PANRE Review: the NCCPA B.O.D. Decision
Ultimately, “The Board” sought a PANRE review and recertification model that reflected the following key points:
- PAs and NCCPA desire a PANRE review and recertification exam process that is relevant and meaningful to current and emerging PA practice;
- Greater than 70 percent of certified PAs practice in specialties other than primary care, and an analysis of PA practice shows that the nature of the work PAs perform differs from specialty to specialty;
- It is reasonable for the public and other key NCCPA stakeholders to expect that PAs are assessed across general or core medical content and within their area of current practice;
- The generalist PA-C credential supports PAs’ flexibility to change specialties during their career span, and that inter-specialty mobility is a hallmark of the PA profession that many value deeply;
- In practice, PAs must both recall some knowledge and have the opportunity to consult other resources when needed;
- NCCPA and its stakeholders desire a high degree of exam security and integrity; and
- NCCPA recognizes the value of both enhancing and assessing medical knowledge, especially given the rapid pace of advancement in science and medicine.
“Having worked to balance what we know about the practice and preferences of certified PAs with our responsibility to serve the public’s interest, the NCCPA Board has selected a new recertification model that we believe would serve both the public and the profession exceptionally well for many years to come,” says NCCPA President/CEO Dawn Morton Rias, Ed.D, PA-C. “I personally am proud that we found a model that maintains and honors the broad-based knowledge that has in many ways defined and facilitated the growth and mobility of our profession while also recognizing that – in real practice – patients can be served well through PAs’ consultation of resources. This new take-at-home model still includes an assessment for general or core knowledge, but it addresses many concerns about the expense and time of preparing for a timed exam that covers a breadth of content that many PAs do not use in their day-to-day practice. At the same time, this two-part model would test specialty-related knowledge that is used day-to-day, which clearly serves the public well. That said, there is still a considerable amount of important work to be done, and we will consider thoughtfully the feedback we receive during the upcoming comment process.”
Given the time required for the development of these new exams, the new PANRE model, if approved, would be implemented several years from now for those in the 10-year certification maintenance process.
