The PANRE Review Course offers 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME credit, includes 30 months of access, and provides more than 2,500 PANRE practice questions. The course is $399.99. Amazon and Apple gift card add-ons from $100–$1,500 are available at checkout. These gift cards are paid add-ons, not free gifts. The gift card amount is added to the purchase price.
If you are preparing for the PANRE, a course that combines exam review with CME can simplify your recertification planning. The PANRE Review Course with Gift Card includes five full-length practice examinations, 1,200 questions across those exams, additional system-based question modules, cited explanations, and a complete PANRE Study Library.
The 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits apply specifically to the PANRE Review Course. They do not automatically apply to every CME Review Courses product. The separate Pharmacology course has its own credit designation.
Six Facts About AAPA Category 1 CME Credit
Fact 1: Category 1 credit must be formally designated
AAPA Category 1 CME is not simply any educational activity related to medicine. The activity must be reviewed and designated for the appropriate credit by an approved organization.
AAPA describes Category 1 CME as clinical and professional education that maintains, develops, or increases the knowledge, skills, and professional performance used by PAs in patient care, public health, and the profession.
For an online course, look for a clear accreditation statement identifying:
- The sponsoring or accrediting organization
- The type of CME credit
- The number of credits available
- The activity approval or reference number
- The completion requirements
The PANRE Review Course is designated for AAPA Category 1 CME as an enduring material activity. You must complete the course requirements and claim only the credit that matches your participation.
Fact 2: Category 1 and Category 2 are not interchangeable
Category 1 CME has been formally reviewed and designated by an approved accreditor. Category 2 CME is medically related education that has not been formally designated for Category 1 credit.
Examples of activities that may qualify as Category 2 include reading medical journals, reviewing textbooks, participating in informal case conferences, and completing independent study without Category 1 designation.
Category 2 credit can still be useful. However, it does not replace the Category 1 portion of the NCCPA CME requirement. If you are planning your two-year cycle, do not assume that all medical education counts as Category 1.
Fact 3: NCCPA requires 100 CME credits every two years
Under the current NCCPA maintenance process, certified PAs must earn and log 100 CME credits during each two-year cycle, including at least 50 Category 1 CME credits.
The remaining 50 credits may be Category 1, Category 2, or a combination of both. PAs must also meet the other NCCPA maintenance requirements, including the recertification examination schedule and certification maintenance fee.
The PANRE Review Course’s 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits can cover the full 100-credit total for a two-year cycle if you complete and claim the entire activity. That gives you a single structured education plan instead of accumulating small activities from multiple sources.
Fact 4: Self-assessment and PI-CME may receive additional NCCPA weighting
Not all Category 1 activities are weighted the same way by NCCPA.
NCCPA applies additional weighting to certain activities:
- AAPA Category 1 Self-Assessment CME receives a 50% increase when logged with NCCPA.
- The first 20 eligible PI-CME credits in a two-year cycle are doubled.
This additional weighting applies only when the activity has the required self-assessment or performance-improvement designation. A standard Category 1 course should not be entered as self-assessment or PI-CME unless the provider specifically designates it that way.
The PANRE Review Course provides regular AAPA Category 1 CME credit. Do not apply a self-assessment or PI-CME multiplier to these credits unless the course documentation specifically states that such a designation applies.
Fact 5: You must verify and log the credit correctly
After completing a CME activity, review the provider’s completion documentation before logging the credit. Confirm the activity title, provider, sponsor, credit type, and number of credits earned.
For NCCPA certification maintenance, you can log CME through the NCCPA portal. AAPA Category 1 credits earned through AAPA’s Learning Central may also be transferred through AAPA’s PA Portfolio system when eligible.
NCCPA may audit Category 1 CME submissions. Keep documentation for completed Category 1 activities and make sure the information you report matches the provider’s documentation. You should also check your state’s requirements because state licensing boards may have separate documentation and audit rules.
Fact 6: State requirements may differ from NCCPA requirements
NCCPA certification maintenance and state license renewal are related but separate obligations.
Many state licensing boards recognize current NCCPA certification as part of their CME process, but requirements vary. A state may require specific subject areas, a different credit structure, additional controlled-substance education, or documentation that is not required by NCCPA.
Before purchasing or claiming CME, check with your state medical board. Nurse practitioners should also confirm acceptance with their state board of nursing or certification organization. AAPA Category 1 credit may be accepted by some NP authorities, but acceptance is not uniform.
Why 100 Category 1 Credits Matter When You Are Preparing for PANRE
The PANRE is an examination requirement within the NCCPA recertification process. CME does not replace the examination, but it supports the separate education requirement that accompanies certification maintenance.
A single course can be practical when it serves both purposes:
- It reviews the clinical topics tested on the PANRE.
- It provides a structured way to earn Category 1 CME.
- It allows you to study over an extended access period.
- It reduces the need to coordinate several unrelated CME activities.
- It lets you use an employer CME allowance toward clinically relevant education.
The PANRE Review Course includes practice questions across the major medical systems, full-length mock exams, detailed rationales, and cited references. This is more efficient than collecting unrelated CME activities that do not reinforce your exam preparation.
PANRE Practice Question
Your patient is a 58-year-old woman who presents to the emergency department with sudden dyspnea and pleuritic right-sided chest pain 5 days after total knee arthroplasty. HR is 118/min, BP is 128/76 mm Hg, RR is 26/min, and SaO₂ is 89% on room air. Lung examination is clear. She has unilateral left calf swelling and tenderness. ECG shows sinus tachycardia without ST-segment elevation.
What is the most appropriate next diagnostic step?
A. D-dimer assay
B. CT pulmonary angiography
C. Transthoracic echocardiography
D. Immediate systemic thrombolysis
Correct answer: B. CT pulmonary angiography.
This patient has a high pretest probability for pulmonary embolism based on recent major surgery, tachycardia, hypoxemia, pleuritic chest pain, and unilateral leg findings. She is hemodynamically stable, so CT pulmonary angiography is the appropriate diagnostic study when there is no contraindication to iodinated contrast.
A D-dimer is not useful in a patient with high clinical probability and recent surgery because false-positive results are likely. Transthoracic echocardiography may demonstrate right-heart strain but does not establish the diagnosis in a stable patient. Systemic thrombolysis is reserved for massive PE with hemodynamic compromise or selected high-risk cases.
This type of question tests both recognition and management. Reviewing the rationale is important because PANRE questions often require you to distinguish the correct next step from a test or treatment that may be appropriate in a different clinical setting.
Use Your CME Budget Efficiently
The PANRE Review Course with Gift Card combines board-style preparation and CME fulfillment in one purchase:
- 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits
- More than 2,500 PANRE practice questions
- Five full-length practice examinations
- 1,200 questions across the five mock exams
- 30 months of course access
- Online, self-paced study
- Amazon or Apple gift card add-ons from $100–$1,500
The Amazon and Apple options are paid CME gift card add-ons. They are not complimentary gifts, rebates, or free items. You select the gift card brand and denomination at checkout, and the add-on amount is included in the total purchase price. Gift cards are delivered by email after processing.
Review the PANRE Review Course with 100 AAPA Category 1 CME
Continue Studying With PAtopia
For additional board-style practice, use PAtopia’s web version in any browser. PAtopia includes PANCE prep courses, PACKRAT review, EOC preparation, and all seven major EOR subjects.
You can also study on mobile:
PAtopia is separate from the PANRE CME course and is designed for question-based PA exam preparation. Use it alongside the PANRE Review Course when you want additional practice blocks and system-based review.
CME reminder: Confirm your current NCCPA earning window, review your state licensing requirements, and claim only the credit supported by the provider’s documentation. Requirements can change, so verify current policies directly with NCCPA and AAPA.
About the Author
Jeremy Boroff, MPAS, PA-C, has 24 years of emergency medicine experience and extensive experience educating physician assistants and other healthcare professionals. He is the founder of CME Review Courses and develops clinical review content for PAs preparing for the PANCE, PANRE, and other professional examinations. His education materials emphasize practical decision-making, evidence-based management, and efficient CME completion for practicing clinicians.