Jump to content

DONE with the PANRE Pilot


Recommended Posts

  • Administrator

Well, I'm done, I passed, respectably above national average overall.

What I find interesting is the areas I did best and worst in. Worst were pulm and MSK, which I suppose isn't inappropriate since I don't do much with those, but it was the areas that I aced (100% of questions correct) that kind of intrigued me.  Legal/ethical, I get.  I mean, based on how those questions were worded, I would be ashamed to have missed any of them.  But reproductive, renal, and genitourinary? Huh.  I wouldn't have thought I would be 'expert' in those areas, again based on what I see in practice.

Overall, I also did better in cards and neuro, specialties not central to my practice, than psych, GI/nutrition, or ENT, which I would say are more relevant to sleep and eating disorders.  I suspect that the difficulty of each specialty area was not uniform.

 

So how did everyone else do?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope to finish soon.  Right now above national average too.  I have also been surprised in what my over all scores have been.  I am just glad in a few days I will be good for 10 more years!!! I wonder if they will stick with this same test or make major modifications for future tests? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator
10 hours ago, sas5814 said:

I'm still angling for a system with remediation and no high stakes testing. The pilot is kind of like when your abusive spouse beats you a little less....

Oh, I don't disagree.

I wonder if their little bars included the questions I raised concerns about?  There were probably 5-6 total where I believed the answer was wrong and I could substantiate it, which was maybe 1/3 of the questions scored as incorrect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, rev ronin said:

Oh, I don't disagree.

I wonder if their little bars included the questions I raised concerns about?  There were probably 5-6 total where I believed the answer was wrong and I could substantiate it, which was maybe 1/3 of the questions scored as incorrect.

I'm curious too. I only flagged two questions, both of which I am 100% sure they listed the wrong answer as correct. But it's also possible their questions were just behind the times, lagging behind the most recent recommendations. I remember being told to watch out for those questions on the PANCE, but I had hoped this format would allow more up-to-the-minute adjustments.

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator
2 hours ago, ShakaHoo said:

So when does the NCCPA determine if this re-certification test is a long term option?

I can't see them NOT keeping it in some form: less odious, and they don't have to revenue share with the testing centers.  I don't expect a formal decision will be announced until 2021, but I know they've had issues with the PANCE being administered when testing centers are closed for Covid... Full speed ahead on the PANRE replacement pilot.

  • Like 2
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator
3 hours ago, DizzyJ said:

Just finished mine today!!  I like this pilot option over the traditional PANRE.  

So how did your performance breakdown in the content areas seem to you?

(also, the intersection of urology, EM, and psych seems like someplace I would REALLY want to avoid, more power to you for being there)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The breakdown seemed to correlate with what I know and don't know.  I got 100% in urology, my current specialty, so that is good.  Not so hot in endo or cardio.  Which is to be expected.  I'm just at national average for my final score.  So, I'm happy with that.  

Yes, I've had a nice variety of specialties over the years.  I know a little bit about a lot of things because of it.  Don't practice in all of them currently.  

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Urgent care, did about where I expected. Did well in everything my job would need to know. My worst were ob-gyn and psych, which I just could not care less about.  Slightly above national average, but once I saw I would have to drop a bomb on this quarter to not pass, I hardly read any of the questions. 

I thought for the most part the questions were fair to expect of a generalized certification exam. Some were flat out wrong, always 1-2 per quarter. 

First PANRE, and I just dread testing. It could be an exam on spelling my name, and I'd be "fight or flighting" it. This format was SO much better for me. I wouldn't even mind doing 25 questions per quarter annually to be frank. I know I'm gonna get skewered for that, but if it was educational rather than high stakes, I would fully support that. 

In closing, 

Hope all of you are well this PA week! Keep fighting the good fight, and best of luck to those finishing up the exam.

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Just finished mine today while at work (not recommended--kept getting interrupted and missed 6 questions, which is my worst by far).

I didn't see any actual score, but the breakdown showed me well above the national average for the total. Did anyone who has completed it previously get an email with your score, or an official passing grade?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I haven't finished my final quarter, but I LOVE the pilot. I really struggled with passing the regu;ar PANRE, despite taking expensive, intensive board prep courses - probably bc I am surgical PA.

The pilot represents so much more closely the way we really practice - narrow down a right answer? Look it up. Don't know something? Look it up.

Edited by kittryn
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finished it last week.  Overall I found it to be a great alternative to the PANRE test.  Much less pressure.  I mean I have been practicing for 26 years!  How many times do I have to prove I can take a damn test?  Well the good news is I am now good for 10 years, which means I will never have to take the PANRE again.  Amen.

Edited by Cideous
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Cideous said:

I finished it last week.  Overall I found it to be a great alternative to the PANRE test.  Much less pressure.  I mean I have been practicing for 26 years!  How many times do I have to prove I can take a damn test?  Well the good news is I am now good for 10 years, which means I will never have to take the PANRE again.  Amen.

I finished a few weeks ago as well.  I was so glad I opted to go this route.  I did not prepare whatsoever.  I would open it the day it became available.  A few minutes and done!  Good news for me I hope to never be taking a PANRE again either.  lol.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finished earlier this afternoon.  Did not prepare, but very glad I practice EM, which has pretty good diversity in ages and conditions that I see.  I agree, this approach is much less stressful.  It did seem to me that this last batch of questions had more about fairly rare but not zebra level conditions.  Made it feel more like a PA school test looking for key words than an actual measure of clinical knowledge.  But on the bright side, will probably only do 1 more as long as the 10 year cycle holds.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will say this going forward.

Instead of making it 25 questions a quarter for 2 years, they should give the option to do 50 questions per quarter for 1 year.  It did seem to drag on a little to long, but like I said, I VASTLY preferred it over the PANRE.  That's about all I would recommend they do different.

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, rev ronin said:

How about 200 questions in whatever distribution a PA wants?

And we could do it in a secure testing center. Gotta make certain no one cheats! 
 

I jest! I would love to basically just take the test at home instead of the craziness that is a testing site. I like getting all of the mess out of the way at once and not drawn out over 2 years, hence I took the test. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/2/2020 at 5:43 PM, Cideous said:

I will say this going forward.

Instead of making it 25 questions a quarter for 2 years, they should give the option to do 50 questions per quarter for 1 year.  It did seem to drag on a little to long, but like I said, I VASTLY preferred it over the PANRE.  That's about all I would recommend they do different.

My thoughts exactly. I never received any email surveys for feedback, or that would be my first suggestion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to the Physician Assistant Forum! This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn More