Which agency certifies physician assistants via the PANCE exam?

Which agency certifies physician assistants via the PANCE exam?

• A. NCCPA
• B. AAMC
• C. AMA
• D. ABIM

Answer: (A)

The essential idea is knowing who certifies physician assistants through the PANCE. The PANCE is the national certifying exam for PAs, and the body that administers and grants this certification is the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Earning NCCPA certification is what many states require for PA licensure after completing an ARC-PA accredited PA program, and NCCPA also oversees ongoing certification maintenance (the PANRE) and required continuing medical education. Other organizations listed serve different roles: the AAMC is focused on medical education institutions and admissions testing, not certifying PAs; the AMA is a professional physician association and does not certify PAs; the ABIM certifies physicians in internal medicine and subspecialties, not physician assistants. So the correct certifying agency for the PANCE is NCCPA.

The essential idea is knowing who certifies physician assistants through the PANCE. The PANCE is the national certifying exam for PAs, and the body that administers and grants this certification is the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Earning NCCPA certification is what many states require for PA licensure after completing an ARC-PA accredited PA program, and NCCPA also oversees ongoing certification maintenance (the PANRE) and required continuing medical education.

Other organizations listed serve different roles: the AAMC is focused on medical education institutions and admissions testing, not certifying PAs; the AMA is a professional physician association and does not certify PAs; the ABIM certifies physicians in internal medicine and subspecialties, not physician assistants. So the correct certifying agency for the PANCE is NCCPA.