NCCPA Continuing Education and Development 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which NCCPA pathway allows PAs to earn CME credit by completing self-assessment activities tied to their specific practice area?
- PANRE-LA (Correct answer)
- PI CME
- Category 1 CME
- Preapproved CME
Correct answer: PANRE-LA
PANRE-LA (Longitudinal Assessment) allows PAs to earn CME credit through ongoing self-assessment questions relevant to their practice.
Question 2: How many total CME hours must a PA complete during each 10-year certification maintenance cycle?
- 50 hours
- 100 hours (Correct answer)
- 150 hours
- 200 hours
Correct answer: 100 hours
PAs must complete 100 CME hours per 10-year cycle, with at least 50 of those being Category 1 credits.
Question 3: A PA completes a quality improvement project at her hospital that is recognized by an ACCME-accredited provider. How should these credits be classified?
- Category 2
- Category 1 PI CME (Correct answer)
- Elective CME
- Non-accredited CME
Correct answer: Category 1 PI CME
Performance Improvement (PI) CME awarded by ACCME-accredited providers qualifies as Category 1 credit.
Question 4: What is the maximum number of Category 2 CME hours a PA may apply toward NCCPA maintenance requirements in a single 10-year cycle?
- 25 hours
- 50 hours (Correct answer)
- 75 hours
- 100 hours
Correct answer: 50 hours
Up to 50 Category 2 hours may count toward the 100-hour total, with the remaining 50 hours requiring Category 1 credits.
Question 5: A PA fails to complete certification maintenance requirements by the end of the 10-year cycle. What is the FIRST consequence?
- Permanent revocation of certification
- Certification lapses and PA enters an inactive status (Correct answer)
- A 90-day grace period begins automatically
- The PA is reported to the state medical board
Correct answer: Certification lapses and PA enters an inactive status
When a PA does not meet maintenance requirements, certification lapses and the PA moves to an inactive or lapsed status.
Question 6: Which of the following activities qualifies as Category 2 CME under NCCPA guidelines?
- Attending an AAPA-accredited conference
- Completing an AMA PRA Category 1 online module
- Precepting a PA student in clinical rotations (Correct answer)
- Presenting at an ACCME-accredited grand rounds
Correct answer: Precepting a PA student in clinical rotations
Precepting PA students is recognized as a self-directed learning activity and qualifies as Category 2 CME.
Question 7: Under the NCCPA Continuing Certification program, what is the primary purpose of the Self-Assessment CME requirement?
- To replace the need for state licensure renewal
- To ensure PAs identify and address knowledge gaps in their practice area (Correct answer)
- To satisfy hospital credentialing requirements directly
- To document procedural competency for specialty boards
Correct answer: To ensure PAs identify and address knowledge gaps in their practice area
Self-Assessment CME is designed to help PAs identify knowledge gaps and guide targeted continuing education.
NCCPA Continuing Education and Development 2
Which NCCPA pathway allows PAs to earn CME credit by completing self-assessment activities tied to their specific practice area?