Failed PANRE miserably

[EMEDPA]

It would be an exercise in frustration. NCCPA doesn't ans. to PAs and our advocate organization has refused to take a stand.

wait, we have an advocacy organization? they must be the ones who handle our PR and got us that study by the IOM like the NP's....oh, that's right. we don't have an advocacy organization....

[CAdamsPAC]

wait, we have an advocacy organization? they must be the ones who handle our PR and got us that study by the IOM like the NP's....oh, that's right. we don't have an advocacy organization....

 

Yep, it's just us, those organizations operate in their own sphere of politics and influence pedaling , while spinning the yarn of "representing" Physician Assistants! Somehow "WE" the frontline PAs need to come together for our own survivial and professional development, as it seems that we are truly on our own in this endevor of advocacy. Just my $.02 after watching the PA world turn round and around for a real long time.

[surgblumm]

Agreed. All states require the "C" to start [practice and most do not require it through your career in that state although it is easier to find employment with it. The C implies a national standard of knowledge although this is not always true. I have spent time in this dialogue and it also seems that the style of the exam is changing. I am suggesting the FHEA re-certification course for NPs as they are based upon patient management problems and are to some degree very much like the PMPs that we took 25 years ago.

bob

[Heartpac]

I too have just faile the panre on the 2nd attempt before i expired. I was shocked to say the least as this happened even with a reveiw course which i had never done before.all this after 18 years in practice of critical care medicine.Anyone know the options or do i just wait 90 days unemployed and take it again?

[cthPA]

Yea, any thoughts on a good home video comprehensive study program for the PANRE? :(

 

Try Med-Challenger PANRE. I used it and aced the exam.

[surgblumm]

The Center for Medical Education PA Re-certification Course

[lenakes]

Hello,

I am a retired MD and Instructor in Medicine. I now am a Professor. I am accepting a few students who are either now in Med/PA school, or whom are trying to pass the PANCE or USMLE. You may write to me here or call me at 617-816-8467 to talk.

Sincerely,

Dr. John

 

 

Hello Doctor,

 

I would like to get some info from you on what you have to offer.

 

I am studying for PANCE

 

Thank you

 

ELENA

[lenakes]

Hello,

can your please help me find this info on the web - so I can present this to my employer if any issues occur...

I have failed PANRE last month and have already registered to retake it.

Thank you very much for your help.

 

Per AAPA. X=Yes - = No

 

 

State

Initial

Renewal

Reinstatementi

Alabama

-

-

-

Alaska

X

X

X

Arizona

X

X

X

Arkansas

-

-

-

California

-

-

-

Colorado

-

-

X*

Connecticut

X

X

X

Delaware

-

-

-

District of Columbia

-

-

-

Florida

-

-

-

Georgia

-

-

-

Hawaii

X

X

X

Idaho

X

X

X

Illinois

X

X

X

Indiana

X

X

X

Iowa

-

-

-

Kansas

-

-

-

Kentucky

X

X

X

Louisiana

X

X

X

Maine

-

-

-

Maryland

-

-

-

Massachusetts

-

-

X

Michigan

-

-

X

Minnesota

X

-**

-**

Mississippi

X

-

-

Missouri

X

X

X

 

Montana

X

X

X

Nebraska

-

-

-

Nevada

-

-

-

New Hampshire

X

X

X

New Jersey

-

-

-

New Mexico

X

X

X

New York

-

-

-

North Carolina

-

-

-

North Dakota

X

X

X

Ohio

X

X

X

Oklahoma

-

-

-

Oregon

-

-

-

Pennsylvania

X

X

X

Rhode Island

-

-

-

South Carolina

X

X

X

South Dakota

-

-

-

Tennessee

-

-

-

Texas

X

-

X

Utah

-

-

-

Vermont

-

-

-^

Virginia

X

X

X

Washington

-

-**

-**

West Virginia

X

-**

-**

Wisconsin

X

-

-

Wyoming

X

X

X

[Teasip]

One question that I've never seen an answer to but have wondered about is what is the incentive to take PANRE a year early? If I'm due in 2014 and I take it in 2013 am I good for 6 years from '13 or 6 years from '14 since I took it early (with the new 10 year renewal process coming up for those of us due in '14)? If so, with regard to a 6 plus year renewal, I could see taking it this year and being done with it thereafter (probably won't be in the direct pt. care arena in 6 years). I still haven't formulated an opinion on the 10 year process since I guess I still don't fully comprehend the self-assessment process (not at the top of the priority list at present time).

[burnpac]

If you pass it in the fifth year, you are still on the same cycle so you don't take the exam again until seven years from fifth year.

[Teasip]

Thank you for the confirmation.

[jathas]

Hello, I've been tutoring PA students now for 3 years. I have also been tutoring PA grads trying to pass the PANCE and the PANRE.

For those students who have taken the PANCE and been unsuccessful, we find what area they were weak in, and begin with review of subject material and then on to test bank questions.

For students about to take it for the first time, we pinpoint areas that they are weaker in by reviewing grades from their schools. I also look at the schools themselves, as some schools have weaker clinical rotations than others.

As far as fees, I have somewhat of a sliding scale in that I first talk to the student on the phone to find what that person's financial situations are. I am a retired M.D., having practiced ER Trauma in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale and have taught at Med Schools , undergraduate schools, for 23 years. and am not doing this for money as much as the enjoyment teaching brings me.

 

At Present I have 3 students from around the country. I use join me .com on the internet. I have time for 2 more students. I am now living in the Boston area and you may call me if you wish. 954-778-7666. John

[thecrow]

Thank you kindly.

[surgblumm]

For those taking either PANCE or PANRE. These tests follow the JNC-7 or Evidence based medicine guidelines. this is not the type of exam that you enter , utilizing your experience only as it may be the better teacher in a practical manner but the answer must be evidence based and fit in with the guidelines of the ADA and other specialty guidelines. Using that information prepares you better. Remember, don't leave anything blank as you have a 25% chance of getting something correct even when you have never studied it whereas if you leave it blan you score a O% on that question.

Bob Blumm

[mushmouth]

What legal recourse would you be considering? Just curious. I took the test so many times I could have gone to medical school in Peru or something.

 

Something is seriously wrong. I sat my exam a couple weeks ago and I'm in shock. I studied for over 8 hours a day for 6 months and took over 60 practice exams in which I was scoring 80-90% in the final month before I sat the exam. I am an ortho trained PA and naturally scored highest on the Musculoskeletal system on the practice exams. I scored below 50% on Musculoskeletal on the actual exam and... need I say more? I scored a 249 on the exam after taking 6 months off and living on savings. Needless to say, my savings are dried up, I've lost my house, respect from my colleagues, family, friends, patients, etc. If anyone knows of legal recourse beyond the appeal process (dead end) please reply or send me a private message. Thank you!

[UpRegulated]

I too have just faile the panre on the 2nd attempt before i expired.

Posting from the grave I presume...

[CAdamsPAC]

Sadly I'm seeing and hearing about PANRE failures by very experienced PAs. I took mine last fall and truly felt uncomfortable over the exam for the first time in my five times of testing /retesting. I can't say if as an older PA I/we have tunnel vision based on having been there and done that or are we just losing it over the years.

[surgblumm]

This is what it comes down to. Most experienced PAs respond to the PANRE utilizing their experience as the springboard for an answer. The exam has nothing to do with experience and everything to do with Evidence Based Medicine utilizing the JNC-7 procedures and guidelines. What the ADA or AHA says is far more important than your practice experience. Be smart like the NPs and learn the guidelines as they are the test.

Bob Blumm

[surgblumm]

I don't see a legal recourse as one would point out that a majority of the people taking the exam pass. I did less than I expected five years ago but I had thought I would see an abundance of surgical and EM questions. One needs to discover the percentage of questions in the categories and study the medicine which is better than taking all the review books and memorizing them. study EBM Guidelines and attend a course with Certified Medical Educators at http://www.CertMedEd.com

PA Mike Nowak runs this company and course and has a pass rate of 99%.

Bob

[txcorpsman]

I would recommend the following: http://www.teachingtothetest.net I felt the blog, book, and testbank were exponential better than certmeded.

[physasst]

Check out CMEResources too.

 

I've attended their course with each PANRE and as they have you take practice exams, they give you a predicted board score. They have been within 5 points each time with me.

 

They say that they can predict your board score within 15 points over 85% of the time. GREAT course.

[ventana]

just fyi

 

Just took PANRE for the second time (pance 2002, panre #1 2007)

 

With a new baby in the house and starting a new practice I decided to just take it cold with out opening a book, or any type of study.

 

I did get a good night sleep the night before and drank 2 ups of coffee the morning of to make sure I was awake.....

 

I have worked in internal medicine and have passed through many other areas in the past (EM, Pain, IR, Ortho briefly, Physiatry) but don't do an excessive amount of CME, just enough.....

 

Felt like the test was well written and tested more the "knowledge" then just memorizing factoids, with this I still felt like it was a toss up on passing but likely that I did

 

Just got results and indeed did pass.

 

 

 

Why post this???

 

there has been so much hype about a bad test, stupid questions, crazy issues that I figured I would share the opposite..... seems to be well written, with a few very strange questions (but i suspect this is the "trial" questions that they are seeing if they are worthy for future tests) If you have a grasp on medicine and understand how to make a good clinical decision I think you will be okay....

[EMEDPA]

I had a similar experience. have already taken panre x 2 and take #3 next year all with minimal prep(like less than 5 hrs total).

panre #1 reviewed some basic primary care texts for a few hrs.

panre #2 watched a few videos from the emory board review class CD given to me by True anomaly

next year I will likely page through a primary care text the night before.

I have worked my entire career in urgent care or EM and taught pharmacology and ekg's to students while in my program.

I think folks who work in primary care, em, or urgent care do most of this stuff every day and if you read journals on a regular basis you should do fine.

folks working in subspecialties should attend a primary care refresher course. always take the primary care option unless you feel your internal med or surgical knowledge is at a VERY high level. keep in mind all versions of the test still include primary care.

[ventana]

Humm

 

I did the Internal Medicine test - is this one harder then the primary care? I did think there were some way out there questions...

[primadonna22274]

I know we have a disconnect here. I took my 2nd PANRE last fall and literally had ZERO time to do any dedicated study for it. I basically winged it the same day I took my med school cardiology final and scored the highest I've ever scored. (100% in cardiology, wish I could say that was true for my actual med school grade!)

I don't think this had as much to do with any real new "knowledge" gained in the preceding 14 mos of school (most of that was basic science stuff that doesn't really show up on PANCE/PANRE) but had EVERYTHING to do with being a highly experienced exam taker by this time. I probably took about 60 high-stress MCQ exams in that 14 mos and by the time I got to PANRE I was a seasoned eliminator and guesser.

I really think that those who are scoring far below their abilities need to take a whole lot more practice exams, and best if they simulate the real thing (timed, 5-item multiple choice question best answer exams).

I'm in my 3rd year now and we're taking NBME shelf exams with every core rotation. On both OB and Psychiatry I had MANY (10-15 out of 100?) questions with 2 or 3 very good answers, 1 sneaky distractor and 1 almost-right answer. You really have to be good at sniffing out the BEST answer on these exams. A lot of the time knowing the BEST answer hinges on some tiny detail in the case scenario or knowing some nitty-gritty pathophys or pharm detail so these questions are very good at sorting out the average from the above-average knowledge students. As testing has become a billion-dollar business, the level of testing has become more sophisticated. Unfortunately the fallout is that those seasoned PAs who have not adapted or been exposed to the new generation of test writers feel this pain most acutely.