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Physician Assistant

Certification

A Brief Overview of NCCPA

Initial Certification and PANCE

Overview of the Certification Maintenance Process

When Things Go Wrong

Tips for Maintaining your Certification

Resources

Q&A

Presentation Outline

A Brief Overview of NCCPA

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About NCCPA

The only national certifying body for PAs

Independent, not-for-profit organization

Mission: To serve the public through exemplary programs that evaluate critical PA competencies and require the pursuit of life-long learning and improvement

Committed to excellence in all we do Received Georgia Oglethorpe Award in 2007

Received accreditation from the National Commission on Certifying Agencies in 2009

Our Board of Directors

2 public representatives, 4 PA directors-at-large and nominees from

The Board currently includes 10 PAs, 8 physicians and 4 non-clinicians.

American Academies of:

Family Physicians

Pediatrics

Physician Assistants

American Colleges of:

Emergency Physicians

Physicians

Surgeons

American Hospital Association

American Medical Association

American Osteopathic Association

Assoc of Amer Medical Colleges

Federation of State Medical Boards

PA Education Association

US Department of Veterans Affairs

Initial Certification and PANCE

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Graduation from a PA program accredited by ARC-PA (Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant)

Students must graduate or complete program requirements before taking the exam.

Successful completion of the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam(PANCE)

Students can be certified within 4 weeks of graduation - much less in most cases.

Initial Certification Two Steps

18% Pharmaceutical therapeutics

18% Formulating most likely diagnosis

16% History taking & performing physical exams

14% Using lab & diagnostic studies

14% Clinical intervention

10% Health maintenance

10% Applying basic science concepts

100%

Knowledge, skill and task areas:

Examination Content Blueprint

16% Cardiovascular system

12% Pulmonary system

10% Gastrointestinal/ nutritional system

10% Musculoskeletal system

9% Eye, ear, nose & throat

8% Reproductive system

6% Neurologic system

6% Urinary/renal system

6% Psychiatric/behavioral system

6% Endocrine system

5% Dermatological system

3% Hematological system

3% Infectious diseases

100%

Diseases, disorders and medical assessments of:

Examination Content Blueprint

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Computer-based exam administered at Pearson VUE

200+ testing centers (www.pearsonvue.com/nccpa)

Multiple-choice questions that assess general medical and surgical knowledge

Five-hour exam 5 blocks of 60 questions, 60 minutes each

45 minutes of break time for the entire day

Cost: $475

PANCE Whats it Like?

Register at www.nccpa.net

My Record Page

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Online Practice Exams - $35 each

120 questions taken from the test item banks

General performance feedback helps inform your exam preparation.

Register online the same way you do for a certification exam.

Practice Exams Available

Arrive 30 minutes early.

Two forms of valid (not expired) ID required must match each other and the name as listed

with NCCPA

Do not bring any other personal belongings.

Read ALL correspondence for detailed instructions about what to expect on exam day.

View a short video about what to expect on test day at www.nccpa.net.

Test Day Tips

Answer every question. (Score is based on correct responses; points arent deducted for incorrect answers.)

Mark those that youre not sure about, and review them if you have time at the end of the block. (Computer assists in review of skipped and marked items.)

PANCE Test-Taking Strategies

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Do not discuss the test with others.

Sharing exam questions or even general subject matter with others constitutes irregular behavioror cheating. Its just not worth it!

If you had any problems at the testing center, document the situation in writing and contact NCCPA within 3 days of your exam.

After the Exam

NCCPA uses a content-based standard setting process.

An absolute standard is established.

Everyone who meets the standard passes.

Different from the norm-referenced standard setting (i.e., the bell-shaped curve)

Exam Scoring: Standard Setting

NCCPA provides score reports online.

When your results are ready (about two weeks after your test date), well e-mail instructions for accessing your score report in your secure record online.

To ensure immediate access, be sure NCCPA has your current e-mail address by signing in to your record and clicking the Edit link by your name.

Accessing Your Results

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Passing rate for first-time takers: around 93%

If you dont get that good news after your first attempt, keep in mind two key policies:

You may attempt PANCE up to six times within six years of your program completion.

You are limited to taking PANCE one time in any 90-day period or up to three times in a calendar year, whichever is fewer.

Accessing Your Results

Overview of the Certification

Maintenance Process

1. Continuing Medical Education (CME)

100 credits every 2 years

(at least 50 of which must be Category I)

Certification maintenance fee

Due December 31 = $130

2. Passage of the Physician Assistant National Recertifying Examination (PANRE)

Every 6 years

Fee = $350

Current Certification Maintenance Process

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100 CME credits

50 Category I credits that must now include 20 credits of directed CME

Remaining hours can be Category I or Category II

PANRE every 6 years

New Certification Maintenance ProcessBegins January 2014

Category I or II (50 credits)

Category I (50 credits)

20 credits directed towards self-assessment or performance improvement CME

100-Credit CME Requirement (every 2 years)

Directed CME Defined

Self-assessment is the process of conducting a systematic review of ones own performance, knowledge base or skill set, usually for the purpose of improving future performance, expanding knowledge or honing skills.

Self-assessment activities often involve a learning experience.

Examples American College of Physicians MKSAP program

Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants Distance Learning Initiative

More on Self-Assessment (SA)

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PI-CME is active learning and the application of learning to improve your practice.

Can be done in partnership with your supervising physician and others in practice

Everyone can work on and get credit for PI-CME

together

Three-step process:

1. Compare some aspect of practice to national benchmarks, performance guidelines or other established evidence-based metric or standard.

2. Based on the comparison, develop and implement a plan for improvement in that area.

3. Evaluate the impact of the improvement effort by comparing the results of the original comparison with

the new results or outcomes.

More on Performance Improvement (PI) CME

This concept has evolved since NCCPA first announced it was being considered.

Asked for and listened to feedback

Identified ways to make this less burdensome without sacrificing its effectiveness

Can take different forms

PI CME activities (like AAFPs METRIC program or the AAPs eQIPP program)

A Clinical Quality Improvement project (the original idea the NCCPA Foundation pilot tested) that is developed individually by the PA

More on Performance Improvement (PI) CME

1st CME Cycle

2nd CME Cycle

3rd CME Cycle

4th CME Cycle

5th CME Cycle

By the end of your 4th CME cycle, you must have earned at least 40 Category I CME credits through SA activities and at least 40 Category I CME credits through PI activities.

During each cycle, earn 100 CME credits including 50 Cat. I credits with 20 earned through self-assessment and/or PI-CME activities.

Earn 100 CME credits including 50 Category I, and pass PANRE

Certification Maintenance IllustratedBegins January 1, 2014

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The Appeals Process

Code of Conduct

The Disciplinary Process

When Things Go Wrong

Did you have a problem at the testing center?

Were you unable to meet CME requirements or take an exam due to unusual or severe extenuating circumstances?

Are you a military PA on active duty in a combat zone?

The Appeals Process

Should an unusual circumstance arise, document the situation in writing and submit with appropriate supporting documentation to NCCPA as soon as possible.

Within three days for exam grievances

Requests for exceptions to policy and exam grievances are reviewed by staff.

Adverse staff decisions may be appealed to the Review Panel.

The Appeals Process

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Focuses on the ethics and professionalism expected from all PAs holding or seeking NCCPA certification

Two sections focus on the responsibility of certified PAs to uphold the integrity of the

Certification and recertification processes Laws, regulations and standards governing PA

practice

Developed as a