Price: $399.99 – $1,999.00
Duration of Access: 30 Months
Deliverables: 120 Question Bank, Comprehensive Pharmacology Review, AAPA Category 1 Self-Assessment Certificate
Securing high-quality pharmacology credits is a top priority for Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners who need to maintain prescriptive authority and satisfy national certification requirements. The Pharmacology CME Review Course provides a specialized curriculum designed by PAs for PAs, ensuring that the content is directly applicable to clinical practice.
Here are 10 critical things you should know about earning your AAPA Category 1 Pharmacology credits through our program.
1. AAPA Category 1 Self-Assessment Weighting
For PAs maintaining NCCPA certification, self-assessment credits are significantly more valuable than standard Category 1 credits. The NCCPA applies an additional 50% weighting to these hours. When you log the 12 hours from our pharmacology course, the NCCPA automatically records them as 18 Category 1 credits toward your 100-hour requirement.
2. Prescriptive Authority Compliance
Most state licensing boards require a specific number of pharmacology-specific hours for PAs and NPs to maintain their license to prescribe controlled substances. This course is specifically designated for 12.0 AAPA Category 1 Self-Assessment CME credits in pharmacology, helping you meet these state-level mandates efficiently.
3. Integrated CME with Amazon and Apple Gift Cards
Maximize your professional development funds by selecting a CME with Gift Card package. You can add on an Amazon or Apple Gift Card ranging from $100 to $1,500. This allow you to purchase the medical gear, textbooks, or technology you need to further enrich your education using your allocated CME stipend.
4. Educational Content Created by Peers
Unlike generic courses, this content was written by physician assistants who understand the specific challenges and nuances of the profession. While the Pharmacology Review Course provides 12 hours of specialized credit, those looking for broader review can find 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 credit in our PANRE Review Course.
5. NP Acceptance Across States
Nurse practitioner credit acceptance for AAPA-accredited activities varies. While organizations like the AANP often accept AAPA Category 1 credits for certification maintenance, NPs must verify their specific state board of nursing requirements before purchase. For many NPs, this course provides the necessary advanced pharmacology contact hours required for recertification.
6. Value for Physicians
Internal Medicine and Family Medicine physicians often purchase our packages for high-yield clinical updates. While these credits count as Category 2 CME for physicians, the practical, real-world pharmacology insights provide significant clinical value for daily practice in primary care and hospitalist settings.
7. Efficient Question Bank Delivery
The course includes a 120-question bank featuring detailed answers and explanations. This allows you to test your knowledge in a clinical vignette format, simulating real-life patient encounters and identifying gaps in your pharmacologic knowledge before you prescribe.
8. Long-Term Resource Access
With 30 months of access, you aren't rushed to finish the material in a single weekend. You can revisit the pharmacology content and clinical vignettes whenever you need a refresher on specific drug classes or management protocols during your clinical rotations or daily practice.
9. Broad Subject Coverage
The pharmacology course covers essential drug classes including cardiology, neurology, psychiatry, and infectious disease. It focuses on the most commonly encountered medications and the critical contraindications and side effects you must know for safe practice.
10. Simple Certification Process
The workflow is streamlined: enroll, review the material, complete the 120-question assessment, and receive your certificate immediately. There are no complicated portals or delays in receiving your credits.
Clinical Pharmacology Assessment
Scenario 1: Management of Hypertension
Your patient is a 64-year-old male with a history of Stage 2 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. His blood pressure today is 152/94 mmHg, confirmed over three separate visits. His serum creatinine is 1.4 mg/dL (Baseline 1.2) and his potassium is 4.8 mEq/L. Which of the following is the most appropriate initial pharmacological intervention for this patient?
A. Hydrochlorothiazide 25mg daily
B. Lisinopril 10mg daily
C. Amlodipine 5mg daily
D. Metoprolol Succinate 25mg daily
Correct Answer: B. Lisinopril 10mg daily
Explanation: In patients with both CKD and diabetes, ACE inhibitors (like Lisinopril) or ARBs are the first-line therapy because they provide renoprotective effects and reduce the progression of albuminuria. Hydrochlorothiazide is less effective when GFR starts to decline in Stage 2/3 CKD. Amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker, is a valid second-line or add-on agent but does not provide the same renal benefits. Metoprolol is not first-line for hypertension without a compelling cardiac indication like heart failure or post-MI management.
Scenario 2: Acute Gout Management
Your patient is a 52-year-old female presenting with acute onset of severe pain, redness, and swelling in her right first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint. She has a history of peptic ulcer disease and is currently taking Warfarin for atrial fibrillation. Her vital signs are stable. Which of the following is the best pharmacological choice for her acute gout flare?
A. Naproxen 500mg BID
B. Indomethacin 50mg TID
C. Colchicine 1.2mg followed by 0.6mg one hour later
D. Allopurinol 100mg daily
Correct Answer: C. Colchicine 1.2mg followed by 0.6mg one hour later
Explanation: Colchicine is the preferred choice here because the patient has a contraindication to NSAIDs (Naproxen and Indomethacin) due to her history of peptic ulcer disease and her use of Warfarin, which increases the risk of GI bleeding. Allopurinol should not be initiated during an acute flare as it can prolong the flare or trigger a new one; it is meant for long-term urate-lowering therapy.
Scenario 3: Antimicrobial Selection
Your patient is a 28-year-old female with no significant medical history who presents with a 3-day history of dysuria, frequency, and urgency. She denies fever, flank pain, or vaginal discharge. She has no known drug allergies. A point-of-care urinalysis shows positive nitrites and leukocyte esterase. What is the most appropriate first-line antibiotic for this patient?
A. Ciprofloxacin 500mg BID for 7 days
B. Nitrofurantoin 100mg BID for 5 days
C. Amoxicillin 500mg TID for 10 days
D. Doxycycline 100mg BID for 7 days
Correct Answer: B. Nitrofurantoin 100mg BID for 5 days
Explanation: For uncomplicated cystitis in an otherwise healthy female, Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid) is a first-line treatment. Ciprofloxacin is no longer recommended as first-line for uncomplicated UTI due to concerns about fluoroquinolone resistance and potential side effects. Amoxicillin has high resistance rates for E. coli, and Doxycycline is not typically used as first-line for simple cystitis unless other agents are contraindicated.
Maximize Your CME Efficiency
Staying current with pharmacologic trends is essential for clinical safety. By choosing the Pharmacology CME Review Course, you earn high-value self-assessment credits while gaining access to practical management tools. If you are also preparing for recertification, consider our PANRE Review options to earn up to 100 hours of Category 1 credit.