The Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) and Physician Assistant National Recertifying Exam (PANRE) are
certification examinations taken by
physician assistant
A physician assistant or physician associate (PA) is a type of non-physician practitioner. While these job titles are used internationally, there is significant variation in training and scope of practice from country to country, and sometimes be ...
s (PAs) in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. The examinations are administered by th
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
The tests are
computer-based and consist of practical medical and surgical questions.
PANCE
The PANCE must be taken before a PA can be
licensed
A license (American English) or licence (Commonwealth English) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit).
A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another part ...
for the first time upon graduation from an
accredited
Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...
program. The examination consists of 300
multiple-choice
Multiple choice (MC), objective response or MCQ (for multiple choice question) is a form of an objective assessment in which respondents are asked to select only the correct answer from the choices offered as a list. The multiple choice format i ...
questions administered in five 60-minute, 60-question blocks.
There is a total of 45 minutes allotted for breaks between blocks, as well as a 15-minute tutorial prior to the examination.
PANRE
The examination consists of 240 multiple-choice questions administered in four 60-minute, 60-question blocks; the breaks and tutorial are timed as on the PANCE. The PANRE can be retaken if failed after a 90-day waiting period between tests, but it can only be taken twice in one year.
While 60% of the generalist exam covers the same content, the remaining 40% can be directed towards questions in one of three areas: adult medicine, surgery, or primary care.
, PAs who have already been certified are required to take the PANRE during the fifth or sixth year of their six-year certification maintenance cycle. This re-certification time frame is scheduled to change in 2015; re-certification will be required during the ninth or tenth year of the certification maintenance cycle.
Content areas
The material on the PANCE and PANRE is organized by the NCCPA into two dimensions, as indicated in the content blueprint for the examination.
# "Organ systems and the diseases, disorders and medical assessments physician assistants encounter within those systems; and
# The knowledge and skills physician assistants should exhibit when confronted with those diseases, disorders and assessments."
See also
*
USMLE
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is a three-step examination program for medical licensure in the United States sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). ...
References
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Professional examinations in healthcare