Distilled AAPA and NCCPA controversy explanation?

[8404PA]

I am a new PA-s and I have been following the posts about the re-certification discussions. I keep seeing a reoccurring theme across this site concerning how the AAPA and NCCPA are battling one another. Could someone distill down and briefly explain why/what they're all fighting about and the true role of their individual authority over the profession? 

 

and perhaps also why you are inclined to lean towards one over the other.

 

Thank you :)

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

In the simplest form, NCCPA wants to add on more requirements, the AAPA wants less. NCCPA believes it is acting in the interest of public safety and AAPA believes it is a way to increase revenue to NCCPA by way of CME and exams. Whether one believes the requirements they want to add, like a take home test every 2 years in addition to CME, SA/PI CME requirements, specialty tests, are overly onerous is a matter of personal opinion. Some even want to expunge the recert test all together because of its high stakes with loss of certification and practice. Part of this is a result of the ABIM revolt against their recertification exam and increase in requirements, plus the fact that NPs simply just do CME every 2 years with no test.

 

I personally believe 100 cat1/cat2 CME every 2 years and a recertification test every 10 is plenty to say we meet standards. Anything more than that is done without evidence of increase in quality. I've not seen studies where SA/PI CME increases quality of care or more frequent testing does either. The implementation of these by NCCPA has not exactly gone smooth in my opinion. Though if someone has studies showing increase in quality of care, I am capable of changing my mind. Otherwise I see it like JCAHO implementing regulations just based on whimsy and not evidence.

 

*edited to correct grammar and spelling.

[True Anomaly]

To piggyback on Oneal, the NCCPA and AAPA are both separately independent and not beholden to any government agency.  The only "authority" that the NCCPA has over us is that every licensing body in our country looks to the certification established by the NCCPA as the only measure of a certified PA that is fit for practice.  And, most hospitals require PA's to remain certified with NCCPA in order to stay credentialed to practice at said hospital.

 

The AAPA doesn't have any "authority" over PA's or our practice, per se, but they are the largest elected body of representative PA's who discuss, debate and pass policy relating to our profession.  They also go to Capitol Hill/Congress and speak on behalf of all PA's.

 

I've not seen studies where SA/PI CME increases quality of care or more frequent testing does either. The implementation of these by NCCPA has not exactly gone smoothly in my opinion. Though if someone has studied showing increase in quality of care, I am capable of changing my mind. Otherwise I see it like JCAHO implementing regulations just based on whimsy and not evidence.

 

The reason there aren't any studies is because the PI/SA CME stuff has only been out a couple years- not enough time to develop any kind of useable data.  Which makes the sudden desire to switch to something else after such a recent change even more strange

[8404PA]

Thank you both very much!  Exactly what I was looking for!

[loliz]

Let's not forget that any SA or PI CME must be approved by the AAPA, so they are far from innocent in the profitability of these new requirements. 

[Reality Check 2]

I am still trying to figure out the issues myself.

 

When I graduated PA school there were only 54 schools in the nation and a fraction of the 108,000 practicing PAs of today.

 

Texas didn't even have licensure then and we had no Rx privileges. 

 

The NCCPA certifying exam took 3 days in an auditorium with mock patients and bubble sheets. It took 4 MONTHS to get results.

 

I remember the NCCPA being a robust organization with a whole slew of employees in every department from advocacy to government affairs. There were umpteen phone numbers to call for help and folks answered the phone readily.

 

I can't quite touch on when things changed - I have been looking back and can't quite mark the year.

 

But, things have changed.

 

I quit going to AAPA conferences because they were HUGE and too loud and too busy and I felt lost. I never liked politics - so going to HOD or AAPA policy meetings at these events just didn't interest me - kind of like accounting. I was so into the clinical that these things bored me.

 

Then the NCCPA exams changed. I did Pathway II and LOVED it - absolutely loved it - I actually learned things.

 

Then it disappeared. Then the testing changed - first had to go to Sylvan Learning Center - kind of weird. Then had to go to Pearson Testing. I felt like a prisoner under interrogation. The test was frustrating and asked dumb questions without straight answers. I passed - whatever - move on - I had patients to see.

 

Now, AAPA doesn't seem to represent anything that matters to me on a daily basis and NCCPA is now just a handful of people who don't answer the phone or emails and want to make sweeping changes to how I am certified and how much it costs.

 

I hate the whole PI CME and can't find anything that is certified or appropriate for me yet. 

 

I have to take the test in 2017 and start my first 10 year cycle. I have roughly 20 more years of having to work - so, I could look at it as only having to take one more test after next year but I dread the changes.

 

The number of PAs have increased exponentially but I don't think AAPA or NCCPA have grown accordingly nor have they shown any desire to work together for the good of the profession.

 

It makes me sad and tired. I still have a day full of patients to see.

 

I wrote to NCCPA  - no response, none, nada, zip, zilch. 

 

So, I would like a voice, but no one is listening............................

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

I am still trying to figure out the issues myself.

 

When I graduated PA school there were only 54 schools in the nation and a fraction of the 108,000 practicing PAs of today.

 

Texas didn't even have licensure then and we had no Rx privileges.

 

The NCCPA certifying exam took 3 days in an auditorium with mock patients and bubble sheets. It took 4 MONTHS to get results.

 

I remember the NCCPA being a robust organization with a whole slew of employees in every department from advocacy to government affairs. There were umpteen phone numbers to call for help and folks answered the phone readily.

 

I can't quite touch on when things changed - I have been looking back and can't quite mark the year.

 

But, things have changed.

 

I quit going to AAPA conferences because they were HUGE and too loud and too busy and I felt lost. I never liked politics - so going to HOD or AAPA policy meetings at these events just didn't interest me - kind of like accounting. I was so into the clinical that these things bored me.

 

Then the NCCPA exams changed. I did Pathway II and LOVED it - absolutely loved it - I actually learned things.

 

Then it disappeared. Then the testing changed - first had to go to Sylvan Learning Center - kind of weird. Then had to go to Pearson Testing. I felt like a prisoner under interrogation. The test was frustrating and asked dumb questions without straight answers. I passed - whatever - move on - I had patients to see.

 

Now, AAPA doesn't seem to represent anything that matters to me on a daily basis and NCCPA is now just a handful of people who don't answer the phone or emails and want to make sweeping changes to how I am certified and how much it costs.

 

I hate the whole PI CME and can't find anything that is certified or appropriate for me yet.

 

I have to take the test in 2017 and start my first 10 year cycle. I have roughly 20 more years of having to work - so, I could look at it as only having to take one more test after next year but I dread the changes.

 

The number of PAs have increased exponentially but I don't think AAPA or NCCPA have grown accordingly nor have they shown any desire to work together for the good of the profession.

 

It makes me sad and tired. I still have a day full of patients to see.

 

I wrote to NCCPA - no response, none, nada, zip, zilch.

 

So, I would like a voice, but no one is listening............................

Ah, those were the years. Couldn't start work until you had the written authorization of TSBME (precursor to TMB) which was typically a month or longer to receive. Three public programs at the time (Baylor lumped in with the two UT system programs).