Terminology on Board Certification and Title Change

Please review the full announcement and the Board Certification and Title Change FAQ sheet

  1. Board Certified and Board Certification:

The terms describe the certifying process PAs complete after graduating from an accredited PA program, passing the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination® (PANCE) and maintaining NCCPA certification. Certified PAs may use the term “board certified” to convey or describe board certification by NCCPA as a generalist qualification. As provided in NCCPA’s Code of Conduct, certified PAs must not use the term “board certified” to convey or describe that they hold specialty certification.

  1. Test, Exam and Examination:

These terms are considered synonymous and are used in conjunction with the exams administered by PANCE, PANRE, CAQ examinations, the Alternative to PANRE Pilot, and the longitudinal PANRE-LA.

  1. Physician Assistant,” “Physician Associate,” and “PA”:

NCCPA recognizes that the titles used by our profession have evolved and continue to evolve and that our profession’s authorization to practice medicine and legally permitted titles are governed by each jurisdiction’s practice acts and by federal regulations. Therefore, NCCPA shall regard the titles “physician assistant,” “physician associate,” and “PA” as equivalent and synonymous. NCCPA policies and published guidance that use the terms “physician assistant,” “physician associate,” and/or “PA” shall apply to any certified or certifying PA, regardless of that individual PA’s preferred or assigned title.

Terminology on Board Certification and Title Change

Please review the full announcement here. and the Board Certification and Title Change FAQ sheet.

  1. Board Certified and board certification:

Certified PAs may use the term “board certified” to convey or describe board certification by NCCPA as a generalist qualification. As provided in NCCPA’s Code of Conduct, certified PAs must not use the term “board certified” to convey or describe that they hold specialty certification or acquiesce in that use by others.

  1. Test, exam and examination:

Include PANCE, PANRE, CAQ examinations, the Alternative to PANRE Pilot, and the longitudinal PANRE-LA, see NCCPA’s Policies and Procedures for PA Disciplinary Matters

  1. Physician assistant,” “physician associate,” and “PA” titles:

NCCPA recognizes that the titles used by our profession have evolved and continue to evolve and that our profession’s authorization to practice medicine and legally permitted titles are governed by each jurisdiction’s practice acts and by federal regulations. Therefore, NCCPA shall regard the titles “physician assistant,” “physician associate,” and “PA” as equivalent and synonymous. NCCPA policies and published guidance that use the terms “physician assistant,” “physician associate,” and/or “PA” shall apply to any certified or certifying PA, regardless of that individual PA’s preferred or assigned title.