must be replaced with valid, appropriately-documented Category 1 credits.
2. A Re-audit Fee must be paid.

In the second audit, PAs are required to submit appropriate documentation to NCCPA as they log their Category 1 and 2 CME credits. This documentation includes certificates of completion (for Category 1 CME credits), and all CME must be logged on an NCCPA paper logging form. If all required CME credits (including replacement credits) are not earned, logged and documented before the end of the certification expiration year, certification will lapse.

PAs who successfully maintain certification during the second audit, including completing the requirements specified above for the failed audit, will also be subject to an additional audit of their Category 1 credits in at least one of their next three certification maintenance cycles.

The CME Audit Detail Report is your audit transcript that shows which Category 1 credits have been verified by NCCPA and any discrepancies in activity information that was logged (i.e., incorrect sponsor, incorrect provider, incorrect activity name and/or date).

To comply with the second audit and maintain your certification you must: 

• Review your Dashboard in your online record for the total credits due for the second audit. Category 1 credits that could not be verified in your initial audit will need to be logged, in addition to the CME credits due for the current CME cycle. i.e. If 45 Category 1 credits were verified in the initial audit, then at least 55 Category 1 credits must be earned and logged for the second audit: 50 Category 1 credits that are required for the second audit cycle plus the five Category 1 credits that could not be verified in the initial audit. This means you would need to log 105 CME credits for your current cycle. 
• Log all CMEs in your online record and upload acceptable documentation for all Category 1 credits that are due to satisfy the audit. Documentation is not required for Category 2 credits. 
• Pay a $100 re-audit fee.  

You may check the status of your second audit by logging into your NCCPA online record and selecting the “CME” tab, then the “CME Audit Information” tab. This tab will display the most up to date information regarding your second audit. 

Once you submit the second audit requirements, you will receive a notification in your portal. After NCCPA verifies your CME entries, you will also receive an email from us stating you have passed the audit. To ensure you receive email communications, please verify your email address is correct in your online record.

If you fail your second audit, your certification will expire, and your audit case will be forwarded to the NCCPA Review and Appeals department. A member from this department will work with you on your options to restore your board certification status. For more information on disciplinary matters, refer to the CME Audit Policy. 

Your CME credits should be earned and logged by 11:59 p.m. PT, December 31 of your certification expiration year along with submitting the certification maintenance fee. Sign in to your NCCPA Portal to view any outstanding requirements and upcoming deadlines.

NCCPA accepts Category 1 CME credit for activities designated by the AMA PRA Category 1 Credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME. Acceptable supporting documentation for Category 1 credits includes certificates, a hospital-generated list or transcript of CME activities attended, or written verification of attendance of credits earned from the accredited provider. The documentation should indicate the PA’s name, the name of the accredited ACCME organization, the title and date of the CME activity, and the number of credits designated for Category 1 Credit. If the documentation does not state this information, the CME activity should be logged as Category 2 CME.

Sign into your personal record and follow these instructions.

CME credits cannot be transferred from a closed cycle to a new cycle. If there is a special circumstance requiring the transfer of credits between cycles, a request must be sent to [email protected].

Credits earned on or after May 1 of your current certification expiration year can be transferred to the next cycle if both of the following conditions exist:

1. Both cycles are currently open, and
2. CME credits were completed on or after May 1st of the current year. For example, a PA who expires December 31, 2024, can log for both 2022 – 2024 and 2024 – 2026 cycles on and after May 1, 2024.

Taking a proctored NCCPA exam (i.e., PANCE, PANRE) does not qualify for Category 1 CME credit. However, you may claim your studying, preparation, and reading time for Category 2 CME credit.

The AAPA has approved participation in the PANRE-LA as a Category 1 Self-Assessment activity. For each quarter that you complete all 25 questions, you will receive 2 Category 1 Self-Assessment CME credits. For NCCPA certification maintenance requirements, NCCPA will automatically apply the 50% bonus for self-assessment activities, but keep in mind this bonus only applies to NCCPA CME requirements. Awarding CME credits for the PANRE-LA process recognizes the important element of learning that is incorporated into the longitudinal assessment format.

Simply log the exact number of credits earned according to your certificate with up to two decimal places (i.e., 1.75, 2.5, etc.)

You can earn Category 1 credit for certain certification programs. View a complete list of certification programs.

The maximum number of Category 1 credits that you can earn as an instructor is included in the list of certification programs. However, you may only log those instructor credits once each year (or twice per logging cycle) regardless of how many times you actually teach the course. Additionally, duplicative instructing activities may be logged for Category 2 credit based on the number of hours spent preparing for and teaching the course.

The ATLS course does count for Category 1 (Preapproved) CME credit even though you did not receive a card or certificate for completing the course. You should have received a “letter of audit” indicating that you attended the course. If you are audited by NCCPA, the letter of audit (with a date listed) from the CME provider will be sufficient documentation of the activity.

You can earn Category 1 credit for delivering lectures to PA students or other medical professionals if the attendees receive documentation that the activity is approved for Category 1 credit. If the lecture was not preapproved for Category 1 credit, you can log time spent preparing for and delivering the lecture as Category 2 credit. Category 2 CME is earned on an hour-for-hour basis.

There are no maximums on the number of credits that you can earn for any Category 2 activity. All Category 2 credits are earned on an hour-for-hour basis.

The activity start and end dates are the dates the provider lists on the documentation as the date the activity began and ended.

Category 2 CME is any medically related activity that enhances the role of a PA (including journal reading). If you serve on committees at the local, state, or national level that meet those qualifications, you may log the time you spend on committee work for Category 2 credit.

CME earning windows always open on May 1. You can begin earning and logging CME credits for your next cycle on May 1 during the certification expiration year of your current cycle.

Sign in to your NCCPA Portal at https://portal.nccpa.net/signin/pa. Select the CME menu. Under the CME Details tab, select the appropriate CME Cycle Year to view the transcript. If you desire to print the transcript, select the Print button.

NCCPA provides the option to upload Category 1 CME documentation during the logging process; however, you should keep your Category 1 CME documentation for your current CME cycle and your last CME cycle in case you are audited and additional information is needed. For example, if you are currently on the 2023-2025 CME cycle, you need to keep that documentation and the 2021-2023 CME cycle documentation. NCCPA does not audit Category 2 CME.

Check with your state medical board regarding their individual auditing and documentation requirements.

Acceptable supporting documentation includes certificates received upon completion of an activity from the CME provider, a hospital-generated list of programs attended, or written verification of attendance or credits earned from the provider of a CME activity. Other documentation may be considered at the discretion of NCCPA. Acceptable documentation for Category 1 credits should state that the activity has been approved by one of our four CME sponsors (AMA, AAPA, AAFP, AOA, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), or Physician Assistant Certification Council of Canada (PACCC)). There should also be a statement indicating the number of Category 1 credits awarded for the individual activity. If the documentation you have for a Category 1 activity does not state this information, the activity cannot be considered Category 1 CME.

In instances where the certificate shows the credits earned as “contact hours” or “CEU” credit, the certificate of completion accreditation statement will be thoroughly reviewed to determine Category 1 CME credit eligibility.

Please note: In most cases, NCCPA does not accept Category 1 CME credit for activities that award contact hours or CEU credit. However, these activities are approved for Category 2 CME credit.

NCCPA will accept a copy of the card you received, a certificate of attendance, or written verification of attendance or credits earned from the provider of the certificate program.

To be eligible to apply for PANRE to regain certification, you must first log at least 100 Category 1 CME credits earned within the two-year period ending on the date your PANRE application is submitted to NCCPA.

For example, if you plan on applying for PANRE on September 1, 2023, your CME earning window will be September 1, 2021 – September 1, 2023. You can apply any CME credits that you have previously earned within the timeframe mentioned above.

You will be eligible to apply for PANRE as soon as you meet the CME requirement (100 Category 1 CME earned within the two-year period ending on the date your PANRE application is received.)

PAs may take PANRE only one time in any single 90-day period.

There is no limit on the number of attempts to take PANRE for regaining certification.  However, the 100 Category 1 CME credits earned within the two-year period ending on the date your PANRE application requirement must be met for each exam application.

When you sign in to your NCCPA Portal, you will need to submit your projected exam application date. You will receive your CME earning window based on that projected application date. As you enter your CME credits, the system will calculate your credits and your dashboard will show the amount you have logged and how many are needed.

If you have met the CME requirement, the exam application link will be provided in your dashboard.

We can provide verification of certification over the phone (678.417.8100), but we need to receive requests for the release of scores online or in writing. You can sign in to your personal record and choose Certification Info Release, email us your request (including your name, NCCPA ID number and to whom it should be sent) or fax or mail your request.

To initiate a request to change your name, please sign in to your NCCPA record and select “My Account” to access the Personal Information screen. Select “Update” next to your name and proceed with the next steps.

A name change is not final until NCCPA receives a copy of your driver’s license, passport, or military ID, and a copy of a court-issued document (i.e. court order, marriage license, divorce decree) to support changing your name. After submitting the request in the portal, please email these supporting documents and your NCCPA ID number to us at [email protected]. Your information will be reviewed, and your record will be updated within 2 to 3 business days of receiving approved supporting information.

Sign in to your personal certification record, click on the “My Account” link, and follow the simple instructions from there. Or, email the new information to [email protected]; be sure to include your name and NCCPA ID number.

PAs and PA students can initiate SMS messages to NCCPA regarding CME requirements, password reset assistance, certification deadlines, and CME logging instructions, among other topics. During regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, text messages can be sent to 678-417-8101.

For optimum performance when using the NCCPA app, you will want to use one of the supported devices listed below:

• Android 9 Pie
• Android 10 Q
• IPhone 8
• IPhone X
• IPhone XR
• IPhone XS
• IPhone 11
• IPhone 12
• IPhone 13
• IPhone 14
• IPad with IOS 10.3 and up

Other devices may be suitable for accessing the app, but some functions may not perform as expected or at all, and NCCPA does not design, maintain, or test for devices that are not listed above.

The  secure sign in areas of our website are unavailable during regularly scheduled maintenance windows, which usually occur every fourth Tuesday of the month beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET. Exceptions to this schedule occur in November and December, when the maintenance window is the third Tuesday of the month beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET. We will display a message on the sign in page of the website approximately two weeks prior to any scheduled maintenance window.

We may schedule additional downtime during the year, if required, and will provide as much advance notice as possible.

NCCPA recognizes that the AAPA House of Delegates has voted to change the title of the profession and that AAPA has changed the title of its organization. NCCPA continues to align its usage of the title of the profession with the title used in the state statutes authorizing PA practice. NCCPA continues to monitor amendments to those statutes, and will take the steps necessary in response to changes in any state statutes.

The NCCPA Practice Exams are provided for educational purposes only. They are not intended to predict your performance on PANCE, PANRE or a CAQ, and you should not interpret your results as a prediction of your performance. The results may assist you in identifying possible strengths or weaknesses in the various content areas that make up the exams content blueprints. The content blueprints are used as a guideline when questions are selected for the Practice Exams. However, because the Practice Exam has fewer questions than PANCE, PANRE and CAQ exams, the content areas contain a smaller number of questions than on PANCE, PANRE and CAQ exams. For example, approximately 5% of the PANCE content blueprint is comprised of hematology questions. Thus, on the 120-question Practice Exam, there would be only 3 to 4 questions in this content area. It is important to keep in mind that  performance on a small number of questions is less reliable than with a larger number of questions. Your performance is based on the limited number of items sampled in the Practice Exam and should not be interpreted as a predictor of actual performance on PANCE, PANRE or a CAQ exam.

The content of the Practice Exams is based on the content blueprint for PANCE, PANRE or applicable CAQ exam. However, there may be some differences in the exact percentages covered in the content areas on the specific Practice Exam form.

Each PANCE or PANRE Practice Exam includes 120 multiple-choice questions divided into two sections of 60 questions each. PAs can choose time intervals based on their needs. Without testing accommodations, PAs have 60 minutes to complete each section for a total of two hours of exam time.

The CAQ Practice Exams include 60 questions per CAQ exam with 60 minutes to complete the practice exam.

A testing accommodations option of time and a half or double time is available for all Practice Exams.

Like PANCE, PANRE, and the CAQ Exams, the Practice Exams provide approximately one minute per question, if testing accommodations are not indicated. With testing accommodations, the PA would have one and one-half or two minutes per question, dependent on the testing accommodations selected.

Yes, these are questions that were used on previous administrations of PANCE and PANRE. However, keep in mind that exam questions used on Practice Exams will no longer appear on PANCE and PANRE.

Each Practice Exam costs $50, which must be paid by credit card when you apply.

PAs can access the Practice Exam application online by signing in to their online record 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Once purchased, PAs will have 180 days to complete the Practice Exam online.

No. Unlike the actual PANCE, PANRE and CAQ exams, the Practice Exam allows you to stop working on the Practice Exam and return later. You will not lose any time; and when you log back into the Practice Exam, you’ll be returned to the last question that you had previously accessed. All responses are saved when you access the next question, so taking a break will not cause you to lose any answers you’ve already entered. It is important to note that you should not select “Complete” on a Practice Exam if you have not completed the exam and plan to return at another time to finish the exam.

 No. The Practice Exams are designed to provide participants with feedback about their relative strengths and weaknesses in the content areas on the exam and to gain familiarity with the exam format. Specific information for why an answer is correct or incorrect is not provided.

As soon as you complete the Practice Exam a performance profile, which graphically displays your relative strengths and weaknesses in the content areas that make up the examination content blueprint, will be available online in your online record.

You’ll always be able to access your performance profile from the Practice Exam overview page in your online record.

Once your Practice Exam has been scored, you CANNOT review the questions or your answers. However, while you are working within each section, you can change answers or mark them for review. When you exit a section, your responses have been saved and submitted making your answers final. You can review and print your performance profile at any time after completing the Practice Exam.

Refunds will not be issued for a Practice Exam.

The system records all answers each time you access a question and provide an answer. If you are disconnected from the Internet or logged out of the Practice Exam program, you will re-start the Practice Exam on the same exam question that was last seen when you sign back into the Practice Exam.

No. The only part of the Practice Exam that you’ll be able to print will be your performance profile that is available after completing the exam.

No, NCCPA’s Practice Exams are not preapproved for Category 1 CME credit. However, the Practice Exam can be submitted for Category 2 CME credit.

We like our users to have the best possible experience when using our website and recommend using the latest version of one of the supported browsers below.

• Google Chrome
• Apple Safari
• Microsoft Edge (Modern)
• Mozilla Firefox
• Any other modern web browser compatible with HTML5 and CSS3

You will need to temporarily turn off your pop-up blocker to access a Practice Exam. To learn how to do this,  click here.

For PANCE, PANRE and CAQ administrations, accommodations that have been made include, but are not limited to, the following:

• extending exam time
• frequent breaks
• separate (individual) exam room
• reader
• medical device not on the approved medical/comfort aids list

For PANRE-LA, an extended time accommodation may be requested.

For detailed information please review the Policies and Procedures for Examination Accommodations.

Information regarding testing accommodations can be found here. In addition, detailed information regarding requesting accommodations and the required documentation is provided in the Policies and Procedures for Examination Accommodations. You may also want to view the testing accommodations request process flowchart which provides an overview of the steps in the process.

Your request for testing accommodations must be submitted when applying for an examination. However, you may want to review the Policies and Procedures for Examination Accommodations

Documentation of a disability or qualifying medical condition from a qualified medical provider must be provided to NCCPA. The documentation must include specific accommodations required and how they would compensate your limitations. The accommodation requested or recommended by the qualified medical provider should not be based on preferences but on disability-driven reasons, nor should it over-accommodate the exam taker.

Detailed information regarding the required documentation can be found in the Policies and Procedures for Examination Accommodations document which is available by clicking here.

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Yes. You must submit your request in writing to have your current application withdrawn, which will cancel your scheduled exam date if you have one. You will have to re-apply and choose the request for accommodations and submit required documentation.

Accommodation needs can change over time; a prior history of diagnosis and accommodation, without demonstration of a current need, does not in and of itself warrant the provision of an accommodation. Approval of an accommodation request will not automatically be based on the same accommodation previously approved.  For every examination application, the Testing Accommodations Request Form, which is available during the exam application process, must be completed and submitted to NCCPA at the time of application.  

If previous documentation has been submitted, NCCPA will review that documentation along with the new accommodations request form. Depending on the amount of time since the previous testing accommodation request, the date of the documentation and any changes in the nature or extent of the disability and accommodation request, additional documentation may be required.  

For detailed information see the Application for Subsequent Exam Accommodations section of the Policies and Procedures for Examination Accommodations document.

No. While documentation of prior approved accommodation(s) in an educational or academic institution or other testing organization will be considered, approval of such does not in and of itself guarantee approval of the requested accommodation(s) by NCCPA.

PAs are typically notified of the testing accommodations decision within 3-5 days after NCCPA has received all required documentation.

Yes. You will need to submit your request in writing and can email it to [email protected]. Your current application will be withdrawn and transferred to a new application window without testing accommodations. Note: If you have scheduled an exam date it will be cancelled.

Yes.  Access to the documentation is restricted to only those individuals who are involved with processing your Testing Accommodations request.

Click here for a list of comfort and medical aids that do not require a pre-approved special accommodations request.

No, these will be provided by the exam center.

No, there are no flags or indicators on your score report, certificate, or credentialing verification to third party requestors that an examinee had received testing accommodations.

The tutorial will be available the first time the app is launched, but will not appear when accessing the app on subsequent visits.

Use the voice recognition option on your device.

Unfortunately, you cannot download, save or print a CME transcript from the app. However, you can sign in to your record at www.nccpa.net and do those things.

Unfortunately, you cannot print a CME certificate from the app. However, you can sign in to your record at www.nccpa.net and print one.

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Because the app is new, we would recommend that you keep a copy of your Category 1 certificates for the current cycle and the previous cycle, in case you are selected for an audit.

Yes, you can view your CME certificates at www.nccpa.net by signing in to your record, in addition to your mobile device.

Press and hold the picture icon and you will receive the message “Do you want to delete this attachment?” and you will be given the option to click “OK” or “Cancel”.

Click on the CME credit details option and this will show you the specific CME you have logged.

No, the app only functions in portrait mode from an iPhone and landscape from an iPad.

Yes, click on the tutorial button within the app.

Contact NCCPA at [email protected] or call 678-417-8100.

No. While you can apply for PANRE-LA and answer questions on a mobile device, you must do so using a supported browser.

Yes. Once final, reportable disciplinary actions such as censures and revocations will be automatically reported to the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), all state medical boards in which the PA holds a license, and the federal government/military, if applicable. These decisions may also be reported to the PA’s employer, and other interested parties, including individuals seeking information about the PA’s certification or PA-C Emeritus designation, as solely determined by the NCCPA and in compliance with NCCPA’s Information Disclosure Policy. Additionally, third parties may request a disciplinary report via our online Verify PA Certification page that will include reportable discipline issued to a PA since 2012.

Yes. NCCPA retains the right to impose discipline under its Policies and Procedures for PA Disciplinary Matters even if the PA’s certification expires or the PA retires from practice, provided that the violation triggering the disciplinary proceeding occurred when the PA was certified, seeking certification, or applying for or holding the PA-C Emeritus designation.

Yes. Certified PAs, PAs seeking certification, and PAs with the PA-C Emeritus designation may be subject to disciplinary action for matters stemming from irregular behavior; fraudulent credentials; legal, regulatory and credentialing actions; or violation of the NCCPA  Code of Conduct. These matters may be related or unrelated to PA practice.

In accordance with NCCPA’s Policies and Procedures for PA Disciplinary Matters, PA’s are required to report to NCCPA any adverse regulatory or credentialing actions, within 30 days of issuance and any adverse legal actions within 30 days of conviction of any felony or misdemeanor, including a guilty plea or no contest plea. For more information, refer to section I.A.3 of NCCPA’s disciplinary policy.

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While we provide confirmation of the receipt of a complaint, NCCPA has the sole discretion to determine which complaints should be pursued, how they should be pursued, and what action, if any, should be taken, in accordance with NCCPA’s Policies and Procedures for PA Disciplinary Matters. The outcome of NCCPA’s review of a complaint may or may not be made public.

If your certification has been revoked non-permanently, you may request reestablishment of your eligibility for NCCPA certification if you meet the requirements for reestablishment outlined in Section II.D. of NCCPA’s Policies and Procedures for PA Disciplinary Matters.

No. The PA-C and Physician Assistant-Certified marks are legally protected and can only be used by PA’s who are currently certified by NCCPA. It the responsibility of the PA to discontinue use of this designation if they have lost certification and inform their state medical board, employer, and other interested parties that they are no longer certified. Students graduating from a PA Program but have not yet passed PANCE are not eligible to use this designation until such time that they have obtained NCCPA certification. Use of these marks when not certified may result in disciplinary and/or legal action by NCCPA.

Yes. If NCCPA determines that a reportable disciplinary action should be taken or that an Exception to Policy request must be denied, the Notice of Adverse Decision shall inform the PA that the PA may accept the adverse action or submit a timely Request for Review in accordance  with NCCPA’s Review and Appeal Policies and Procedures.

No. You do not need to report actions/incidents that have been previously viewed by NCCPA. Although you may receive the background questions during each renewal, you will only be required to report new incidents to NCCPA not those previously reviewed.

No. You are not required to report any incidents that occurred and were resolved prior to your entry into the PA Program. It is suggested that those incidents be reported directly to your PA Program.

You may use the Verify PA Certification page to verify the current status of a PA’s certification. If you find that a PAs certification has been revoked, or that there are other disciplinary actions present, you may request a disciplinary report for additional information. Requests for additional information will be processed in compliance with NCCPA’s Information Disclosure Policy.

In accordance with the policies for CAQ, NCCPA may revoke a CAQ when probation or other terms and conditions are placed on a PAs state license or ability to practice. To become eligible for a CAQ and remain eligible, you must hold a current and unencumbered PA license.

Requests for exceptions to the eligibility and/or participation requirements for Pilot are not considered, even if there are extenuating circumstances. However, those who are withdrawn from the Pilot due to their inability to meet the requirements, will be given a one-year extension to take the traditional PANRE.

Within approximately 45 days of receipt.

No. You must graduate from a PA program accredited by ARC-PA in order to become eligible to sit for the initial certifying exam, PANCE. NCCPA does not entertain requests for exceptions to this policy as an ETP.

Requests for recertification extensions may be submitted as early as January of your recertification year. Requests for extensions of PANCE Eligibility must be submitted after all attempts or years have been exhausted, whichever occurs sooner. All other requests may be submitted and considered at any time. You may submit a request for an exception to policy by signing into your online certification record at www.nccpa.net.

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As provided in NCCPA’s policy for ETP’s, financial hardship does not qualify as an extenuating circumstance; unless it is related to an extenuating circumstance.

This is a non-eligible request.

You may request a second extension if you are experiencing a new circumstance not already considered or if your extenuating circumstance continues to be an obstacle or has worsened since the previous extension was granted.

Submitting medical records are not required and are discouraged. Supporting documentation for a medical issue may be provided through a letter from a treating provider.

Note: All circumstances must be supported with the submission of verifiable supporting documentation. The circumstance must have occurred during the timeframe in question and must have impacted your ability to complete one or more of NCCPA’s requirements.

You may refer to the policies and procedures for ETPs for more detailed information on submission of ETP requests and supporting documents.

No. NCCPA Board Certification is synonymous with NCCPA Certification. The PA-C credential has not changed. For many years, NCCPA certification has been referred to informally as “board certification” and is frequently cited as such in credentialing documents. PA-Cs may also choose to continue to refer to themselves as “Certified,” rather than “Board Certified,” if they prefer.

No. NCCPA Board Certification is synonymous with NCCPA Certification and does not convey a specialty certification. The Board Certification terminology more definitively represents and communicates the rigorous process PAs engage in to demonstrate medical knowledge, clinical skills and competencies, and it refers to the generalist credential earned by all NCCPA Certified PAs upon entry to the profession and maintained throughout their careers. As stated in NCCPA’s Code of Conduct, Board Certified PAs may not use the term to convey specialty certification.

For physicians and nurse practitioners, the term “board certified” refers to a specialty credential, unlike the generalist credential NCCPA issues to PA-Cs. Board Certified PAs must avoid holding themselves out as “board certified” in a specialty area. The context of a communication, especially when working alongside other clinicians who hold specialty certifications, may require that Board Certified PAs speak carefully when describing their credentials. For example, if a PA-C is present when a physician introduces herself to a patient as a “Board Certified Plastic Surgeon,” it would be inappropriate for the PA to tell the patient only “I am also Board Certified.” In context, that phrasing could imply that the PA also holds specialty certification in plastic surgery. Instead, in that situation, the PA could appropriately tell the patient, “I am Board Certified by NCCPA.”

Since NCCPA Board Certification is synonymous with NCCPA Certification, a new certificate is not needed.

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No, integrating the term “Board Certification” does not have any impact on any of NCCPA’s examinations. NCCPA follows industry standards and best practices for developing, administering, and scoring its examinations, and those processes will continue. For many years, the term “board” has been used unofficially by PAs, credentialers, employers, CME providers, and others when referring to NCCPA Certification. The approval of “Board certification” as synonymous with “NCCPA Certification” provides official recognition for this terminology, but nothing changed with any of the examinations due to this action.

Integrating the term “Board Certification” does not have any impact on the CAQ program. The CAQ program is a voluntary process that Board Certified PAs may choose to pursue to earn an added qualification in their area of practice. PAs must maintain their NCCPA Board Certification in order to be eligible to participate in the CAQ program.

NCCPA Board Certification refers to NCCPA’s generalist credential (PA-C) that all PAs are required to earn as a condition of initial licensure, and that the vast majority of PAs maintain throughout their careers either to satisfy license renewal requirements in their state, in response to employer expectations, or voluntarily as a way to demonstrate and ensure they maintain continuing clinical competencies in the core current medical knowledge all practicing PAs are expected to have. The CAQ is a certificate of added qualification in a specific practice discipline. Board Certified PAs may choose to earn a CAQ to demonstrate additional expertise in a medical specialty in which the PA has met the minimum number of hours of experience. The CAQ should never be described by a PA as a specialty Board Certification.

PAs holding Board certification may indicate that with the “PA-C” designation and/or list themselves as “NCCPA Board Certified.” PAs who also have earned a CAQ may use the designation that matches the CAQ practice discipline, such as “[Name], PA-C, CAQ-EM” or “[Name], NCCPA Board Certified, CAQ-Emergency Medicine.”

NCCPA regards the titles “physician assistant,” “physician associate,” and “PA” as synonymous.

The name of the profession and the credential that is required for initial licensure are regulated by state and federal regulations. As illustrated in AAPA’s title change guidance, PAs are cautioned against utilizing a professional title that is inconsistent with state regulation. In 2024, the State of Oregon was the first state to officially adopt the title “physician associate”.

Because the PA profession is a licensed profession, changing the profession’s title in statutes and regulations in the other states and the District of Columbia will take time. In the meantime, NCCPA has adopted policies that affirm the interchangeability of the terms Physician Associate, Physician Assistant and PA for purposes of NCCPA’s own policies. NCCPA remains committed to supporting the profession and the implementation of the new title and will continue to monitor developments in this area. NCCPA wants to ensure that no PA is prevented from practicing owing to a discrepancy between the title of their certification, the credential awarded or the certifying body, and the title referenced in statute and regulation.

Each PA should consult applicable state law and their employers’ policies on this issue. PAs are cautioned against utilizing a professional title that is inconsistent with state regulation, please review AAPA’s title change guidance.

No, the decision to integrate the term “Board” regarding certification was in response to the longstanding routine reference to PANCE as “the boards” and to NCCPA Certification as “Board Certification.” NCCPA took a deliberate look at the use of the term “Board Certification” and concluded incorporating this terminology aligns with how the term is being used on a widespread basis by PAs and even by others, such as credentialers, recruiters, CME providers, etc.

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The CAQ reflects the fact that PAs are grounded first in primary care or generalist practice, a base of training and knowledge that is augmented but not replaced through specialization. The CAQ is something that PAs earn above and beyond the PA-C, which remains the foundational credential for the PA profession.

Further, while NCCPA hopes that PAs practicing in specialties will choose to participate in the CAQ program, we wanted to take every measure possible to ensure that it was a voluntary credential. We believe the CAQ is less likely to trigger automatic changes in credentialing or privileging requirements in many hospital settings.

The NCCPA Board of Directors chose the specialties based on information about the need for specialty credentials that NCCPA received from PAs practicing in these specialty areas and from leaders of the specialty organizations serving those PAs. We also considered a host of other factors, including the number of PAs practicing in the specialty, mobility trends into and out of the specialty, the criticality of the patient population served, and the degree to which the specialty is hospital-based.

Before PAs can apply to take the CAQ exam, they must first meet the two basic eligibility requirements: valid unrestricted licensure and current PA-C status. In addition, they must also have completed two other core requirements (specialty CME and experience.) The procedures/patient cases attestation must be submitted within 90 days after receiving a CAQ score. For additional information on these requirements, please refer to the Governing Policies Regarding the Certificate of Added Qualifications Program.

From the time PAs submit their $100 registration fee and satisfy the first requirement, they have six years within which they must complete the CAQ process. However, if they have been working in the specialty and can complete all the non-exam requirements together, they may submit all of those requirements at once and then apply for the exam when the CAQ exam application period opens.

Details for the experience requirement are provided in the Appendix of the Governing Policies Regarding the Certificate of Added Qualifications Program. The number of experience hours required varies by specialty and was developed with input from PAs and physicians working in the specialty. The experience hours must have been acquired during the six-year period prior to when the PA provides their attestation of the experience to NCCPA. Volunteer work and clinical experience gained in a post-graduate training program may also be counted for this requirement. The hours do not have to be congruent, but they must have occurred within the six-year period prior to your attestation. PAs selected for an audit will be required to provide documentation of their experience.

Please refer to the Governing Policies Regarding the Certificate of Added Qualifications Program for more detailed information on this requirement.

To fulfill the experience requirement, PAs must sign in to their online record at www.nccpa.net, and pay the $100 registration fee (if they have not already done so). Then they will need to read the attestation statement regarding the experience requirement and click on the button to attest that they have earned the required hours of experience within the previous six years.

The experience requirement for each specialty was developed based on recommendations from physicians and PAs practicing in each specialty.

Details for the procedures/patient case requirement are provided in the Appendix of the Governing Policies Regarding the Certificate of Added Qualifications Program. The procedure/patient case requirement varies by specialty and was developed with input from PAs and physicians working in the specialty. In support of this requirement, PAs must provide an attestation from a physician, lead/senior physician assistant, or physician/physician assistant post graduate program director who works in the specialty and is familiar with the PA’s practice and experience. The attestation of knowledge and skills must indicate that the PA has performed the procedures and patient management relevant to the practice setting and/or understands how and when the procedures should be performed.

Please refer to the Governing Policies Regarding the Certificate of Added Qualifications Program for more detailed information on this requirement.

To submit the procedure/patient case requirement, PAs must sign into their online record and pay the $100 registration fee (if they have not already done so). Then they will need to read the attestation statement regarding the procedure/patient case requirement and click on the button to attest that they have satisfied the requirement.

PAs will then need to acknowledge that they must also provide an attestation from a physician, lean/senior physician assistant, or physician/physician assistant post graduate program director who works in the specialty and is familiar with their practice and experience. The attestation of knowledge and skills must indicate that the PA has performed the procedures and patient management relevant to the practice setting and/or understands how and when the procedures should be performed. PAs can access the appropriate CAQ Attestation Form to present here. The attestation of knowledge and skills must be submitted to NCCPA.

A PA must possess either (1) a valid, unrestricted license to practice as a PA in at least one jurisdiction in the United States or its territories or (2) unrestricted privileges to practice as a PA for a government agency.

PAs must submit the required information for any and all state licenses and/or government agency privileges that they hold. Further, if they have more than one PA license or government agency privilege, all of them must be valid, unrestricted, and in compliance with the criteria listed in the eligibility section of the Governing Policies Regarding the Certificate of Added Qualifications Program. The status of all licenses and federal privileges to practice will be verified by NCCPA. A PA registering for the CAQ process agrees to provide NCCPA with any and all requested information and the authority to request and receive further information to verify the license and/or federal privilege status. If, for any reason, the license and/or federal privilege to practice cannot be verified by NCCPA, the PA may be deemed ineligible for the CAQ program. This information must be provided using the Licenses/Privileges link on their online record. 

PAs must also attest to the statement, “I certify that my state license is active, unencumbered, and unrestricted and that the information above is true and correct.” 

PAs must provide information on all licenses and federal privileges to practice that are held by the PA, and the licenses and federal privileges must be in compliance with the criteria listed in the eligibility section of the Governing Policies Regarding the Certificate of Added Qualifications Program. The status of all licenses and federal privileges to practice will be verified by NCCPA. A PA registering for the CAQ process agrees to provide NCCPA with any and all requested information and the authority to request and receive further information to verify the license and/or federal privilege status. If, for any reason, the license and/or federal privilege to practice cannot be verified by NCCPA, the PA may be deemed ineligible for the CAQ program. This information is entered through the Licenses/Privileges link on the CAQ section of their online record.

PAs must also attest that the federal/government privilege provided is active, unencumbered, and unrestricted and that the information is true and correct and that they acknowledge that their employer or previous employer must provide proof of the privilege by supplying documentation to NCCPA.’

In addition, PAs must request that the government agency provide NCCPA with verification of the privilege status.

PAs can download the Verification of Government Agency Privilege to Practice form to be completed by the government agency and returned to NCCPA as verification of the government agency privilege.

Specialty CME and the experience requirements must be met prior to applying for and taking the CAQ exam. In addition, PAs must also meet the basic requirements for licensure and have a current PA-C status. The procedures/patient case requirement can be submitted up to 90 days after receiving notification of the CAQ exam results.

The total cost is $350. There are two fees associated with earning the CAQ. The $100 registration fee is due when you submit your first non-exam requirement (specialty CME, experience, and procedures/patient cases). When you apply for the exam, you will need to submit the $250 exam fee. (Note: PAs who fail the exam and are still within the six-year eligibility period for completing their CAQ will only need to submit the exam application fee when retaking the exam.)

If your request to be withdrawn is received by NCCPA in writing within 30 days of registration, NCCPA will issue a full refund. If the request is not received in writing within 30 days of registering for the program, all fees paid to NCCPA for the CAQ will be forfeited; and you will have to submit another $100 registration fee when you re-apply for a future CAQ.

If an applicant loses his or her eligibility for a CAQ or CAQ maintenance after submitting the respective application and fees or if, at any time, it is determined that a PA provided incorrect eligibility information on any NCCPA application, the PA shall forfeit all fees.

PAs will be able to print documentation of their progress from the CAQ Status section by signing in to their online record at www.nccpa.net.

Yes, PAs can register for, and earn, more than one specialty CAQ at a time. However, they must meet the specific requirements for each specialty CAQ.

Upon successful completion of all requirements, PAs will be granted a CAQ that is valid for ten years, based on their continuing to meet the current PA-C and licensure requirements. The CAQ will expire on December 31 of the tenth year.

The two processes are independent of each other. The only time a PA’s initial ten-year cycle will coincide with the re-certification cycle is when the PA passes the CAQ exam during the tenth year of their certification maintenance cycle.

As with the audit processes for the PA-C credential, PAs will be randomly selected for the CAQ audit. As such, it is possible for their PA-C certification maintenance requirements and CAQ requirements to be audited at the same time.

Yes! After you receive notice that you have earned a CAQ, you can use the following designation along with your PA-C credential, depending on the CAQ you earned:

For the initial CAQ, PAs must log 75 credits of Category I CME that is focused on their specialty and earned within six years prior to when they apply for the CAQ exam, and at least 25 of those credits must have been earned within two years of applying for the exam. Each specialty also has specific CME requirements and recommendations. These requirements are listed in the appendix section of the Governing Policies Regarding the Certificate of Added Qualifications Program.

For meeting the CME requirement to earn the initial CAQ, the 75 credits of Category 1 CME must have been earned within six years prior to applying for the CAQ exam, and 25 of those credits must have been earned within two years of applying for the exam.

For CAQ maintenance, the 125 CME credits must be earned within the current ten-year CAQ cycle. Unlike the PA-C maintenance requirements that must be met every two years, the maintenance requirements for the CAQ may be submitted any time prior to the end of the ten-year cycle.

These requirements are listed in the Governing Policies Regarding the Certificate of Added Qualifications Program.

Preparing for a CAQ exam can be logged on an hour-for-hour basis as Category II CME for maintaining certification. Category II credits are not required or accepted for maintaining the CAQ. Taking the CAQ exam does not qualify as a CME activity.

To maintain the CAQ, PAs must:

• Continue to meet the current PA-C and licensure and/or government agency requirements.
• Earn and log at least 125 credits of Category 1 CME focused on the specialty over the ten-year cycle. The CME credits may also be used to satisfy the PA-C requirements, but they need not be submitted every two years as would be the case for PA-C maintenance requirements.
• Pass the CAQ exam prior to the expiration of the current ten-year cycle.

For their CAQ maintenance exam, PAs may choose to take the CAQ at Pearson VUE test centers or may choose the online format.  Both exams are based on the same content blueprint and have the same number of test questions (120). However, with the online format, PAs are provided with 5 minutes per question and are permitted to use online or printed resources while taking the exam. The exam is open for a period of approximately six weeks each Spring, and PAs may answer questions at their convenience during that time, as long as all questions are completed by the exam deadline.

Exams are offered at Pearson VUE centers in the Spring and Fall, and the online option is offered once per year in the Spring.

All CAQ examinations – earning and maintaining – consist of 120 multiple-choice questions related to the specific specialty and targeted for PAs who have experience in the practice of that specialty. Content blueprints for each specialty’s exam were developed using data gathered from NCCPA’s most recent practice analysis. PAs can access the blueprints from our website by visiting the CAQ page, and then selecting the specialty of their choice.

PAs seeking to earn a CAQ must pass an examination administered at a Pearson VUE test center. Those maintaining their CAQ can choose to take the exam in a proctored setting or in the online format described above.

The proctored CAQ exams consist of 120 questions. PAs are provided with two hours of exam time, 15 minutes of break time and 15 minutes to take the tutorial.

The online maintenance exams also consist of 120 questions which are timed at five minutes per question. PAs have approximately 6 weeks to complete the exam.

The proctored exams are currently offered twice a year at Pearson VUE test centers, and the online maintenance exams that can be taken at home are offered once a year. Information regarding exam administrations is available on the Key Dates webpage.

After your exam application has been processed and completed, you will receive an acknowledgement email providing details for scheduling the exam with Pearson VUE.

NCCPA will conduct analysis and validation activities before the scores are released. Therefore, scores will be released approximately eight to ten weeks after the exam administration.

If you fail the CAQ exam, you may apply for the next exam administration. Information regarding CAQ exam administrations can be found on the Key Dates webpage. Currently there are no limits on the number of times a PA can take the CAQ exam. However, PAs must pass the exam within six years of initiating the CAQ process or will be required to start the process for earning a CAQ anew. Also, PAs applying for a subsequent exam must continue to meet all of the CAQ eligibility requirements.

Yes. To see a list of the current practice exams, click here.

In most cases, you would have to wait until the next administration to take the exam. However, if such a situation occurs, NCCPA may offer a make-up exam date depending on the extenuating circumstance and the number of PAs affected.

No. NCCPA does not recommend specific study guides or review courses.

Since one of the requirements to maintain the CAQ is that PAs must continue to meet the current PA-C requirements and hold a valid certification, loss of the certification will result in loss of the CAQ.