Great things are happening at NCCPA! Visit this page often for our latest updates and developments.

NCCPA presented a research poster on PA burnout at Psych Congress 2023

• NCCPA presented a research poster on PA burnout at Psych Congress 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts

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PAs Poised to Address Shortage of Psychiatrist

• In recent years, the number of Board Certified PAs practicing in hospital settings grew substantially.

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Number of PAs Practicing in Hospitals Grows in Last Decade

• In recent years, the number of Board Certified PAs practicing in hospital settings grew substantially.

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NCCPA App Enhanced with Pay, Donate, Receipt Features

• NCCPA App Enhanced with Pay, Donate, Receipt Features

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NCCPA recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Healthcare in 2023

• The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) has been selected by Modern Healthcare as one of the 2023 Best Places to Work in Healthcare.

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PAs are growing in number: Here’s how many are in each state

• The number of board-certified physician assistants increased by 76.1 percent in the last decade.

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Silvia Garcia Murcia: From unaccompanied minor to physician assistant

• Once a refugee, the Honduras native is giving back to the Richmond community that welcomed her.

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PAs Value the Certification Process

• A study by the NCCPA published in BMC Medical Education found that most PAs agree that PA certification is important for licensure requirements, for staying up to date with medical knowledge and for providing evidence of continued competency.

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PA Profession Surges in Last Decade

• In the last decade, the PA profession has experienced an impressive 76% growth rate, and PAs interact with an estimated 10.4 million patients every week, according to the latest 2022 Statistical Profile on Board Certified PAs published by NCCPA. In 2013, there were 95,583 Board Certified PAs and by the end of 2022, the number of PAs reached 168,318.

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Cross-Orgs Work Together on DEI Initiatives

• The four national PA organizations have come together in the spirit of collaboration to form a collective known as the Cross-Orgs. This assembly is comprised of the AAPA, PAEA, NCCPA, and ARC-PA.

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PAEA Gathers Experts to Consider Entry-Level Degree

• Several speakers made the point that the Summit was never intended to resolve the question of whether a doctoral degree should be the entry-level degree for PAs or whether the master’s degree should continue as the minimum requirement.

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“Board Certification” Terminology and Title Change – PA Insights Podcast with NCCPA

• In this episode, we talk with the NCCPA President and CEO, Dawn Morton-Rias, Ed.D., PA-C, ICE-CCP, FACHE, about the "PA" title change and using the term “Board Certification” when referring to PANCE, PANRE, the PA-C credential, and NCCPA certification.

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Newly Released Data on PAs Working in Medically Underserved Areas

• The report provides data from each state on topics such as race/ethnicity, income, specialty practice areas, and settings, use of telemedicine, job satisfaction, burnout, retirement plans, and more. New to the report this year is information on PAs who practice in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs).

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Coming Soon: The Occupational Medicine CAQ!

• NCCPA continues its commitment of striving to meet the credentialing needs for PAs. Leaders of the Association of PAs in Occupational Medicine (APAOM) reached out to NCCPA expressing interest in a CAQ in occupational medicine, and we are pleased to announce that the NCCPA Board of Directors approved adding this specialty to the CAQ program.

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Beverly Black, MHSA, CAE, Becomes the 2023 NCCPA Board Chair

• Beverly Black, MHSA, CAE, Becomes the 2023 NCCPA Board Chair

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Dawn Morton-Rias, Ed.D.,PA-C, ICE-CCP, FACHE delivers Morehouse School of Medicine Winter 2022 Commencement

• Morehouse School of Medicine Winter 2022 commencement speaker address was delivered by President and CEO of NCCPA,

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NCCPA PA Ambassador Makes Emory Alumni Association’s 40 Under Forty list

• PA-C Takeia Horton, member of the NCCPA PA Ambassador program and Emory Alum, recently made Emory's 2022 40 under Forty List.

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PA-C Hayley Arceneaux makes history for space flight.

• PA-C  Hayley Arceneaux, a pediatric cancer survivor, became the youngest American to go to space last year after she spent three days in orbit on Space-X's Inspiration rocket. She is telling her story in a new book.

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NCCPA Update on Board Certification and Title Change Terminology

• Earlier this year, NCCPA’s Board of Directors examined the use of the term Board Certification when describing the certifying process PAs complete after graduating from an accredited PA program, passing the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination® (PANCE) and maintaining NCCPA certification. Reference to PANCE as “the boards” and NCCPA certification as “board certification” has been in use informally for decades and is routinely cited in credentialing documents.

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NCCPA “Certified PA Hero” Campaign

• In recognition of PA Week (October 6-12), NCCPA launched the “Certified PA Hero” campaign to increase awareness of Certified PAs and the quality care they provide to patients.

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NCCPA Inaugural REPRESENT! Summit – “When They See Us” Recap

• NCCPA held its first REPRESENT! Summit at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, GA, September 8-9, 2022. The Summit gathered clinically practicing PAs, PA faculty and educators, PA students and leaders of PA organizations to discuss strategies to develop and sustain Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in the PA profession, diversify the PA workforce and promote inclusivity within PA educational and workplace settings.

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The Latest in HIV Prevention – NCCPA PA Ambassador Talks PrEP Injectable Treatment

• Martha Patricia Rodriguez, PA-C did not plan to specialize in HIV. As a new mom, she was desperate to find a job with a family-friendly schedule. She searched for PA jobs that would provide the flexibility she needed, and a position in HIV care turned up from a simple online job search.

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Important Information Regarding PANRE-LA Eligible PAs

• We are pleased to inform you that you have two options available for your recertification exam requirement – the new PANRE-Longitudinal Assessment (PANRE-LA) and the traditional PANRE.

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NCCPA Announces Student Attendees for 2022 REPRESENT! Summit

• Today NCCPA named the PA students that have been selected to attend the 2022 REPRESENT! Summit in September.

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NCCPA Board of Directors Approves New CAQ in OBGYN

• The NCCPA Board of Directors is pleased to announce their approval to develop a new Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) in Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN). Leaders from the Association of PAs in OBGYN (APAOG) reached out to NCCPA to request consideration of a CAQ in this specialty area.

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Dermatology PAs: Give Your Feedback on the Dermatology CAQ Content Blueprint

• PAs currently working in Dermatology are asked to give their feedback on the Dermatology Content Blueprint for the new Dermatology CAQ Exam.

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PANRE-LA Approved For AAPA Category 1 Self-Assessment CME Credit

• Today, NCCPA and AAPA are pleased to announce that PANRE-LA has been approved by the AAPA for Category 1 Self-Assessment CME credit.

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Dermatology and Palliative Medicine/Hospice Care CAQs Coming Soon

• Two new Certificates of Added Qualifications (CAQs) will soon be available for Certified PAs. Earlier this year, the NCCPA Board of Directors recently approved the development of CAQs for dermatology and palliative medicine/hospice care (PM/HC).

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NCCPA Announces Permanent Alternative to PANRE, PANRE-LA

• Beginning in 2023, PAs will have two options for their recertification assessment. The traditional PANRE that is administered at Pearson VUE test centers will remain as one option, and NCCPA will also launch an official alternative longitudinal, take-at-home process.

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Celebrating #PAWeek 2021!

• Each year, NCCPA joins the nation in recognizing PAs’ dedication to providing high-quality, accessible health care to millions of patients across the country. As PAs continue to meet the needs of patients during the pandemic, it is especially time to for celebrate them, and to highlight the value that they bring to the American health care system.

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Got Questions? Text Us For Answers with the New NCCPA SMS Text Messaging Feature!

• Need a quick answer to your questions? Text NCCPA for answers!

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Apply Today to Join NCCPA’s PA Ambassador Program!

• Looking for additional ways to contribute to the PA profession? Join NCCPA’s PA Ambassador Program!

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Coming Soon to Your Inbox: NCCPA Practice Analysis!

• Want to have a direct impact on what’s included on the recertification exam? Here’s your chance to get involved! In early July, you will receive an email inviting you to participate in NCCPA’s practice analysis for the recertification exams.

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NCCPA.net Support for IE 11 to Discontinue on June 22

• NCCPA would like to inform site visitors that support for Internet Explorer 11 (IE 11) will be discontinued on June 22.

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AAPA HOD Affirms Physician Associate as Official Title for PA Profession

• On May 24, 2021 the American Academy of PAs House of Delegates passed a resolution affirming “physician associate” as the official title for the PA profession by a majority vote of 198 to 68.

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NCCPA Named Best Place to Work in Health Care for Third Consecutive Year

• Earlier this month NCCPA received word that for the third time it had been named to the publication’s annual list of the “Best Places to Work in Healthcare.”

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Join the nccPA Health Foundation for a Kathy J. Pedersen Grant Virtual Q&A

• The nccPA Health Foundation would like to invite you to join them for a virtual Q&A session on their $5,000 Kathy J. Pedersen Grant to Promote Equitable Care!

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Update on Alternative to PANRE Pilot

• With the recent completion and scoring of the Alternative to PANRE Pilot, routine end-of-year logging activities and added quality assurance steps,  record processing is taking a little longer than usual.

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PA Week is Here!

• Each year, NCCPA joins the nation in recognizing Certified PAs’ dedication to providing high-quality, accessible health care to millions of patients across the country.

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Apply Today to Join NCCPA’s PA Ambassador Program!

• Looking for additional ways to contribute to the PA profession? Join NCCPA's PA Ambassador Program!

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NCCPA to Release Additional Portal Security Enhancements to Protect Your Data

• One year after the release of its two-factor (2FA) authentication feature, NCCPA proactively continues efforts to enhance the security of its PA, state board and file manager portals.

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PA Resilience During the Pandemic: Take the NCCPA COVID-19 Survey

• At the start of the new year, few could have predicted the events that would unfold over the past seven months.

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NCCPA Debuts Updated PAsDoThat Website

• Certified PAs practice medicine in every specialty and every setting across the United States.

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NCCPA Named One of the “Best Places to Work in Healthcare” for Second Year

• Each year Modern Healthcare identifies and recognizes outstanding employers in the health care industry on a national level.

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NCCPA Statement on Recent Acts of Violence

• Like so many across the United States, NCCPA is dismayed by the recent acts of violence and the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.

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A Message from NCCPA’s President and CEO Regarding the Reopening of Test Centers

• We are pleased to announce that test delivery is now available for essential medical service providers, such as the PAs, at a subset of Pearson VUE test centers across the United States.

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A Note from the NCCPA President and CEO, Dawn Morton-Rias, on the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

• The NCCPA staff and I continue to monitor developments surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19).

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University of North Carolina

August 2, 2023

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SDPA Summer Conference 2023

June 21-24, 2023

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UMKC (Univ of Missouri – Kansas City)

April 28 ,2023

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St. Joseph’s University

April 12 ,2023

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Connecticut (ConnAPA)

March  28 ,2023

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Association of Family Practice PAs and NPs (AFPPANP)

March 24-26, 2023

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AHCJ (Association Health Care Journalist)

March 9-12, 2023

Touro Univ – California

February 8 ,2023

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Western University

January 30, 2023

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Univ of Southern California (USC)

January 30, 2023

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OHSU (Oregon Health & Science Univ)

January 18, 2023

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Vermont (PAAV)

January 16-19, 2023

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Carroll University

January 13, 2023

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Rio Grande Valley PA Society

March 31 ,2023

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Topics in the Tropics (Veterans Caucus of AAPA)

December 7-10, 2022

South University – Richmond, VA

December 14-15, 2022

IPAP

December 9, 2022

UNTHSC (University of North Texas Health Science Center)

November 18, 2022

SDPA

November 17. 2022

NCAPA (North Carolina)

November 15, 2022

Bexar County Texas Regional PA Association

November 11, 2022

WAPA (Wisconsin)

October 26, 2022

SDPA

October 16-19. 2022

South College (Atlanta)

October 19, 2022

AASPA

October 14, 2022

AKAPA (Alaska)

October 6, 2022

PAEA Education Forum

October 1, 2022

AAPA Leadership & Advocacy Summit (LAS)

September 29 – October 1, 2022

Marquette University

September 30, 2022

TAPA

September 23, 2022

Emory University

September 22, 2022

MdAPA (Maryland)

September 14-17, 2022

NAMSS

September 11-14, 2022

NCCPA REPRESENT! Summit

September 8-9, 2022

OSPA (Oregon)

September 8-11, 2022

AAPA

May 20-25, 2022

Federation of State Medical Boards

April 28-30, 2022

Society of Army PAs

April 24-29, 2022

APACVS

April 21-24, 2022

Utah Academy of PAs

April 8, 2022

Tennessee Academy of Physician Assistants Spring Fling

April 8-9, 2022

Society of Emergency Medicine PAs (SEMPA)

April 4-8, 2022

Butler University

April 1, 2022

University of Missouri Kansas City

March 25, 2022

Association of Family Practice PAs and NPs

March 24-27, 2022

Louisiana Academy of PAs

March 16-18, 2022

Colorado Academy of PAs

March 4-6, 2022

Arizona State Association of Physician Assistants

March 3-5, 2022

University of Southern California

January 31,  2022

Vermont Academy of PAs

January 22, 2022

National Credentialing Forum

January 3-4, 2022

NCCPA Certifies 200,000th PA

• The National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) has announced the certification of the 200,000th physician assistant/associate (PA) in the nation since the organization’s inception nearly 50 years ago.

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PAs Have Flexibility to Change Specialties

• PAs Have Flexibility to Change Specialties

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ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION NAMES NCCPA A WINNER OF THE METRO ATLANTA TOP WORKPLACES 2023 AWARD

• NCCPA has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2023 honor by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Top Workplaces.

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Update on PAs Practicing in Dermatology

• The dermatology workforce includes physicians, nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician associates/assistants (PAs). The number of dermatologists is growing slowly while the growth of PAs working in dermatology is rapid and accelerating.

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Newly Released Data on PAs Working in Medically Underserved Areas

• The report provides data from each state on topics such as race/ethnicity, income, specialty practice areas, and settings, use of telemedicine, job satisfaction, burnout, retirement plans, and more.

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Job Satisfaction Remains High Among Certified PAs Despite Continuing COVID-19 Pandemic

• The latest data from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) reports that job satisfaction remains high among Certified PAs, even after two years of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Record Number of PAs Earned Initial Certification in 2021

• 10,950 PAs earned their initial certification in 2021 alone, marking the greatest number of newly Certified PAs according to NCCPA's 2021 Statistical Profile of Certified PAs.

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Newly Released Data on Certified PAs Working in Emergency Medicine and Urgent Care Demonstrate Their Significant Contributions to Patient Care

• The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), in collaboration with the Society of Emergency Medicine PAs (SEMPA) have published the PAs Practicing in Emergency Medicine and Urgent Care: 2021 Survey Results. Over 16,000 Certified PAs practice in Emergency Medicine and Urgent Care, and this report comprises the most comprehensive source of nationwide data on PAs working in these practice areas. 

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Dr. Uché Blackstock to Deliver Keynote Address at NCCPA Represent Summit

• The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) announced today that renowned physician and health equity advocate, Dr. Uché Blackstock, will deliver the keynote address during its inaugural Represent! Summit in September.

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NCCPA President and CEO Joins Over 2,000 CEOs to Make Unprecedented Commitment to Advance Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace

• The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) announced today that its President and CEO Dawn Morton-Rias Ed.D, PA-C has signed onto the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

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New Report Highlights Low Burnout, Job Satisfaction Among Certified PAs by Specialty

• According to the 2020 Statistical Profile of Certified PAs by Specialty, an annual report on 25 specialties issued by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), 73.4% of Certified PAs indicated that they have no symptoms of burnout.

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Certified PAs Persevere Despite Pandemic Uncertainty

• Despite the uncertainty of the global pandemic, in 2020 Certified PAs largely maintained their current patient loads and helped increase access to care.

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NCCPA Launches Certified PArtners in Care Campaign to Showcase Invaluable Impact of Certified PAs

• Today the NCCPA announced the launch of the Certified PArtners in Care campaign to highlight the invaluable role that Certified PAs play to support patients, clinical teams and public health in their communities.

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New Report Highlights Certified PA Practice Patterns During COVID-19 Pandemic

• 96% of physician assistants (PAs) were employed in a clinical position eight to nine months after the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Number of Certified PAs Expanded in Every State Prior to Onset of COVID-19

• Just before the need for qualified medical providers expanded due to the onset of COVID-19, the Certified Physician Assistant workforce increased in every U.S. state.

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New Report Gives Glimpse Into Certified Physician Assistants in Medical Specialties Before COVID-19 Pandemic

• Just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the Certified Physician Assistant workforce continued to grow.

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2019 Cohort of Newly Certified Physician Assistants is the Largest Cohort Yet, Breaking 2018 Record

• The number of newly Certified Physician Assistants (PAs) reached new heights in 2019, with more than 70% receiving multiple job offers before entering the workforce.

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As the Nation Grapples with COVID-19, More Physician Assistants are Poised to Join the Fight

• As the nation continues to battle COVID-19, a new report published by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) indicates that there is good news to share-- more Certified PAs are available to join the fight.

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PA Profession Continues to Gain Nationwide Momentum as Workforce Numbers and Salaries Increase

• For the fifth consecutive year, the number of Certified Physician Assistants in the United States continues to increase.

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PA Insights With NCCPA Podcasts

The PA Insights with NCCPA podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify wherever you enjoy podcasts.
Our latest episodes can be found below, but we encourage you to subscribe directly via your favorite podcast platform to ensure that you don’t miss an episode.

PANRE-LA Update; PAs in Global Health; Demographic and Workforce Data and Trends – PA Insights with NCCPA – PA Insights with NCCPA

• In this episode, We dive in to PANRE-LA –  where we’ll dig into some really insightful data as to how it’s going so far and get expert answers to the questions we get the most from PAs about this recertification assessment option.

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Kathy J Pedersen Grant Recipient Stories – PA Insights with NCCPA

• In this episode, We talk with two of the recipients of the Kathy J. Pedersen Grant to Promote Equitable care (which is available through the nccPA Health Foundation) about their grant outreach projects, what the application process was like, and tips they have for future applicants.

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“Board Certification” Terminology and Title Change – PA Insights with NCCPA

• In this episode, we talk with the NCCPA President and CEO, Dawn Morton-Rias, Ed.D., PA-C, ICE-CCP, FACHE, about the “board certification” terminology, as well as the “PA” title change.

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REPRESENT! Summit / DEI Initiatives in the PA Profession

• In this episode: We talk with two of the panelists from NCCPA’s inaugural REPRESENT Summit about their experience at the summit and why increasing diversity in the PA profession is so important, PA demographic and workforce trends, and much more!

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All About PANRE-LA

• In this episode, we talk all about PANRE-LA, the new recertification assessment option available to Certified PAs. We discuss how it was developed, how the assessment will work, how it will be scored, who's eligible, and more!

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

• In this episode: We have a discussion with NCCPA Senior Director of Communications Erica Banks on NCCPA's inaugural Represent Summit, which is focused on increasing diversity in the profession.

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Two New CAQs

• In this episode: Two new specialties (Dermatology; Palliative Medicine and Hospice Care) are being added to the CAQ program!

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Providing Health Care to the Homeless

• In this episode: Alisha Crabtree, a Certified PA, talks about her experience providing health care services to the homeless population.

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Avoiding Burnout and Promoting the Profession

• In this episode: How to Avoid Burnout; How NCCPA Promotes Certified PAs; New PA Workforce Data - PA Insights with NCCPA

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Back 2 School with NCCPA

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NCCPA PA Ambassadors

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5 Answers About CME Logging and the CME Auditing Process

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How Are NCCPA Exams Developed?

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PAs in Mental Health

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A Conversation with NCCPA President and CEO Dawn Morton-Rias, Ed.D., PA-C

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Preparing for PANCE

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The Disciplinary Review Process

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