bjconn Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 Back when NCCPA was only talking about all these lovely changes they were going to make to the recertification process, I recall hearing/reading one particular reason given for these changes over & over -- because there were physician governing bodies already requiring it. Basically anytime a PA asked for some valid or justifiable reason to support what sounded like a lot more effort & time spent on activities of questionable clinical benefit this was ALWAYS their default, go-to, explanation (well, at least it was the only one that could just put an end to any further debate). Fast-forward a couple years. Here is what the MDs being regulated by those governing bodies have to say about this new fangled idea of the old way of doing things (ex: Cat 1 CMEs) being replaced with new ways of doing things (Practice Improvement activities which take months of data collection with no impact on improving anything...): http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/recallmoc Gee, I sure wish we PAs would have thought of that! There's also a website devoted entirely to this one cause: http://www.changeboardrecert.com Beware! Some of the linked articles on that website contain assertions that what the ABMS is forcing on them will usher in things like PAs & NPs taking over the world of medicine. Some of the comments on the aforementioned links show that they are completely oblivious to the fact that we PAs have always had The Big Thing they really don't like about this (LICENSURE being tied to Maintenance of Certification) hanging over our heads when we go into that exam room to RE-certify (plus CME requirements simultaneously being required for ongoing licensure). They obviously have no idea that only NPs have the luxury of not having to jump through hoops laid out by their own governing body. Here's a link to the kind of ridiculous hoops we can expect to encounter when/if we sign up for that "Practice Improvement" category, written by a physician who has already done one: http://www.epstudiossoftware.com/?p=1329 Oh, and in addition to the online petition there has been a case filed against ABSM in federal court for violations of antitrust laws. Again, wish we PAs would have thought of doing something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted May 10, 2014 Moderator Share Posted May 10, 2014 well, several states don't require ongoing nccpa certification to practice. I'm guessing a lot of older pas who have no intention of leaving their current jobs before they retire will just let their nccpa drop and continue to submit cme to their state and pay their recert fees.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted May 11, 2014 Moderator Share Posted May 11, 2014 I like the lawsuit idea..... AAPA needs to learn this, and push for our own points.... I have yet to have to do any of the new - and honestly don't know a thing about them, but not sure change is good.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjconn Posted May 11, 2014 Author Share Posted May 11, 2014 In addition to the new "CME" requirements (substituting Cat 1 CMEs which are easily obtained for FREE for these new Self-Assessment tests or Practice Improvement studies) there is the deeply unsettling part about PearsonVUE's involvement in the new recert exams (how the pass rates were at one time public information but are now a closely guarded secret). From what PAs are being told after calling the NCCPA and asking for information, the pass rates for the various exams is 1) quite variable depending on the test (surgery being the lowest pass rates of all) and 2) lower than what they used to be. Based on ONLY that unpublished data, there are larger numbers of PAs having to re-cert more than once (more money given to Pearson & to NCCPA). And if you FAIL one of these, then there's a greater chance you'll fork out more cash for Test Prep. What most people do not realize is that Pearson is a huge multi-national corporation (based in UK) that is testing all the MDs, PAs, pharmacy techs, IT professionals, and so on. In addition to only testing the majority of professions (and under the intense pressure of if you FAIL you might lose your job) they are also responsible for testing the majority of the kids in k-12 education now that high stakes standardized testing is the name of the game in most states. These standardized tests are then used to determine the "worth" of their teachers or their school. And in the public education Pearson-sponsored high stakes testing scam teachers are forbidden from even looking at the test questions given (while standing guard & monitoring the test-takers, walking up & down the aisles looking for any "testing irregularities"--but can lose their job if they dare to read a test question???). Additionally, they are under threat of losing their job if they discuss the tests in any way. Despite these high anxiety testing conditions for all involved (and the huge consequences for any deviation from these strict rules) there is a large amount of public information that is out there describing in detail the huge mistakes that Pearson has made along the way & just keeps on making. That large number of PAs who took the first revamped tests but were told they FAILED the exam is not an anomaly. In addition to recert testing so many medical professionals Pearson is also now responsible for the recert tests that public school teachers take as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjconn Posted May 11, 2014 Author Share Posted May 11, 2014 From the article linked below: "Now that Pearson, the worldwide education company, has won a huge contract with PARCC, one of the two multi-state consortia designing new Common Core-aligned tests with federal funds, it seems like a good time to review problems Pearson has had with previous projects...an updated list compiled by Bob Schaeffer, public education director of FairTest, the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, which is dedicated to ending the misuse of standardized tests. Take a look at not just the number of problems but the variety in 14 states — Virginia, Florida, Texas, California, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Arizona, Mississippi, Wyoming, New York, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, — as well as in Guam and elsewhere around the world." And, of course the PAs who were told they flunked recerts are not on this list. http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/05/06/a-history-of-pearsons-testing-problems-worldwide/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SocialMedicine Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 sadly my state requires NCCPA or else I would not bother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Paula Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 I think we should piggy-back on to any lawsuits with physicians and work with them in PArtnership to defeat the MOC and the NCCPA certification and retesting standards. What do you think the physicians would say about that? My prediction: "But, but, but you PAs need supervision and would be unsafe practitioners unless you take your boards every 10 years and do your SA/PI". It would be a way for them to remain in control. BTW: There is another discussion regarding this issue on the forum under a pinned topic: CME requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjconn Posted May 11, 2014 Author Share Posted May 11, 2014 I, too, would like to piggyback on that, but it will take someone reaching out to them first (& doing it well & diplomatically). I haven't had the time to read the federal case or explore the minute details, but my very limited present understanding is that their antitrust claims are partially or wholly dependent on certain things written into various different states' regs which we do not have written into any/some/most/(?) of ours. Who might be a good "Statesman PA" to contact on this matter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Paula Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Not sure there are any around willing to tackle this. NCPPA is so deeply involved we can't ask anyone there. PAEA...nope. AAPA....?????...no guts for that kind of thing yet. Maybe some of our retired PA leaders from the 70s and 80s who really get what is going on from the historical perspective and know PA practice needs to change. I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoRyou Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 That's a hard one ... I am not sure myself. We need to do something, otherwise they will get away with murder and it will NEVER be (re)solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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