We don’t yet know. The purpose of the pilot is to test this concept, gauge its efficacy, and gather feedback from participants. That feedback and other analyses will inform further decisions on the specifics of a permanent alternative to PANRE. We anticipate that ultimately the new alternative will have similarities to the pilot, but there are many decisions that cannot be made until the pilot is completed.

The pilot will cover core medical knowledge. All Certified PAs will have an opportunity to help identify what constitutes core medical knowledge through a profession-wide survey conducted in fall 2017. A content blueprint for the pilot will be published in 2018 and will show the range of topics that could be covered. In the meantime, read our sample core medical knowledge question.

In a given quarter, you will have approximately 11 weeks to respond to all 25 questions. Once you have opened a question, you will have a minimum of 1 and potentially up to 5 minutes to respond. That variability is part of the pilot design and will help us determine how much time to give if and when some version of this process becomes a permanent alternative to PANRE. The time allotment for questions within each quarter’s block of questions will be clearly communicated. You may access reference materials if time permits, but the pilot questions will not be designed to require that.

No, each question must be answered before the next question can be accessed.

No, new questions will be published to all pilot participants on the same date each quarter. That approach is practical from a study design and administration standpoint. It also supports greater learning by keeping participants engaged with the content on a more ongoing basis.

First, the questions on Pathway II were designed to require PAs to research information to find the answer. In stark contrast, the questions in the pilot will cover core medical knowledge all PAs should know, and research should not be required. Second, Pathway II examinees never received details about the questions missed. In the pilot, PAs will be provided with immediate feedback on whether the answer they submitted was correct or incorrect and will also be provided critiques and links to reference materials to encourage additional learning on the topic. Third, with Pathway II examinees had six weeks to answer 300 questions. The pilot will leverage web-based technology, and participants will answer 200 questions over a two-year period. Fourth, Pathway II examinees could skip questions and complete them in any order. In the pilot, each question must be answered before moving on to the next one. Finally, Pathway II had additional prerequisites -- activities above and beyond those required for certification maintenance. There are no additional CME or other prerequisite activities required for pilot eligibility.

No, you may access reference materials if desired and time permits, but the pilot questions will be designed to minimize the need to access references. This is an assessment of your individual knowledge, and so you are not allowed to discuss the items questions with others to get the answer or have them answer the questions for you.

If you withdraw from the pilot prior Dec. 1, 2018, you will receive a full refund. You will not receive the extension being granted to pilot participants and will need to pass PANRE by the end of 2018 to maintain certification. If you withdraw from the pilot in 2019 or fail to meet all pilot requirements in a given quarter that year, you will receive a partial refund ($175), and you will have one year from that point to pass PANRE to maintain certification. If you withdraw from the pilot in 2020 or fail to meet all pilot requirements in a given quarter that year, no fees will be refunded, and you will have one year from that point to pass PANRE to maintain certification.

The pilot can be accessed online through all major web browsers. It will be PC and Mac compatible. We will have additional technical details and a demo of the software platform in 2018.

You will access the pilot platform and questions online from any web-accessible device (computer, tablet, smart phone, etc.). Pilot participants will be notified by email when questions for a new quarter are available and will receive email reminders prior to the close of that quarter’s session. When you sign in to the pilot platform and open a question, that question must be answered before moving on to the next one.

You will be able to access prior questions, their answers and the question critiques and references online throughout the pilot. We do not yet know whether you will also have printing capability.

PAs with documented disabilities that indicate extended time is needed will be granted that accommodation. You will have the opportunity to request special accommodations when registering for the pilot and can read our related guidelines here. (Note that some of the accommodations described there are relevant only for exams conducted in test centers.)

No, you may choose either option but not both.

If you decide to go ahead and take PANRE but don’t pass, you will still be eligible to sign up for the pilot (just pay attention to the June 2018 registration deadline). If you want to cancel your PANRE registration before taking the exam, we can help you through that. Just contact us at examadmin@nccpa.net as soon as you decide because there are some timing considerations. If you’ve scheduled your exam already, you need to contact us more than 24 hours before your exam date (and sooner is better). If you haven’t scheduled your exam, you need to contact us before the end of the six-month examination window we gave you when you first signed up. (Otherwise, you will forfeit the PANRE fee.) Provided you get your request in on time, we will mail a refund check to your address on file here within two weeks.

No, while the pilot will extend through 2020 and thus into your first 10-year cycle, that 10-year cycle will remain unchanged.

If you don’t complete all requirements in any given quarter, you will be withdrawn from the pilot and given an additional extension to provide 12 months to pass PANRE while still certified.

Results will be scored across the full pilot assessment - all 200 questions answered over the two-year period.

If you don’t pass the pilot, you will be given an additional extension to provide 12 months to prepare for and pass PANRE while still certified as long as you continue to meet CME and fee requirements. By that time, PANRE will also have transitioned to a core medical knowledge exam as well.

No, while the pilot will extend through 2020, your regular certification maintenance requirements will still be due as usual. For example, if your certification is due to expire in 2018, your 100 CME credits and the certification maintenance fee are still due by the end of 2018 to be eligible for the pilot. If your certification is due to expire in 2019, your 100 CME credits and the certification maintenance fee are still due by the end of 2019 to be eligible for the pilot.

There are two ways a question will be marked as incorrect:

1. If no attempt has been made to answer the question, it will be marked as incorrect and no feedback will be provided.
2. If an attempt was made to answer a question but time ran out, it will be marked as incorrect but feedback will be immediately available.

No. You cannot change an answer to a question once it has been submitted or time for the question has run out.

No, but there will be some overlap. We will randomize the questions that are administered, and this is an important part of the research that will go into the pilot. We will ensure that the blueprint is covered for all PAs, but PAs will also receive different targeted questions that are individualized for them based on their performance on the exam and their responses to the questions on confidence and relevancy.

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. Further, if more than one PA license or government agency privilege is held, all of them must be valid and unrestricted. These requirements are described in greater detail in the eligibility section of the Governing Policies Regarding the Certificate of Added Qualifications Program.

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 and unrestricted. If NCCPA determines that a PA has submitted incomplete or inaccurate information regarding state licenses and/or government agency privilege, the PA may be subject to disciplinary review.

Physician assistants must provide information on all licenses and federal privileges to practice that are held by the physician assistant, 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 physician assistant 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 physician assistant 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 a template from our web site to be completed by the government agency and returned to NCCPA as verification of the government agency privilege.

Yes. CME credits that have been logged for a PA's PA-C certification maintenance may also be used for earning and maintaining a CAQ, if they also meet the CAQ CME requirements.

For the initial CAQ, PAs must log 150 credits of Category 1 CME that is focused on their specialty and earned within six years prior to when they apply for the CAQ exam, and at least 50 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 150 credits of Category 1 CME must have been earned within six years prior to applying for the CAQ exam, and 50 of those credits must have been earned with two years of applying for the exam.

For CAQ maintenance, the 125 CME credits must be earned within the current ten-year CAQ cycle.

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

No. The exam does not qualify as a CME activity.

Preparing for a CAQ exam can be logged on an hour-for-hour basis as Category 2 CME for maintaining PA-C certification. Category 2 credits are not required or accepted for maintenance of the CAQ.

Successfully graduate from an academic program accredited by ARC-PA or one of its predecessors. Today, there's no other way to gain PANCE eligibility.

You can take PANCE once in a 90-day period or three times a year, whichever is fewer - this applies to all applicants.

Individuals who graduated from an ARC-PA accredited physician assistant program on or after January 1, 2003, are 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.

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

To request an eligibility letter, sign in to your online record and choose Certification Info Release from the left-hand menu bar, email us your request (including your name, NCCPA ID number and to whom it should be sent) or fax or mail your request.

Within 3 – 5 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.

A list of available exam dates will not be available until you have received your exam acknowledgement email. However, a list of Pearson VUE exam locations is available at http://www.pearsonvue.com/nccpa/. 

They are given in both.

Yes, the normal labs value for healthy adults comes up in a separate screen when the examinee clicks “Lab Values”. Some questions may contain laboratory values that are not included in the separate “Lab Values” screen. In those cases, the appropriate normal range is provided in parentheses within the text of the question.

The generic name of a drug is always provided. The trade name is provided in parenthesis after the generic name of the drug only if it is deemed necessary by NCCPA.

No, K questions are no longer on the exam.

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

No. You must graduate from a PA program accredited by ARC-PA or one of its predecessors.

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

The new 10-year certification maintenance cycle will include five, two-year CME cycles. Every two-year cycle, you will need to earn and log 100 CME credits, including 50 Category 1 credits. You will need pass PANRE by the end of your 10th year instead of the 6th year. You will have the option to take it year early in the 9th year.

PAs will transition to the new process as their six-year certification maintenance cycle ends beginning in 2014. Sign in to your Personal Certification Record for a message regarding the timing of your transition to the new certification maintenance cycle.

Several things are changing about PANRE. First, you’ll be taking PANRE every 10 years instead of every six years. Secondly, PANRE is transitioning to a narrower scope of content, focused on core knowledge -- what all PAs need to know regardless of practice area. Finally, the NCCPA Board of Directors announced in May 2017 that NCCPA will pilot alternatives to the high stakes recertification exam in 2020.

Taking PANRE a year early doesn't change your certification maintenance cycle, so you would transition to the 10-year cycle once your certification is updated in 2014 and would be due to pass PANRE again in 2024.

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.

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 personal certification record to view any outstanding requirements and upcoming deadlines.

Sign in to your personal certification record, and click the "CME" link in the left-hand menu bar.

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

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).

No, you can log activities that have the same sponsor and provider as one activity. You will enter a date range, the total amount of credits earned through the provider and a general activity title.

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. Additional, 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.

Yes.

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.

Yes. We charge for our services on an a la carte basis. That way, you pay for the services you use but your fees aren't subsidizing the cost of services you're not using. The certification maintenance fee covers the cost of all NCCPA's work associated with CME logging.

No, you can pay the CME logging fee at any time during the logging cycle.

Just sign in to your personal certification record, and click on the "CME" link.

You should keep your Category 1 CME documentation for your current CME cycle and your last CME cycle. For example, if you are currently on a 2012-2014 CME cycle you would need to keep that documentation and the 2010-2012 CME cycle documentation. We do not audit Category 2 CME. This is the policy for NCCPA, not the state medical boards. You will need to check with your state medical board regarding their auditing 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), 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.

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.

This means the activity is not approved for Category 1 credit and if this activity has been logged as Category 1, NCCPA will not be able to verify the credits logged for this activity, unless the activity is an approved certification program.

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 supervising physician who works in the specialty and is familiar with the PA's practice and experience. The physician attestation 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 in to 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 supervising physician who works in the specialty and is familiar with their practice and experience. The physician attestation 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 download a template to present to their supervising physician by clicking on the link provided in the procedure/patient case section in their online record in the Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) section. The physician attestation must be submitted to NCCPA.

To ensure the accuracy and professionalism of CME logging and to strengthen the value of the PA-C, NCCPA randomly audits the Category 1 CME credits of certified PAs. To complete the CME audit, randomly selected PAs must submit supporting documentation for at least 50 Category 1 credits logged during the cycle for which they are being audited.

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 CME audit will be notified by postal mail and by email.

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 at our website, www.nccpa.net.

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 audit@nccpa.net. 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.

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.

This means the activity is not approved for Category 1 credit and if this activity has been logged as Category 1 NCCPA will not be able to verify the credits logged for this activity, unless the activity is an approved certification program.

"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 100, Johns Creek, GA 30097), faxed (678.417.8135) or emailed to audit@nccpa.net. 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 personal certification record at www.nccpa.net 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 as they log their Category 1 credits. If all required 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).

The CME Post Audit Final Transcript reflects the final outcome of the CME audit and becomes the current transcript on record for a PA for the audited cycle.

The 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 exam is currently offered twice a year. Information regarding exam administrations is available on the Specialty CAQ page of our web site.

Just like the PANCE and PANRE, the CAQ exams will be offered at Pearson VUE centers that are located throughout the U.S. and in select other countries. PAs can take the exam at a Pearson VUE location of their choice, based on availability.

The examination consists 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 exam were developed using data gathered from NCCPA's most recent practice analysis. PAs can access the blueprints on NCCPA's Web site by clicking on the following link and then selecting the specialty of their choice.

If a PA fails the exam, he/she can apply for the next exam administration. Information regarding CAQ exam administrations is available at www.nccpa.net/Specialty-CAQs. Currently there are no limits on the number of times a PA can take the CAQ exam. However, the PA must pass the exam within six years of initiating the CAQ process or he/she will be required to start the process anew. Unsuccessful examinees may apply for a subsequent exam but must continue to meet the Certificate of Added Qualifications eligibility requirements described above at the time of their next application.

The CAQ exams are offered twice a year. If a PA fails the exam, he/she may register to take the next administration. Information regarding CAQ administrations is available at www.nccpa.net/Specialty-CAQs.

Yes, we offer Practice Exams for all CAQs. To read about Practice Exams, click here.

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

No. All the other requirements (specialty CME, experience, and procedures/patient case) 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.

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.

Yes. To maintain a 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, and pass the CAQ exam prior to the expiration of their current ten-year cycle. (The CME hours may also be used to satisfy the PA-C requirements.)

No, the CAQ exam does not replace the requirement of taking and passing the recertification exam (PANRE) and meeting the PA-C CME requirement to maintain NCCPA certification (PA-C).

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

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

There are several reasons for the delay between when the exam is taken and when results are available, with several benefits for examinees. 

First, before a question appears on an exam it goes through many different reviews: an editorial review with the PA or MD who wrote the question, a committee review with a group of PAs and a MD in that specialty, and a final forms review wherein PAs examine every question that appears on a test form. The CAQ exams contain some questions that have not been administered previously and despite the many reviews, occasionally questions do not perform statistically as expected. Accordingly, PAs and MDs review each of those questions that are flagged for statistical performance. The PAs and MDs who participate in this review read each question and consider potential issues such as changes in the standards of care, a breakthrough in the medical field or regional or other differentiations in treatment options, etc. The benefit to the candidate from this process is that if there are issues with the content on those particular questions, they can be removed from scoring before results are compiled. 

Also, because we are still in the process of building a bank of exam questions that have sufficient statistical data, we conduct a standard setting study for each newly created exam form. A panel of PAs working in the respective specialty is convened to participate in a standard setting study, and they develop a recommendation for the appropriate passing standard.  That recommendation is provided to the NCCPA Board of Directors for consideration, and the Board sets the passing standard (usually in November).  Once the standards are approved by the Board, we begin the process of scoring the CAQ exams and implementing the approved passing standards.  The process of scoring, verification and production of exam results, includes multiple quality assurance processes, and usually takes between 2-3 weeks.  When all those processes are completed, we can provide exam performance results and, for those PAs who passed the exam, certificates.

The CAQ cycle is ten years.

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, and pass the CAQ exam prior to the expiration of the current ten-year cycle. (The CME creditss may also be used to satisfy the PA-C requirements.)

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.

No, unlike the PA-C cycle that has 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.

Detailed information regarding when you are due to take a recertification exam is available on the dashboard of your online record at www.nccpa.net.

You can apply for the recertification exam by signing in to your online record and selecting the "Apply Now " link in the Recertifying Exam Status section of your dashboard.

Within 3 – 5 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.

 Yes, the normal labs value for healthy adults comes up in a separate screen when the examinee clicks “Lab Values”. Some questions may contain laboratory values that are not included in the separate “Lab Values” screen. In those cases, the appropriate normal range is provided in parentheses within the text of the question.

The generic name of a drug is always provided. The trade name is provided in parenthesis after the generic name of the drug only if it is deemed necessary by NCCPA.

No, K questions are no longer on the exam.

You will be notified by email when the results are posted to your online record (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 ninth and tenth years of your recertification cycle and up to three times in the tenth 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 (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. However, any past due fees must be paid before you can test.

The questions on PANRE - no matter which focus area you choose - are all still general knowledge-based questions. For those who choose adult medicine or surgery, 60% of the exam will be general medical knowledge-based questions and the remaining 40%, while still meeting the content blueprint, will be questions focused in either adult medicine or surgery.

Since 60% of the exams will cover general medical knowledge, pediatric questions may be included. If the adult medicine is chosen for the additional 40% of the exam, no additional pediatrics questions will be added. There could be additional pediatric questions that deal with surgery on the surgery practiced focused exam.

No, since all practice-focused exams are built to the same content blueprint there is one content blueprint. It is available here.

Practice Exams specifically dealing with adult medicine and surgery will not be developed.

Yes, since the Practice Exam and all PANRE options are based on the same content blueprint.

Yes you can change your practice focus. Submit a request in writing to Examadmin@nccpa.net at least 48 business hours prior to your scheduled exam date to have your exam application transferred to a different focus-area. If you have an exam scheduled, this process will cancel your current date. You will receive a new exam acknowledgement email and will need to schedule a new exam date.

There is no fee associated with this request.

Note: If you applied to take PANRE to regain your certification, your exam application cannot be transferred. To ensure you meet the CME requirements to regain, your application will need to be withdrawn, and your exam date cancelled.  You will need to re-apply for the exam.

The Practice Exams are designed for PAs who are eligible for an NCCPA examination. PAs should use the practice exam as a tool to assess their relative strengths and weaknesses, and to familiarize themselves with the types of questions they'll see on the actual examinations. Practice exams are available for PANCE, PANRE and each of the CAQ specialty exams.

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 3% 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 special 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 special 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 special accommodations are not indicated. With special accommodations, the PA would have one and one-half or two minutes per question, dependent on the special 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 registered, PAs will have 180 days to complete the Practice Exam online.

When you access the Practice Exam application from your online record, select "Perform System Check". If you see a green check next to each requirement, your computer will support the Practice Exam program. If you see a red "X" next to any of the requirements, your computer, as it is currently configured, will not support the Practice Exam program; and we recommend you contact your system administrator. Note: MAC computers can be used with Mozilla Firefox.

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. 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.

Click here to view a sample performance profile.

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

PAs who are eligible to take an NCCPA examination may take as many Practice Exams as there are available, and may repurchase exams if they want to take them more than once.

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 Practice Exams are designed to mirror the exam environment and timing constraints of an actual exam. If you need to take a break during the Practice Exam, you have the convenience of being able to log out of the Practice Exam without losing any of your time. When you log back in, you have the same amount of time remaining to finish the block of questions. However, keep in mind that this is not the same for PANCE, PANRE or CAQ Exams. For the actual PANCE, PANRE or CAQ Exams, you are not able to take any breaks within a section of the exam. If you anticipate qualifying for special accommodations, you are encouraged to take the Practice Exam with the appropriate special accommodations timing parameters.

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.

Earning a CAQ allows PAs to achieve recognition for their specialty experience, skills and knowledge. The CAQ offers PAs a credential to effectively document their specialty experience and expertise. Over time, we expect this will help PAs remain competitive in environments where credentials are increasingly important.

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.

PAs may register for a CAQ in the following specialties:

•  Cardiovascular/Thoracic Surgery
•  Emergency Medicine
•  Hospital Medicine
•  Nephrology
•  Orthopaedic Surgery
•  Pediatrics
•  Psychiatry

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.)

Yes. Having a current PA-C status is one of the two basic eligibility requirements for earning and maintaining a CAQ. For additional information on all the requirements, please refer to the Governing Policies Regarding the Certificate of Added Qualifications Program.

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.

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.

Yes. If PAs meet the PA-C and licensure requirements but are under disciplinary review by NCCPA, they will be allowed to participate in the CAQ process and will be allowed to apply and take the CAQ exam. However, the exam score, if applicable, will not be released and the CAQ, if applicable, will not be issued until a final decision has been made by NCCPA which satisfactorily resolves the disciplinary issue to NCCPA's satisfaction.

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

Yes. If a PA loses his/her valid unrestricted licensure or current PA-C or government agency privileges for any reason, he/she will lose any CAQ that has been achieved. Once the valid unrestricted licensure or current PA-C or government agency privileges has been restored, the PA must begin the CAQ process anew by meeting the eligibility requirements for the initial CAQ, including passing the CAQ examination.

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.

If a PA loses a CAQ for any reason, he/she must begin the CAQ process anew by meeting the eligibility requirements for the initial CAQ, including passing the CAQ examination.

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 PA-C cycle is when the PA passes the CAQ exam during the tenth year of his or her PA-C cycle.

As with the audit processes for the PA-C credential, PAs will be randomly selected for the CAQ audit.

Since PAs are selected randomly for audits, it is possible for their PA-C certification maintenance requirements and CAQ requirements to be audited at the same time.

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.

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.

Because the CAQ is a Certificate of Added Qualifications and not a certification, a designation such as PA-C will not be issued. However, the PA will be issued a certificate for display.

Yes. NCCPA complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws and provides reasonable and appropriate accommodations for examinees with documented disabilities and for other examinees with qualifying medical conditions that may be temporary or are not otherwise covered by the ADA. 

For detailed information please review the Policies and Procedures for Examination Accommodations which is available by clicking 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 detailed information please review the Policies and Procedures for Examination Accommodations which is available by clicking here.

 Information regarding special exam accommodations can be found at https://www.nccpa.net/SpecialAccommodations. In addition, detailed information regarding requesting accommodations and the required documentation is provided in the Policies and Procedures for Examination Accommodations document which is available by clicking here. You may also want to view the special accommodations request process flowchart which provides an overview of the steps in the process.

Your request for special exam accommodations must be submitted when applying for an examination. However, you may want to review the Policies and Procedures for Examination Accommodations which is available by clicking here prior to applying for the examination.

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.

 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 Special 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 special 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 which is available by clicking here.

No. Accommodation needs can change over time; approval of an accommodation by a PA Program (or other testing entity) will not automatically qualify you for special exam accommodations.

From the time all the required documentation is received to notification of a decision is approximately 3-5 business days.

 Yes. You will need to submit your request in writing. Your current application will be withdrawn and transferred to a new application window without special accommodations. Note: If you have scheduled an exam date it will be CANCELLED.

Yes. Access to the documentation is restricted to the exam administration staff assigned to your Special 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 special accommodations.

This site uses the latest technologies. For optimum performance, the website and web-based applications provided by NCCPA require a current Web browser. 

• Latest Versions of Internet Explorer

• Latest Versions of Mozilla Firefox

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• Latest Versions of Safari (Mac)

Web browsers that are fully compatible with these browsers and older versions of these browsers may also be suitable, but NCCPA does not design, maintain, or test for browsers that are not listed above.

We strongly encourage your use of a browser that communicates securely (over https) using TLS 1.1 or 1.2.

This does NOT include NCCPA's practice exams. To view the browser requirements for our practice exams, click here.

If you have problems accessing secure areas of the website, please contact NCCPA at 678-417-8100.

We use the best encryption technology available - the same software used by all Fortune 500 companies who conduct e-commerce. The credit card data you provide to us on our Web site can only be interpreted here at our office.

To print a receipt for any payments made to NCCPA since 2004, sign in to your personal certification record at www.nccpa.net and click the "Payment" link in the left-hand column, then follow the on-screen instructions.

You have 30 days from the date the payment was received to request a refund. You can request a refund in writing with a signature by fax (678-417-8135) or mail (NCCPA, 12000 Findley Road, Suite 100, Johns Creek, GA 30097)

*NCCPA exams and Practice Exams have unique refund policies. Please review the specific refund policy in the policies section when applying for an exam or Practice Exam.

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 make name changes, sign in to your personal certification record, click on the "My Account" link, and follow the instructions from there. A name change is not final until NCCPA receives a copy of your valid drivers license or passport. Or you can scan and email (namechanges@nccpa.net) or fax (678-417-8135) a copy of your valid drivers license or passport requesting the change and one of our staff members will update your record within 1 to 2 business days. 

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 nccpa@nccpa.net; be sure to include your name and NCCPA ID number.

PAs who have let their certification lapse may regain it by fulfilling CME requirements and pass the PANRE.

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 June 1, 2017, your CME earning window will be June 1, 2015 - June 1, 2017. 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 online record, 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.