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NCCPAandPACertification

GregP.Thomas,PACEmeritus

DirectorofExternalRelations

PresentationOutline

BriefOverviewofNCCPA

InitialCertificationandPANCE

YourNCCPADashboard

OverviewoftheCertificationMaintenanceProcess

WhenThingsGoWrong

TipsforMaintainingyourCertification

Resources

BriefOverviewofNCCPA

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OurPurpose

Toprovidecertificationprogramsthatreflect

standardsforclinicalknowledge,clinical

reasoningandothermedicalskillsand

professionalbehaviorsrequireduponentryinto

practiceandthroughoutthecareersofphysician

assistants.

OurMissionisMorethanCreatingExams

NCCPAiscommittedtohelpingyoumaximize

thesafe,productive,andcompetentpracticeof

medicinebycertifiedPAs.

AboutNCCPA

OnlynationalcertifyingbodyforPAs

CertifyingPAssince1975

PassionateaboutPAsandthepatientsyouserve

RelyonPApracticedatatoinformourcertificationprograms

Publishstatisticalreportstoinformemployers,policymakers,themedia,patientsandothers

PromotequalificationsandrolesofcertifiedPAstovariousaudiences(physicians,employers,statemedicalboards,public,etc.)

Engageinsignificantcommunications/PReffortsonyourbehalf:www.PAsDoThat.net

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2017BoardComposition

PA Members

6 PA Directors-at-Large 1 nominee from AAPA 1 nominee from PAEA 1 nominee from FSMB Immediate past chair President/CEO

11PAs,4physiciansand1publicmember

Physician & PublicMembers

1 nominee from AMA 1 nominee from AOA 1 nominee from ACP 1 nominee from AAP 1 public member

But thats only part of the story

PAInvolvementwithNCCPAAddsUp

51 PAitemwritersserveonitemwritingcommittees,writingquestionsthatappearonPANCE,PANREandtheCAQexams

59PAsspentthreedayswithusworkingtoidentifycontentthatrepresents coremedicalknowledge

15 PAsserveonpromotionandpublicitycouncils,supportingoureffortstogeneratestoryideasandpresscoveragefortheprofession

In2016,NCCPAhosted58PAteammeetingstodevelopandvalidateexamquestions,setpassingstandards

PAInvolvementWithNCCPA

72 PAsservedon2015PracticeAnalysisworkgroups,helpingidentifytheknowledge,skillsandabilitiesthatwereincludedonthatsurvey

Approximately16,000 PAsrespondedtothePracticeAnalysissurvey

Over100,000 PAshavecompletedthePAProfessionalProfile

In2016,55 PAsparticipatedina3dayfocusgrouptotalkaboutPANRE

Morethan30,000 participatedinnationwidesurveyofallcertifiedPAsaboutproposednewPANREmodel

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InitialCertificationandPANCE

InitialCertification

Graduation fromaPAprogramaccreditedbyARCPA(AccreditationReviewCommissiononEducationforthePhysicianAssistant) Studentsmustgraduateorcompleteprogramrequirementsbefore takingtheexam

PassingScoreon thePhysicianAssistantNationalCertifyingExam(PANCE) Studentscanbecertifiedwithin4weeksofgraduationorlessinmostcases

ExaminationContentBlueprint

Two dimensions:

1. Organ systems and the diseases, disorders and medical assessments PAs encounter within those systems

2. The knowledge and skills PAs should exhibit when confronted with those diseases, disorders and assessments

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Distribution(%)ofContentbySystem

Distribution(%)ofContentbyKnowledgeandSkill(Task)Areas

PANCEWhatsitLike?

ComputerbasedexamadministeredatPearsonVUE200+testingcenters(www.pearsonvue.com/nccpa)

300multiplechoicequestionsthatassessgeneralmedicalandsurgicalknowledge

Fivehourexam 15minutetutorialatbeginningofexam 5blocksof60questions,60minuteseach 45minutesofbreaktimefortheentireday

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ApplyingforPANCE

Youcanapplyassoonasyourprogramhasenteredyourexpectedgraduationdatebutnosooner than90dayspriortoyourexpectedgraduationdate.

Then2448hoursafteryouapply,youwillreceiveanExamAcknowledgementemail fromus. 180dayexamwindow(startingnoearlierthan7daysafteryourgraduationdate)

Detailsabouthowtoscheduleyourexam

Ifyouneedtestingaccommodations,makesureyouindicatethatwhenyouapplyfortheexam.

Cost:$475

FirstTimeSignIn

Registeratwww.nccpa.net

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PANCEApplication

PANCEApplication YOURNAMESHOULDREADASITAPPEARSONPRIMARYIDYOURADDRESS

YOUREMAILADDRESS

XXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXX

PANCEApplication

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PANCEApplication

ThisisyourPANCEConfirmationPagetheFINALstepintheapplicationprocess!

DateApplied

ExamAcknowledgementEmail

ExamAcknowledgementEmailwithhyperlinkstoPearsonVUEtoscheduleyourexam

PLEASEREADME!!

IAMFULLOFIMPORTANT

INFO!

TestDayTips

ReadALL correspondencefordetailedinstructionsaboutwhattoexpectonexamday

Arrive30minutesearly

TwoformsofvalidIDrequiredIfyoudonthavetheappropriateID,youwontbeabletotest!

PearsonVUEwilltakeaphotoandapalmveinscan

Ifsomethinggoeswrongwhileregisteringattestcenter,callNCCPAbefore youleavethetestcenter!(678)4178100

Viewashortvideoaboutwhattoexpectontestdayatwww.nccpa.net

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IdentificationInformation

PrimaryID:TheprimaryIDmustbeavalid(notexpired)originaldocument(notaphotocopyorfax)andcontainapermanentlyaffixedphoto ofyou,yourpreprintedname andyoursignature.

Acceptableexamples(aslongastheymeettheabovecriteria)are: Driver'slicense Passport MilitaryID StudentID Naturalizationpapers InternationalDriver'sLicenseissuedbygovernment EmployeeID StateissuedID

IdentificationInformation

SecondaryID:ThesecondaryIDmustbeavalid(notexpired)originaldocument(notaphotocopyorfax)andcontaintheexaminee'spreprintedname andtheirsignature.

Acceptableexamples(aslongastheymeettheabovecriteria)are: Driver'slicense MilitaryID StudentID EmployeeID Creditcard SocialSecuritycard

FormoreinformationaboutacceptableIDandname

differences,visitwww.nccpa.netandnavigate

to:BecomeCertified>AboutPANCE>NameChanges

TestDayTips

You wont be allowed to bring any personal items into the testing room.Lockers will be provided to store your personal items.

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TestTakingTips

Answereveryquestion.Yourscoreisbasedonthenumberofquestionsyouanswercorrectly;pointsarentdeductedforincorrectanswers.

Youmayanswerthequestionswithinablockinanyorder,andyoumayreviewandchangeresponseswithinablockofquestionsduringthetimeallottedforthatsection.

Markthosethatyourenotsureabout,andreviewthemifyouhavetimeattheendoftheblock.Thecomputerassistsinreviewofskippedandmarkeditems.

Afteryouexitablockoftestquestionsoraftertimeexpiresforthatblock,youwont beallowedtoreviewitsquestionsorchangeyouranswers.

TestDayTips

Takebreaksbetweenexamblocks(scheduledbreaks).Keepinmindyourtotalbreaktimeislimitedto45minutes. Unscheduledbreaksdonotstoptheclock.

Takinglongorfrequentbreaksearlymayleaveyouwithnobreaktimeevenbetweenblockslaterintheday.

Eachtimeyouleave,youwillberequiredtosignoutandsignbackinuponreturn.

AftertheExam

Donotdiscussthetestwithothers.

Sharingexamquestionsorevengeneralsubjectmatterwithothersconstitutesirregularbehaviorandisconsideredcheating.Itsjustnotworthit!

Ifyouhadanyproblemsatthetestingcenter,documentthesituationinwritingandcontactNCCPAwithin3businessdaysofyourexam.

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AftertheExam

Didsomethinginterferewithyourexamorgowrongatthetestcenter?

ReportanyincidenttoPearsonVUEstaffbeforeleaving.

Submitinformationto:examgrievances@nccpa.net

Mustbesubmittedwithin3businessdays

ExamGrievance

To read more about filing an exam grievance, go to the following link:

http://www.nccpa.net/legal#examgrievance

AftertheExam

NCCPAprovidesscorereportsonline.

Whenyourresultsareready(abouttwoweeksafteryourtestdate),youwillreceiveemailinstructionsforaccessingyourscorereportonyourDashboard.

Toensureimmediateaccess,besureNCCPAhasyourcurrentemailaddressbysigningintoyourDashboardandupdatingyourpersonalinformation.

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AftertheExam

Passingrateforfirsttimetakersin2016:96%;overall:93%

Ifyoudontgetthatgoodnewsafteryourfirstattempt,keepinmindtwokeypolicies:

YoumayattemptPANCEuptosixtimeswithinsixyearsofyourprogramcompletion.

YouarelimitedtotakingPANCEonetimeinany90dayperiodoruptothreetimesinacalendaryear,whicheverisfewer.

ScoringPANCE

Examsarescoredintwodifferentsystemstoensureaccuracy.

Periodically,thepassingstandardisevaluated.

StandardsettingcommitteeincludescertifiedPAsandphysicianswhohaveexperienceworkingwithPAs.

Theyreviewquestionsfromtheexamanddeveloparecommendedpassingstandard.

NCCPABoardofDirectorsmakesthefinaldecision.

ScoringPANCE

PANCEisacriterionreferenced examination.

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ScoringPANCE

Scoresarebasedonthenumberofcorrectresponses.

PANCEpassingstandardsarenotnormative(i.e.notscoredonacurve).

If100%ofthecandidatesmeetthespecifiedpassingcriteria,then100%willpasstheexamination.

PAsInvolvedinEveryStageoftheProcess

Beforethetestisadministered PAsparticipateinthepracticeanalysistohelpestablishwhatgoesontheexam(every57years)

PAswritetheexamquestions(items) Onceexamformsareconstructed,PAsreviewthemforfairnessandquality

Afterthetestisadministered PAsparticipateinanactivitycalledkeyvalidation Questionableitemsareflaggedusingstatisticsandthenreviewedforcurrency,appropriateness,&quality

PAssettheperformancestandardortheamountofknowledgeonehastoknowtopasstheexam(every35years)

PAInvolvementinExamDevelopmentProcess

ExamDevelopment

Cycle

It