Credentialing Flashcards
What does it mean if a PA program is accredited?
It is recognized as maintaining professional standards that qualify the graduates for professional practice.
What is credentialing?
A process that gives credit or a title that shows that a person is entitled to, or has a right to, exercise official power.
Who is the sole authority for PA program credentialing?
ARC-PA: Accreditation Review Commission of Education of the Physician Assistant
What is the ARC-PA?
A freestanding accrediting agency for the evaluation and accreditation a PA programs in the US.
Who is the ARC-PA composed of?
Members from the…
- Academy of Family Physicians
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- American College of Surgeons
- American College of Physicians
- American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA)
- Accelerated Physician Assistant Pathway (APAP)
What are some roles of the ARC-PA?
- Develop uniform national standards for assessing educational effectiveness.
- Requiring continuous self-study and review.
- To assure the public, agencies, and organizations that accredited programs have met defined educational standards for preparing PA for practice
What are some more roles of the ARC-PA?
- Generic guidelines, standards, represent current, nationally accepted guidelines for all aspects of PA education.
- Review of curriculum and objectives, classroom, laboratory and library facilities, clinical affiliations, faculty qualifications, admissions process, student issues, fiscal stability, program publications, record keeping systems, and administration.
What is expected in an accreditation process?
- Programs must provide evidence of an ongoing critical self-study process
- On site evaluation
What are some reasons for an accreditation process?
- Provides students with assurance that the program meets nationally accepted standards.
- Recognition of the program and its graduates by professional peers.
- Eligibility for professional certification, registration, and state licensure.
What is included in credentialing of graduates?
- National certification available to graduates of ARC-PA accredited programs
- Individual state credentialing process
- Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE)
How does the National Commission of Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) contribute to the credentialing of graduates?
- They certify and re-certify PAs to assure adherence to national standards
- Ensure the relevance of the examination to clinical practice
Once certified, what must a PA do to remain certified?
- Continued medical education (CME) of 100 hours every 2 years
- Re-certification exam every 10 years (PANRE)
