Intro to the PA Profession
What year did the 1st PA class entered Duke University?
1965
In what year was the AAPA founded?
1968
In what year and at what university was the MEDEX program started?
1969 University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
In what year were standards for PA programs first established?
1971
In what year and from which school did the 1st bachelor level PAs graduate?
1972-Alderson Broaddus University
In what year and where was the 1st PA conference held?
1973-Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
In what year were the 1st certificates awarded?
1975
Which piece of legislation provided for reimbursement of PA services through Medicare?
1986 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
Who originally organized the physician assistant history office?
1st organized at Duke University by Dr. Reginald Carter
How many of the 50 category 1 hours must be self assessment CME and/or performance improvement CME (PI-CME)?
20
What is the minimum reported score of the PANCE?
200
In what year did the AAPA establish the Masters degree as the appropriate degree for PA education?
2000
In what year did Shenandoah University matriculate its 1st PA class?
2001
What is the average age of current PA program enrollees?
26.1
How many graduates were in the 1st PA class?
3
Approximately how many applicants are there per seat?
3.4
What is the only national professional society for PAs?
AAPA
This organization evaluates PA programs and awards accreditation based on compliance with guidelines in the standards.
ARC-PA
This organization is responsible for scheduling the comprehensive on-site review.
ARC-PA
What does a ARC-PA stand for?
Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant
What is the current name of the accreditation body for physician assistant programs?
Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA)
What is Category I CME?
Category 1 must be classified by AAPA as category 1 (pre approved) CME by one of the following sponsors: AAPA, AMA, AOA or AAFP. Some ways category 1 CME credits can be earned include seminars, conferences and online. The CME program provider will issue you a certificate or letter of completion, indicating the number of CME credits earned during each program. Category one can also be earned by completion of certificate programs such as ACLS.
What does CAQS stand for?
Certificate of Added Qualifications
What was the name of the original accreditation body for physician assistant education?
Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA)
This act provided stimulus for growth in a number of PA programs and endorsed PAs as a legitimate part of healthcare workforce.
Comprehensive Health Manpower Act of 1972
When are you eligible to take the PANRE for recertification?
Depending on your recertification cycle: -in the 5th or 6th year of the PA-C certification maintenance cycle or -in the 9th or 10th year of the PA-C certification maintenance cycle
What are the responsibilities of the NCCPA?
Determine eligibility criteria; review applications and register; administer the examination; determine pass/fail standards; issue and verify certificates; periodically rectify PDAs; issue Certificates of Added Qualifications (CAQs)
Dr. Eugene Stead modeled the 1st PA program based on the working relationship of these 2 individuals.
Dr. Amos N. Johnson and Henry Lee "Buddy" Treadwell
The PA concept was proposed by whom?
Dr. Charles Hudson
Who established the 1st physician assistant education program at Duke University?
Dr. Eugene Stead
Who established and at which university the 1st surgeons assistant program?
Dr. John W. Kirklin-University of Alabama
Who was the founder of the MEDEX concept?
Dr. Richard Smith
What are the strategic commitments of the AAPA?
Drive excellence in PA practice; optimize PA utilization; and grow the PA profession
Which countries besides the United States have physician assistant programs?
Canada; England; Scotland; Australia; Saudi Arabia; Ghana; and the Netherlands
What publications does the AAPA publish?
PA Professional and Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants
This national organization represents PA educational programs.
PAEA
What is performance improvement CME?
PI-CME is active learning and the application of learning to improve your practice. This can be done in partnership with your supervising physician and others in your practice; everyone can work on and get credit for PI-CME together. PI-CME involves a three-step process: • Compare some aspect of practice to national benchmarks, performance guidelines or other established evidence-based metric or standard. • Based on the comparison, develop and implement a plan for improvement in that area. • Evaluate the impact of the improvement effort by comparing the results of the original comparison with the new results or outcomes.
What is the mission of the AAPA?
Provides innovative solutions that empower its members to connect, enhance their careers and improve patient health
What is the purpose of accreditation?
Serves to provide validation of level of education "as minimums" regardless of institution attended
What is the mission of PAEA?
To pursue excellence, foster faculty development, advance the body of knowledge that defines quality education and patient centered care, and promote diversity in all aspects of physician assistant education.
What is the mission of the NCCPA?
To serve the public through exemplary programs that evaluate critical PA competencies and that require the pursuit of lifelong learning and improvement.
What is the mission of the physician assistant history office?
To share the history of the development of the PA profession and illustrate how PAs continue to make a difference in our society
What are scheduled 4 drugs?
Includes narcotics in combination with other nonnarcotic drugs, antidiarrheals, mild CNS depressants, mild CNS stimulants, and tranquilizers. Drugs such as chloral hydrate, meprobamate, phenobarbital, diphenoxylate with atropine sulfate, chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, diethylpropion and phentermine are in this group.
What are schedule 3 drugs?
Includes narcotics in combination with other nonnarcotic drugs, such as codeine combined with acetaminophen or aspirin, phenacetin, and caffeine.
Which state became the 50th state to establish prescriptive authority for physician assistants?
Indiana
What is the PANCE 6-6 rule?
Individuals who have never been certified and who graduated from an ARC-PA accredited physician assistant program on or after January 1, 2003, will be eligible to take PANCE for up to 6 years after completing the requirements for graduation from that program. During that six-year period, the examination may be taken a maximum of 6 times. When either the 6 attempts or 6 years is exhausted, which ever occurs sooner, the individual loses eligibility to take PANCE. The only way to establish new eligibility to take PANCE is to enter into and complete and unabridged ARC-PA accredited physician assistant educational program.
What day is Physician Assistant Day and in what year was it 1st celebrated?
October 6, 1987
What are the AAPA values?
Leadership and service; unity and teamwork; accountability and transparency; excellence and equity
What are some of the key facts that are important in PA messaging?
187 PA programs nationwide; over 6000 graduates per year; typical PA program is at Masters level in 26 months in duration
How many accredited/provisionally accredited PA programs are there currently?
187 http://www.arc-pa.org/acc_programs/
What are the knowledge and skill areas of the PANCE?
-History taking and performing physical examination -using lab and diagnostic studies -formulating diagnosis -clinical interventions -therapeutics -health maintenance -applying scientific concepts
What is the cost of the PANRE?
$350
What is the current cost to take the PANCE?
$475
What are requirements for CAQ?
- valid unrestricted license -PA-C -reference from supervising physician -Category I specialty CME (150 hours) - 1 to 2 years of experience -Procedures and patient case experience appropriate for the specialty -A specialty exam
What are the continuing medical education requirements (CME) for physician assistants?
-100 hours every 2 years -at least 50 hours must be category 1
Who makes up the Virginia PA advisory board?
-3 PAs -one community member -one physician
Describe the format of the PANCE
-300 questions -computer administered -five 60 min. blocks
What are the practice focused areas?
-Adult medicine -surgery -primary care
In what specialty areas can a PA earn a CAQ?
-Cardiovascular/thoracic surgery -emergency medicine -hospital medicine -nephrology -orthopaedic surgery -pediatrics -psychiatry
What are some of the issues regarding the specialization of PAs?
-Create advanced training models -develop systems of recognition and specialty examinations
What is the mission of NCCPA?
-Dedicated to assuring the public that certified physician assistants meet established standards of clinical knowledge and cognitive skills upon entry into practice and throughout their careers -serve the public through exemplary programs that evaluate critical PA competencies and that require the pursuit of lifelong learning and improvement
How are PA practice statutes classified?
-Delegatory -regulatory
These are some current professional issues facing the PA profession
-Doctoral degrees -PA to MD/DO bridge programs -gender salary imbalance -assuring adequate supply -postgraduate residencies -the name
What accounts for the remarkable degree of acceptance of PAs?
-Economic advantages -clinical flexibility/adaptability -acceptance by patients -nonthreatening to physicians
Describe the format of the PANRE?
-Four-hour exam -240 multiple-choice questions -4 blocks of 60 questions with 60 min. to complete each block -there is a total of 45 min. allotted for breaks between blocks -you have 15 min. to complete the PANRE tutorial
What are the 2 components of the PANRE and their percentages?
-Generalist (60%) -practice focused (40%)
What are the licensure steps?
-Graduate from accredited program (not all states require) -eligible or pass certification exam -apply to appropriate board -approval -some form of re-registration/renewal is typical; some require verification of continued certification
What are the PANCE eligibility requirements?
-Graduate of an accredited physician (or surgeon) assistant educational program -7 day waiting period after expected graduation date -may take only once in 90 day period and no more than 3 times per year
What are some reasons that PAs enter specialty and subspecialty practices versus primary care?
-Marketplace and specialty job availability will be the main drivers of demand -new graduate debt load will influence job decisions -higher salaries will attract graduates to higher-paying jobs
What is negotiated performance autonomy?
-Negotiated: discussion of the scope of activities that the physician expects the PA to perform -performance: demonstration by the PA of possessing the capability to perform medical tasks -autonomy: the ability of the PA to make independent judgments within the bounds of the practice and the law
With regards to messaging, what are the keys to success?
-Remember your goal and think before you speak -headline your comments and use simple, direct language -support your position with facts and research -persuade through anecdotes that localize, personalize and humanize your position -repeat your message; repeat again -dress for success -answer the question you wish they asked
What are some of the probable factors influencing the trend of PA specialization?
-The physician workforce has become increasingly specialized -PAs have been shown to emulate the practice patterns of physicians -the current job demand for PAs is mainly from physicians in specialties and hospitals -newly graduating PAs, like medical students, are often facing considerable debt levels -salaries are higher in the specialties and subspecialties
What does it mean to be a certified physician assistant?
-You have successfully passed the national certifying examination. Or -You have submitted the necessary CME hours and have successfully passed the recertification examination.
What requirements should you consider when registering for PANRE?
-You may only take PANRE once in any 90 day period, and you may only take PANRE twice in your 5th year and twice in your 6 year (4 times total) -you have up to 180 days from the beginning of your exam timeframe to take the exam -if you apply late in your 6th year, your time frame will be shorter than 180 days, ending the last test date prior to your certification's expiration
What are the 6 key elements of licensure?
1. Licensure as the regulatory term 2. Full prescriptive authority 3. Scope of practice determined at the practice level 4. Adaptable supervision requirements 5. Chart cosign signature requirements determined at the practice 6. Number of PAs a physician may supervise determined at the practice level
Currently, how many postgraduate physician assistant programs are accredited by the ARC-PA?
7
What is the maximum reported score of the PANCE?
800
What is a physician assistant?
A PA is a nationally certified and state licensed medical professional. PAs practice medicine on healthcare teams with physicians and other providers. They practice and prescribe medication in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all US territories with the exception of Puerto Rico.
What does a AAPA stand for?
American Academy of Physician Assistants
What is Category II CME?
Any medically related activity that enhances the role of a PA (including journal reading). Category II credits are earned on an hour by hour basis. There is no minimum requirement for Category II activities.
What does APPAP stand for?
Association of Postgraduate Physician Assistant Programs
What are CAQs?
Gives certified PAs the ability to achieve recognition for specialty experience, skills and knowledge gained from on-the-job experience.
What are scheduled 2 drugs?
Includes narcotic drugs with a high potential for abuse but with currently accepted medical use in treatment (opiates, cocaine, methadone, and meperidine).
What are schedule 3N drugs?
Include central nervous system depressants and barbiturates not listed in other schedules. Also includes anorectic agents not included in other schedules.
What are schedule 1 drugs?
Includes drugs with no proven or acceptable medical use and a high abuse potential-authorized research only.
What was the MEDEX program concept created by Dr. Richard Smith?
It was designed to rapidly deploy ex-military corpsmen to rural primary care practices throughout the Northwest.
What is the publication of PAEA?
Journal of Physician Assistant Education
Who was the 1st physician assistant elected to Congress?
Karen Bass
These terms should be avoided when describing the role of a physician assistant.
Mid-level provider; advanced practice clinicians; physician extender; under/with physician supervision
Which state was the last state to pass PA enabling legislation?
Mississippi
Which university created the 1st physician assistant postgraduate program?
Montefiore Medical Center in 1973
This agency ensures that qualifications of the profession are being met.
NCCPA
What does NCCPA stand for?
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
This organization is responsible for the certification of physician assistants
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
What does PAEA stand for?
Physician Assistant Education Association
What does PANCE stands for?
Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination
What does PANRE stand for?
Physician Assistant National Recertification Exam
What was the name of the 1st journal for PAs and in what year was it published?
Physician Assistant-1968
Include these phrases when describing the role of physician assistants
Practice medicine; collaborate with physicians; working teams; prescribed medicine and other therapy
What is an RPA-C?
Registered physician assistant; a certified physician assistant in the state of New York
Who is going to win this year's Army Navy game?
The Army!
In which military branch did the 1st PA graduates serve?
The Navy
What recent drug legislation impacts PA prescriptive authority in some states?
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reclassified hydrocodone combination products from schedule III to schedule II effective October 6, 2014.
What are the regulations for chart signatures for PAs in Virginia?
The timing of signature is left up to the supervising physician based on the acuity of care and practice setting. Also, there is no specific requirement as to the number of charts that need signature. Regulation requires that a practice agreement be developed giving the details of the chart signing procedure may practice. The practice agreement needs to be kept in the office should the Board of Medicine request to view it. It is also suggested that the medical group's legal counsel be involved in development of the practice agreement.
True or false: ARC-PA approval is required for program eligibility for grant funding and graduates eligibility for certifying examination.
True
Which branch of the military 1st commissioned physician assistants?
United States Air Force
What is self-assessment CME?
Unlike traditional lecture-learner CME sessions in which the PA is a passive participant, self-assessment CME activities involve a more active process of conducting a systematic review of one's performance, knowledge base or skill set. Most board-certified physicians are now completing this type of activity as part of their own maintenance of certification process, and many of the self-assessment programs offered by their certification boards are also available to PAs. Only programs approved for self-assessment credit by AAPA qualify.
How many PAs can a Virginia physician supervise?
Up to 6 PAs
These gentlemen were the 1st 3 PA graduates from Duke University on October 6, 1967
Victor H. Geronimo Kenneth F. Ferrell Richard J. Scheele