Which agency offers certification for physician assistants via the PANCE exam?

Which agency offers certification for physician assistants via the PANCE exam?

• A. AAMC
• B. AMA
• C. NCCPA
• D. ABIM

Answer: (C)

Understanding PA credentialing helps explain why this is the right choice. The PANCE, or Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam, is the credentialing exam for new physician assistants, and it is administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, known as NCCPA. This organization is the official certifying body for PAs and handles both initial certification and recertification processes (the PANRE) for PAs. The other groups serve different roles: AAMC focuses on medical school admissions and medical education infrastructure, AMA is a professional association of physicians, and ABIM certifies physicians who are MDs in internal medicine and subspecialties, not physician assistants.

Understanding PA credentialing helps explain why this is the right choice. The PANCE, or Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam, is the credentialing exam for new physician assistants, and it is administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, known as NCCPA. This organization is the official certifying body for PAs and handles both initial certification and recertification processes (the PANRE) for PAs.

The other groups serve different roles: AAMC focuses on medical school admissions and medical education infrastructure, AMA is a professional association of physicians, and ABIM certifies physicians who are MDs in internal medicine and subspecialties, not physician assistants.