Shots fired- AAPA to formulate new certification process

[EMEDPA]

I didn't mean to defend nccpa. my point was that it costs millions of dollars to create and validate a new exam and then to get all 50 states and territories to accept it would take years.

If aapa can't put out money for a PR campaign or a name/title change, both of which frankly would be easier than creating a new test and getting it accepted by all states, then I don't see an alternate licensing pathway as a legitimate option. also, see my comments about the NPs licensing above. multiple pathways to certification cheapens the profession. the common belief would become that folks take the new aapa exam because the old one was too hard or they couldn't pass it, etc. That's what we all said about the FNPs when they had 2 equally legitimate cert boards.  my preference would be specialty PANREs. take pance once, then take a specialty panre year 5 or 6 or whenever, then cme thereafter. new specialty? new panre. if you stay in the same specialty your whole career you take pane once, panre once, then cme thereafter.

[Noreaster]

I didn't mean to defend nccpa. my point was that it costs millions of dollars to create and validate a new exam and then to get all 50 states and territories to accept it would take years.

If aapa can't put out money for a PR campaign or a name/title change, both of which frankly would be easier than creating a new test and getting it accepted by all states, then I don't see an alternate licensing pathway as a legitimate option. also, see my comments about the NPs licensing above. multiple pathways to certification cheapens the profession. the common belief would become that folks take the new aapa exam because the old one was too hard or they couldn't pass it, etc. That's what we all said about the FNPs when they had 2 equally legitimate cert boards.  my preference would be specialty PANREs. take pance once, then take a specialty panre year 5 or 6 or whenever, then cme thereafter. new specialty? new panre. if you stay in the same specialty your whole career you take pane once, panre once, then cme thereafter.

 

Interesting points... and thanks for qualifying/elaborating EMEDPA.  I do think the AAPA have intentions--only--to look at re-cert and not an original cert test, which I feel definitely lessens the effect of the concern of AAPA made one b/c NCCPA's was too hard mentality...?  ...at least, in my mind I can well imagine that.

 

It's not difficult to imagine that the AAPA is posturing, in order to help the process evolve from the NCCPA...sort of like when I have interviewed and received job offer in order to re-negotiate my current position, etc... 

I feel reluctant to like the idea of specialty exams.  Here's an observation about this recent PANRE vs 6 years ago.  In the ortho section, the recent PANRE had lot of obscure and specialty and sub-specialty-oriented questions.  I saw xrays of not common things.  A good percentage of them were questions that, even after practicing as long as I have, I would absolutely need to ask the sub-specialist.  Many of the ortho questions were NOT generalist questions.  I really think specialty questions were being 'fielded' and used for, what was to be the specialty tests that were supposed to be right around the corner...until that big meeting where "shots were fired" and the NCCPA reneged/retracted the specialty tests plan. 

Six years ago, the ortho questions were not sub-specialty oriented and I got a 98% on that section and never studied a lick of ortho when prepping for the test.  This recent re-cert score, the ortho section was lower for sure, which reflected, and was consistent with, my observations directly. 

When I hear things of days-gone-by about the take-home PANRE where PAs would show a cardiologist a question and even they wouldn't know the answer, (I heard that a lot), that's what I sort of envisioned with the new projected specialty tests.  The other issue about us being forced into more qualifiers of specialties is a very murky area and I don't agree with it and I do feel it could really cause issues with credentialing/insurances, etc, etc..  Besides, all these years, I do feel we have proven ourselves to be competent in our specialties.  We're trained to know our limits but to learn as we go.

 

I feel in-line with the simple reasons high stakes re-cert testing (not original boards), hurts our profession.  I recently read an article written about why high stakes testing hurts physicians and there really is no difference with us.  The reasons the AMA is fighting to do away with high stakes re-cert testing for physicians are the same reasons I see for us as well. 

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

I wonder what some of the folks who took PANCE over the past 15-20 years (don't have a clue when it changed) would've thought of the original PANCE from the 80's (multi-day event)?

[sas5814]

I took it in 1990 and it was a two day event. One for the written and one for the hands on exams. That was a shortened version of what went before.

[EMEDPA]

I took it in the 90s as well when it was 3 written tests(general medical knowledge, primary care, surgery) and 3 practicals over several days and offered once yearly. talk about a high-stakes exam. If you failed it back then you had to wait a full year to retest.

[Katera]

I took it in the 90s as well when it was 3 written tests(general medical knowledge, primary care, surgery) and 3 practicals over several days and offered once yearly. talk about a high-stakes exam. If you failed it back then you had to wait a full year to retest.

 

 

 

1994...same.  I took the primary care AND surgical section.  Honors in both...back when they gave that lol.  Test was 2 days with one being a very in depth practical.

[EMEDPA]

yup, 1996(the last year they gave a real test with practicals) got my primary care and surgery gold stars as well.

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

Did the 90's era exam still include the coloring book and marks-a-lot where you worked through case scenarios hoping that your patient didn't end up dead at the end?

[EMEDPA]

nope. still a written test though. I have heard about the make your own adventure pance.

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

It was the most fun, and all kidding aside, may be the most reliable indicator of clinical acumen since it allows for objective evaluation of knowledge and clinical decision making skills.

[SoCalPA]

How hard would it be to change the state laws regarding PA certification? Nurse practitioners have more than one certifying body why can't PAs?

 

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[camoman1234]

Nursing has one of the most influential lobbyist powers out there. We (PA's) do not even compare to them, but we can still make headway with the AAPA. If all the PA's would support the AAPA and put effort into advocating PA's then we will see more change. This year has been great for PA's and we need to keep up the momentum. Also, please support your local PA chapter! :)

[ventana]

Nursing has one of the most influential lobbyist powers out there. We (PA's) do not even compared to them, but we can still make headway with the AAPA. If all the PA's would support the AAPA and put effort into advocating PA's then we will see more change. This year has been great for PA's and we need to keep up the momentum. Also, please support your local PA chapter! :)

 

 

lobbying costs $$$

 

if we do not fund our PAC (political action committee) then we will never get effective lobbying....  unless of course we have grass roots that is more powerful but takes effort on everyone