PANRE format decision: Traditional PANRE concentrates preparation into one proctored exam sitting. PANRE-LA distributes assessment across 8–12 quarterly assessments.
PANRE Review Course: $499.99, with 30 months of access, 2,500+ board-style questions, five full-length 240-question practice examinations, and up to 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits upon completion.
CME gift card option: Amazon and Apple Gift Card add-ons from $100 to $1,500 may be added to the purchase. These are paid add-ons, not free gifts.
The practical issue is not only which exam format feels more comfortable. Your choice changes when you should study, when you should purchase CME, how you should distribute question-bank work, and when you should document completed credit.
Choose the exam format first. Then build the CME calendar around it.
Traditional PANRE and PANRE-LA Create Different Study Calendars
The traditional PANRE is a single, high-stakes, closed-book, proctored examination. It consists of 240 questions administered in one testing appointment. Most traditional PANRE preparation therefore follows a concentrated model: establish a baseline, review weak systems, complete timed practice blocks, and finish with full-length examinations.
PANRE-LA is a longitudinal assessment. It is completed online across 12 quarters, with 25 questions per quarter. You must complete at least eight quarters, and your performance is calculated using your best eight quarters. The questions are open-book, and you may use printed or online clinical references, but you may not consult another person.
These formats assess the same broad clinical knowledge through the NCCPA Blueprint, but the timing demands are different:
- Traditional PANRE: One concentrated preparation block followed by one exam sitting.
- PANRE-LA: Repeated quarterly preparation, assessment, review, and credit-reporting tasks.
- Traditional PANRE CME: The exam itself does not replace your regular CME requirement.
- PANRE-LA CME: Completed quarters may qualify for self-assessment CME, but PANRE-LA does not replace the standard CME requirements for your cycle.
The NCCPA PANRE-LA fact sheet and NCCPA certification-maintenance information should remain your primary sources for current eligibility and reporting rules.
If You Choose Traditional PANRE: Build a Concentrated CME and Question Calendar
Traditional PANRE preparation works best when you establish a defined start date rather than leaving the course open-ended without a testing target.
A practical timeline is:
Six to twelve months before the exam
Confirm your eligibility, testing window, and CME-cycle deadlines. If you purchase the PANRE Review Course early, the 30-month access period gives you time to complete CME while gradually reviewing the NCCPA Blueprint.
Do not wait until the final weeks to begin claiming or documenting credit. Complete modules in a deliberate sequence and maintain your own record of the modules completed and the credit earned.
Eight to twelve weeks before the exam
Take a baseline practice examination. The course includes five full-length 240-question examinations, for 1,200 full-exam questions, in addition to the broader question bank.
Use the baseline to identify weak areas. A PA working primarily in emergency medicine, for example, may need more deliberate review of dermatology, women’s health, endocrinology, or preventive medicine. The goal is not simply to accumulate questions. The goal is to convert missed questions into targeted study.
Four to six weeks before the exam
Increase question-bank volume. Work system-specific blocks during the week and use mixed blocks on weekends. Review every incorrect answer and every correct answer reached by guessing.
This is also an appropriate period to complete additional CME modules if your cycle is approaching its reporting deadline. The 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits belong to the PANRE Review Course specifically. They are not automatically awarded for sitting for the traditional PANRE.
Final two weeks
Complete timed blocks and at least one additional full-length practice examination. Avoid changing your entire study system at the last minute. The final phase should identify persistent gaps, not create a new curriculum.
If You Choose PANRE-LA: Convert CME Into a Quarterly Workflow
PANRE-LA rewards consistency more than a single intense review period. The quarterly structure changes how you should use a PANRE review course.
For each quarter:
- Review the relevant clinical topics before beginning the assessment.
- Complete the 25 questions using references appropriately.
- Record the questions you missed or answered uncertainly.
- Review the clinical reasoning behind each answer.
- Document any eligible self-assessment CME according to NCCPA instructions.
- Revisit the topic before the next quarter rather than waiting until the end of the assessment window.
Because PANRE-LA permits open-book references, preparation should emphasize retrieval and clinical reasoning. You should be able to recognize the likely diagnosis, identify the next best step, interpret common laboratory and imaging results, and select appropriate treatment without spending the entire five-minute question window searching.
The 25-question quarterly format can also help you stage your question-bank volume. Instead of completing hundreds of questions in a short block, use a repeatable schedule:
- Week 1: Review high-yield material and complete a small mixed question block.
- Week 2: Work system-specific questions related to your weaker topics.
- Week 3: Complete another mixed block and review distractors.
- Week 4: Perform a focused review before and after the quarterly assessment.
The full PANRE Review Course remains useful for PANRE-LA because it follows the same broad NCCPA Blueprint and provides enough question volume to continue studying between quarters. However, do not treat PANRE-LA as a reason to postpone all CME until the assessment period is over. Your ordinary two-year CME obligations continue.
Where 100 Category 1 AAPA Credits Fit
The PANRE Review Course provides up to 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits when the activity requirements are completed. The course costs $499.99 and provides 30 months of access.
The package includes:
- 2,500+ board-style practice questions
- Five full-length PANRE examinations
- 240 questions per full-length examination
- Detailed rationales and cited references
- A complete PANRE study library
- Up to 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits
- Online, self-paced access for 30 months
For a traditional PANRE candidate, this can support a concentrated review block while also helping organize a two-year CME cycle. For a PANRE-LA candidate, the same access period can support repeated quarterly review and sustained question practice.
The course itself is not a substitute for checking your NCCPA account, certification cycle, or state requirements. Claim only the credit commensurate with your participation and complete the required post-test and evaluation.
CME Review Courses also offers 14 approved courses totaling up to 468.75 AAPA Category 1 CME credits through Total Program Access. That larger program includes specialty content in areas such as emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, cardiology, dermatology, psychiatry, neurology, orthopedics, and OB/GYN. The 100-credit claim in this article applies specifically to the PANRE Review Course.
How the gift card add-ons work
The PANRE Review Course with Gift Card allows you to add an Amazon or Apple Gift Card during purchase. Available options range from $100 to $1,500.
The card amount increases the total purchase price. It is not a free gift, rebate, or separate promotional item. Review your employer’s CME purchasing policy before selecting an add-on.
Question Volume Should Match the Exam Format
For traditional PANRE, your question-bank plan should eventually include timed, mixed, full-length practice. You need to demonstrate that you can maintain accuracy and pacing across one extended sitting.
For PANRE-LA, prioritize repeated exposure and review between quarters. You do not need to simulate a 240-question sitting every week, but you do need to maintain broad clinical coverage. Open-book testing does not eliminate the need for preparation. It changes the skill being tested from pure recall to efficient clinical reasoning and reference use.
Use performance data to decide whether you need more cardiology, pulmonary, infectious disease, pharmacology, women’s health, or another area. Do not use the calendar alone to determine readiness.
Practice Question
Your patient is a 64-year-old woman who is postoperative day 5 after total knee arthroplasty. She develops sudden dyspnea and pleuritic right-sided chest pain. HR is 118/min, BP is 128/76 mm Hg, RR is 26/min, and SaO₂ is 91% on room air. She has no hemoptysis. Examination shows mild unilateral calf swelling. Her clinical probability for pulmonary embolism is high.
What is the most appropriate next diagnostic step?
A. D-dimer assay
B. Chest radiograph only
C. CT pulmonary angiography
D. Transthoracic echocardiography as the initial test
E. Lower-extremity venous ultrasound only
Correct answer: C. CT pulmonary angiography.
With high pretest probability and hemodynamic stability, CT pulmonary angiography is the appropriate diagnostic study for suspected PE. A D-dimer is not useful when clinical probability is high and is likely to be elevated after surgery. A chest radiograph may identify alternative pathology but does not diagnose PE. Echocardiography is primarily useful for assessing RV strain in an unstable patient or when CT is not feasible. Venous ultrasound can support the diagnosis if positive but does not replace definitive chest imaging in this stable patient.
This type of question illustrates why both exam formats require broad clinical preparation. PANRE-LA allows reference use, but you still need to identify the correct diagnostic pathway efficiently. Traditional PANRE requires the same reasoning without relying on references during the test.
Use PAtopia for Earlier PA Exam Preparation
PAtopia is designed for PA students preparing for the PACKRAT, EOR examinations, EOC, and PANCE. It includes 11,000+ board-style questions, seven EOR rotations, 15 PANCE examinations, system-based analytics, and detailed explanations.
You can use the PAtopia web version in a browser or download the apps:
The apps provide a free three-day trial with no account required. PAtopia is intended for PANCE prep courses and PA-school examination preparation, while the PANRE Review Course is designed for practicing PAs managing recertification and CME.
Bottom Line
Do not buy CME first and decide on your exam format later.
If you choose traditional PANRE, set a concentrated study period, use timed mixed blocks, and finish with full-length examinations. If you choose PANRE-LA, organize your preparation around the quarterly assessment schedule and review missed concepts between quarters.
In either case, the PANRE Review Course provides up to 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits, 30 months of access, and a large question bank that can be staged around your actual timeline. Amazon and Apple Gift Card options from $100 to $1,500 can be added to the purchase, but they are paid add-ons and not free gifts.
Author Information
Jeremy Boroff, MPAS, PA-C, has 24 years of experience in Emergency Medicine and serves as an educator and founder of CME Review Courses. His educational content is written for physician assistants and focuses on practical clinical reasoning, certification examination preparation, and efficient CME completion.
Physician assistants should confirm current NCCPA requirements and report CME according to applicable certification policies. Nurse practitioners, CRNAs, and physicians should verify whether AAPA Category 1 credit is accepted by their state licensing board, employer, or certifying organization.