To attain the PA-C designation, you must pass the Physician PANCE, a computerized, multiple-choice test that comprises 360 questions that assess basic medical and surgical knowledge.
PANCE is administered at Prometric, a division of Thomson Learning, testing centers (hereafter referred to as “Prometric”). After passing PANCE, you will be issued a NCCPA certificate entitling you to use the PA-Cdesignation until the expiration date printed on the certificate (approximately two years).
Graduates from physician assistant programs accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) or its predecessors are eligible to seek NCCPA certification by taking the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE).
The multiple-choice test comprises 360 questions that assess basic medical and surgical knowledge. Advance registration and fee payment are required, but candidates may choose from among over 300 testing sites during one of the examination periods.
