Category: CME & Recertification

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Pharmacology + PANRE Together: The Highest-Yield Study Combo for Recert

If you’re recertifying and want the most score improvement per hour studied, the data-backed answer is almost always the same: shore up pharmacology. It threads through every organ system on the blueprint, it’s the content most likely to have drifted since you last studied it, and it’s dense enough that a focused pass produces outsized gains. That’s why pairing the two courses works so well.

The PANRE Review Course gives you the breadth — 1,200 questions across the full blueprint, 5 mock exams, and 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME. The Pharmacology Review Course gives you the depth exactly where it pays off most — 12.5 focused hours of AAPA Category 1 CME organized class-by-class. Run the pharmacology review first or alongside your board prep, and the drug questions scattered throughout the PANRE bank stop being the ones you dread.

The CME math is worth noting too. Together the two courses total 112.5 hours of AAPA Category 1 credit — comfortably covering a recertification cycle’s requirement while doing the actual work of getting you exam-ready. And both carry the optional Amazon or Apple gift-card add-on ($100–$1,500), so if you have an employer allowance, one combined purchase can cover your prep, your CME, and return real value to you.

There’s no trick here — just leverage. Pharmacology is the weak point most PAs share, board exams test it heavily, and fixing it lifts everything else. Do that alongside a full blueprint review and you walk in genuinely prepared, not just credentialed. Each course is $499.99 for 30 months of access.

Bundle your PANRE and Pharmacology prep →

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Every Course We Offer: All 14 AAPA Category 1 CME Modules and What Is Inside Each One

If you have been trying to work out which of our courses actually fits the CME you need this year, this is the page to bookmark. Below is every course we offer, what is inside each one, and exactly how many AAPA Category 1 CME credits it awards. Each course is sold separately, and each one stands on its own — you take the module, you earn that module’s credit.

AAPA Category 1 CME accredited provider

AAPA Category 1 CME · Enduring Material · Reference CME-2016187

How every course works

All of our courses are enduring material. You work through the lecture videos and the question bank on your own schedule, from any device, with no live session to attend and no travel. To claim credit you complete the module’s graded question bank at 70% or better and submit the course evaluation. Your certificate is issued to you on completion, and PAs log these credits with NCCPA as Category 1. Physicians who take the same activity should claim it as Category 2 CME.

Every question in every bank is board-style, referenced, and written with a full rationale, so a missed question teaches you something rather than just costing you a point.

Recertification and board review

PANRE Review Course

PANRE Review Course — 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits

Five full-length PANRE practice exams at 240 questions each — 1,200 questions in total — plus the PANRE Study Library. This is the deepest course in the catalog and the one most PAs use to sit the PANRE with a real sense of where they stand. Every exam scores against the same 70% threshold that governs the credit.

PANRE-LA Review Course

PANRE-LA Review Course — 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits

Built for the Longitudinal Assessment pathway: five full-length exams at 240 questions each — 1,200 questions — plus the PANRE-LA Study Library. If you are taking PANRE-LA rather than the traditional PANRE, this is the course written for that format.

Specialty CME modules

Each specialty module is a 200-question referenced board-style bank paired with recorded lecture video. They are listed here highest credit first.

Emergency Medicine — 25 credits

200 questions plus 5 hours of lecture video covering cardiac and neurologic emergencies, shock, sepsis and trauma, and toxicology, abdominal and vascular emergencies.

Family Medicine — 25 credits

200 questions plus 5 hours of lecture video across the breadth of primary care — the widest-scope module we offer, and the natural fit if you practice in an outpatient setting.

Pediatrics — 25 credits

200 questions plus 5 hours of lecture video spanning newborn through adolescent care, development, and the pediatric presentations that behave nothing like their adult equivalents.

Internal Medicine — 24.5 credits

200 questions plus 4 hours and 30 minutes of lecture video across cardiopulmonary, GI, renal and endocrine, infectious disease, hematology, rheumatology and geriatrics.

Urgent Care — 24.5 credits

200 questions plus 4 hours and 30 minutes of lecture video built around what actually walks through an urgent care door, including where the line sits between urgent care and the emergency department.

Cardiology — 23 credits

200 questions plus 3 hours of lecture video on the cardiovascular system — the single largest content area on the PANCE and PANRE blueprints.

Psychiatry and Behavioral Health — 22.5 credits

200 questions plus 2 hours and 30 minutes of lecture video on mood, anxiety, psychotic and personality disorders, substance use, and the psychiatric presentations that show up in every other setting.

Obstetrics and Gynecology — 22 credits

200 questions plus 2 hours of lecture video across prenatal care, labor and delivery, gynecologic disorders and reproductive health.

Dermatology — 21.75 credits

200 questions plus 1 hour and 45 minutes of lecture video on the rashes, lesions and skin findings that are easy to misname and expensive to miss.

Neurology — 21.5 credits

200 questions plus 1 hour and 30 minutes of lecture video across stroke, seizure, headache, neuromuscular and degenerative disease.

Orthopedics and Musculoskeletal — 21.5 credits

200 questions plus 1 hour and 30 minutes of lecture video on fractures, joint and spine disorders, and the musculoskeletal complaints that fill a clinic schedule.

Pharmacology — 12.5 credits

A focused 120-question pharmacology bank plus 30 minutes of lecture video. The shortest course in the catalog, and the one to reach for when you need pharmacology-specific credit rather than a full specialty review.

Add an Amazon or Apple gift card to any course

Amazon and Apple gift card add-on

This is the part that surprises people. Every course on this page can be purchased with a gift card bundled in, from $100 up to $1,500, in your choice of Amazon or Apple. Select the amount from the add-on menu on the product page before you check out.

It exists for a practical reason. Most PAs have an annual CME allowance from their employer, and most of those allowances expire unused at the end of the year. If your allowance covers the course, the gift card comes back to you as something you actually wanted — a tablet to read on, a laptop, books, or whatever else you would have bought anyway. Gift cards are processed and sent separately after your order.

Amazon gift cardApple gift card

Choosing between them

A few rules of thumb from the questions we get most often:

  • Recertifying this cycle? Start with the PANRE or PANRE-LA course, whichever pathway you are on. They carry the most credit and the most practice questions.
  • Need credit that matches your practice? Pick the specialty module you work in. The content is written for a practicing PA, not for a student.
  • Just need to close a gap before a deadline? Pharmacology at 12.5 credits is the fastest complete course in the catalog.
  • Have an employer allowance to spend? Take the module you need and put the rest toward the gift card add-on.

PA studying online CME

Accreditation

All fourteen courses above are approved AAPA Category 1 CME, reference number CME-2016187, valid from August 26, 2026 through August 26, 2027, in the enduring material format. The full accreditation statement appears on each individual course page. Credit is awarded per module, at the credit figure listed beside that module above.

Browse all 14 courses and start earning credit →

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Our Entire Catalog Is Now AAPA Category 1 CME — All 14 Courses

It’s official: every course in the CME Review Courses catalog is now accredited AAPA Category 1 CME. The American Academy of Physician Associates Review Panel has approved our full library as a single enduring activity — Comprehensive Clinical Review for Practicing PAs, 2026–27 — designated for AAPA Category 1 CME across 14 modules, under AAPA reference number CME-2016187.

AAPA Category 1 CME accredited provider badge

This is the biggest change we’ve made in years. Until now, only the PANRE Review Course and the Pharmacology Review Course carried Category 1 credit — every other specialty package was Category 2. As of August 26, 2026, all fourteen modules are Category 1, and every certificate we issue states the precise credit you earned.

One important clarification before you shop. The accreditation covers the entire 14-module program, not any single purchase. Each course you buy awards the credits for that module — listed next to each product below. Claim only the credits commensurate with your actual participation.

The clinical specialty modules

Online CME review course on a tablet with a stethoscope

Each specialty module pairs 200 cited, board-style multiple-choice questions with expert-led lecture video, and each one now carries its own Category 1 designation:

That’s eleven clinical specialty packages, and Pharmacology below makes twelve. Each one is priced at $499.99 with 30 months of access — long enough to cover an entire recertification cycle and then some.

Pharmacology — 12.5 Category 1 credits

Pharmacology CME review course on a tablet

The Pharmacology CME Review Package remains our most efficient module: a 120-question bank organized drug class by drug class, plus 30 minutes of focused lecture video, for up to 12.5 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Pharmacology threads through every organ system on the blueprint and it’s the content most likely to have drifted since you last studied it — which is why it’s the module people come back to year after year.

PANRE and PANRE-LA — 100 Category 1 credits each

PANRE Review Course PANRE-LA Review Course

Our two recertification flagships are the heavy hitters of the catalog. Each includes five full-length practice exams at 240 questions apiece — 1,200 questions total — plus a complete Study Library, and each is designated for up to 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits:

If you’re recertifying by the traditional exam, PANRE is the one. If you’re on the Longitudinal Assessment pathway, PANRE-LA is built around that format. Either way, a single purchase can cover the full 50 Category 1 credits NCCPA requires every two years — with room to spare.

Add an Amazon or Apple gift card to any order — $100 to $1,500

Earn AAPA Category 1 CME credits and add a gift card to your order

The gift card add-on is still here, and it’s still the reason a lot of our customers order in the fall. Most PAs have an annual CME allowance from their employer that expires at the end of the year — and most of those allowances are larger than the cost of a course. Rather than leave that money on the table, you can add an Amazon or Apple gift card to your order in any amount from $100 to $1,500, right on the product page.

Amazon gift card Apple gift card

Choose your card and amount from the drop-down before you check out — one order, one receipt for your CME allowance, accredited Category 1 credit, and a gift card in hand. (Note: Best Buy and Lowe’s cards are no longer offered. Amazon and Apple only.)

How you earn the credit

Every module works the same way. Review the module content, complete the post-test with a score of 70% or higher, and complete the activity evaluation. Missed questions may be retaken to reach the passing score. A certificate of completion stating your precise credit is issued as soon as both are done. PAs may log AAPA Category 1 CME toward NCCPA requirements as permitted by NCCPA policy. (Physicians should generally claim this activity as Category 2 CME.)

The accreditation statement

This activity has been reviewed by the American Academy of Physician Associates Review Panel and is compliant with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 468.75 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid from 8/26/2026 to 8/26/2027. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation. AAPA reference number: CME-2016187.

Release date: 8/26/2026 · Expiration date: 8/26/2027 · Format: enduring material, delivered online · Target audience: practicing PAs and NPs · Faculty: Jeremy Boroff, MPAS, PA-C, sole faculty, with no relevant financial relationships to disclose · This activity received no commercial support.

Where to start

If you’re due for recertification, start with PANRE or PANRE-LA and you’re essentially done for the cycle. If your credits are current and you want to sharpen a specific area, pick the specialty you practice — or the one you don’t, which is usually where the gaps are. Every course is $499.99 with 30 months of access, every course is now AAPA Category 1, and every course takes the gift card add-on.

Browse the full catalog →

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PANRE vs. PANRE-LA: Which Recert Path Fits You, and How to Prep for Each

Recertifying PAs now have a choice that didn’t exist a decade ago: the traditional PANRE, a single proctored exam, or the PANRE-LA (Longitudinal Assessment), which delivers questions in smaller batches over time that you answer from home or office. Both keep you certified. Which one fits depends on how you like to be tested.

The traditional PANRE suits people who prefer to prepare hard, sit one exam, and be done for the cycle. It rewards a concentrated study push and a good sense of pacing across a long block. The PANRE-LA suits people who would rather demonstrate knowledge in a steady drip, with the ability to look things up and learn as they go — but it asks for sustained engagement across the cycle rather than a single sprint. Neither is objectively easier; they reward different temperaments.

Here’s what’s the same either way: you still need to know the material, and you still need CME. That’s where prep does double duty. The PANRE Review Course gives you 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME along with 2,500+ blueprint-mapped questions and 3 full-length mock exams. If you choose the traditional PANRE, the mock exams rehearse the format and pacing directly. If you choose PANRE-LA, the same question bank keeps your knowledge sharp across the longitudinal window — and either path, the 100 hours of Category 1 credit counts toward your requirement.

We also offer a dedicated PANRE-LA Review Course for those who want material tuned to the longitudinal format. Whichever path you pick, the smart move is the same: choose the assessment that fits how you work, then let your prep earn your CME at the same time. Both courses are $499.99 for 30 months, with the optional $100–$1,500 Amazon or Apple gift-card add-on.

Compare the PANRE and PANRE-LA courses →

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The 10 Drug Classes PAs Miss Most — and How to Lock Them Down

Certain drug classes show up again and again on the list of things PAs wish they knew cold. They’re high-stakes, detail-dense, and constantly evolving — which is exactly why they’re easy to miss under exam pressure and easy to get rusty on in practice. A quick tour of the usual suspects:

  • Anticoagulants & antiplatelets — DOAC dosing, reversal agents, and bridging still cause the most hesitation.
  • Antibiotics — spectrum, resistance patterns, and the allergy cross-reactivity questions everyone second-guesses.
  • Insulins & antidiabetics — onset/peak profiles and the newer GLP-1 and SGLT2 agents.
  • Antihypertensives — first-line choices by comorbidity and the contraindication traps.
  • Psychotropics — SSRIs/SNRIs, serotonin syndrome, and monitoring.
  • Anticonvulsants — interactions and level monitoring.
  • Steroids & immunosuppressants — tapering and adverse-effect profiles.
  • Opioids & pain management — equivalence and safe prescribing.
  • Anticholinergics — the cumulative-burden questions, especially in older adults.
  • Cardiac agents — digoxin, antiarrhythmics, and their narrow margins.

The fix isn’t cramming — it’s a structured pass that puts these classes side by side so the distinctions stick. The Pharmacology Review Course is organized exactly that way: 12 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME, built class-by-class around the material most likely to be tested and prescribed. You reinforce the whole map, drill the classes you know are soft, and earn documented credit while you do it. It’s $499.99 for 30 months, with the same optional $100–$1,500 Amazon or Apple gift-card add-on.

Sharpen these classes with the Pharmacology Review Course →

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Don’t Let Your Employer CME Allowance Expire: The Gift-Card Add-On, Explained

Most employed PAs have a CME or continuing-education allowance — often a few thousand dollars a year that a group, hospital, or department will reimburse. And most of those allowances share one frustrating feature: use it or lose it. When December arrives and the balance is still sitting there, it doesn’t roll over. It just disappears.

The gift-card add-on on our CME packages exists to solve exactly that. When you buy the PANRE Review Course — 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME, 2,500+ questions, and 3 mock exams for $499.99 with 30 months of access — you can add an Amazon or Apple gift card to the same order, anywhere from $100 to $1,500. The purchase is a legitimate CME expense your allowance covers, and the gift card comes back to you as spendable value you keep.

Think about the mechanics. If you have an allowance that expires, every dollar you don’t spend is simply gone. Routing those dollars through a genuine CME purchase — one that also satisfies a big chunk of your recertification requirement — turns money you were about to forfeit into board prep and a gift card. It’s the difference between losing the benefit and getting real use out of it.

A few practical notes: check your employer’s reimbursement policy so you submit the receipt correctly, keep documentation of the CME activity (the course provides it), and choose the gift-card amount that fits your available balance. If your allowance renews annually, this is worth doing every cycle. The credit counts, the prep is real, and the value doesn’t evaporate at year-end.

Add the PANRE Review Course to your CME budget →

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The Pharmacology Review Every PA Wishes They’d Done Sooner (Now With a Gift-Card Add-On)

Ask any PA which section quietly costs them the most points — on a board exam or in daily practice — and pharmacology is near the top of the list. Drug classes evolve, interactions multiply, and the details (mechanisms, contraindications, monitoring, black-box warnings) are exactly the kind of thing that fades between the exam that tested it and the patient in front of you today. The Pharmacology Review Course from CME Review Courses is a deliberate, high-yield reset on all of it.

Focused, certifiable, and current

This course is an AAPA Category 1 Self-Assessment CME activity worth 12 hours of credit, built around the medications and drug classes you’re most likely to be tested on and most likely to prescribe. It’s organized by system and class, so you can reinforce the whole picture or drill the areas you know are soft — and the credit posts as documented Category 1 CME you can log toward certification. It pairs naturally with recertification prep: if you’re already working through board review, a dedicated pharmacology pass is the single highest-leverage way to lift a weak content area, and here it does double duty as CME.

The same gift-card add-on applies

Like our other CME packages, the Pharmacology Review Course lets you add an Amazon or Apple gift card to your order — $100 to $1,500. If you have an employer CME allowance that resets every year, this is a clean way to spend money you’d otherwise forfeit and get part of it back as a gift card you actually keep. The course is $499.99 with 30 months of access, and the gift-card add-on is yours to size.

Pharmacology rewards the people who review it before the stakes are high. Whether you’re prepping for the PANRE, closing out a CME cycle, or just want to feel current the next time you weigh an anticoagulant or an antibiotic, twelve focused hours here pays off well beyond the credit.

See the Pharmacology Review Course →

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PANRE Coming Up? Earn 100 Hours of AAPA Category 1 CME — and Keep a Gift Card for Yourself

If your ten-year cycle is closing in, you’re facing two obligations at once: you have to pass the PANRE, and you have to have logged your CME to stay certified. Most PAs treat those as two separate chores — grind through a question bank for the exam, then scramble to find enough Category 1 credit before the deadline. The PANRE Review Course from CME Review Courses was designed to collapse both into one.

One course, 100 hours of Category 1 credit

The PANRE Review Course is an AAPA Category 1 Self-Assessment CME activity worth 100 hours of credit — enough to cover the large majority of a recertification cycle’s CME requirement on its own. As you work through it, you’re not just rehearsing for exam day; you’re earning documented, certifiable credit. Prep and compliance become the same task. Inside you’ll find 2,500+ board-style questions mapped to the PANRE blueprint with teaching explanations, 3 full-length mock exams so exam day feels familiar, expert-led video on the highest-yield material, and 30 months of access.

The gift-card add-on: put your CME dollars to work

Here’s the part PAs appreciate most. Many of you have an employer CME or education allowance — a set amount your group or hospital reimburses each year that simply expires if you don’t spend it. The PANRE Review Course lets you add an Amazon or Apple gift card to your order, anywhere from $100 to $1,500. You buy the course with funds you were going to lose anyway, and a chunk of that budget comes back to you as a gift card you keep. It’s a completely above-board way to make sure your hard-earned CME benefit doesn’t evaporate at year-end. The course itself is $499.99 for 30 months of access, with the gift-card add-on stacked on top at the amount you choose.

This is built for the practicing PA-C who wants to walk into the PANRE confident, knock out the bulk of their Category 1 CME in the same motion, and get real value back from a benefit they’re entitled to.

See the PANRE Review Course →

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5 Key Facts About AAPA Category 1 CME Credit Every PA Should Know

Price: $499.99
Duration: 30 Months Access
Deliverables: 100 Hours of AAPA Category 1 CME Credit (PANRE Review Course), 720 PANRE Practice Questions

Maintaining National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) certification requires a strategic approach to Continuing Medical Education (CME). For Physician Assistants (PAs), the distinction between Category 1 and Category 2 credit is fundamental to licensure and recertification. The NCCPA requires 100 total CME credits every two-year cycle, with at least 50 of those being Category 1.

The following five facts clarify the requirements and opportunities surrounding AAPA Category 1 CME credits, specifically for those utilizing a panre review course or pance prep courses to meet their professional obligations.

1. Category 1 CME Must Be "Provider-Planned"

Unlike Category 2 credit, which includes any practice-related educational activity (such as reading a journal or precepting students), AAPA Category 1 CME must be formally planned and approved by a recognized accrediting body. The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) reviews these activities against strict criteria to ensure clinical relevance, clear learning objectives, and a lack of commercial bias. When you enroll in our panre review course, you are participating in a provider-planned activity that has been vetted for quality and educational rigor.

2. You Can Earn Your Entire 2-Year Requirement at Once

Many PAs struggle to piece together individual credits throughout their cycle. However, a comprehensive panre review course can offer enough credits to satisfy the entire Category 1 requirement in a single purchase. Our PANRE Review Course is designated for 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 credit. This fulfills the minimum 50-hour Category 1 requirement and also covers the remaining 50 hours of the total 100-hour biennial requirement. This efficiency allows PAs to focus on clinical practice rather than tracking down fragmented credits.

PANRE Review Exam Book Cover

3. Enduring Material Lets You Earn Credit on Your Own Schedule

AAPA Category 1 CME does not have to come from a live conference. Enduring material, such as an online review course with a post-test, counts toward the Category 1 portion of your NCCPA requirement and can be completed whenever your schedule allows. You claim credit commensurate with your participation, complete the evaluation, and log the certificate with NCCPA. Every course we offer, including the Pharmacology Review, is approved as AAPA Category 1 enduring material.

4. CME Gift Card Add-Ons Are Practical Educational Tools

Many employers provide a specific annual CME allowance. To help PAs further enrich their education, we offer cme gift cards as optional add-ons. It is important to note that these are not free gifts; they are a $100 to $1500 add-on to your CME purchase. This allows you to use your CME budget to acquire the panre review course while also obtaining an Amazon or Apple gift card to purchase medical textbooks, clinical tools, or hardware like an iPad for bedside reference. This is an efficient way to utilize your total CME money before it expires at the end of the fiscal year.

5. Credit Acceptance Varies for NPs and Physicians

While our content is written by physician assistants for physician assistants, other clinicians find significant value in our pance prep courses.

  • Nurse Practitioners: The AANP often accepts AAPA Category 1 credits for NP license renewal, but acceptance varies by state. NPs should verify with their individual state board of nursing.
  • Physicians: Physicians can claim these activities for Category 2 CME credit. While it does not count as Category 1 for MDs/DOs, the clinical depth: especially in our specialty modules like Cardiology and Orthopedics: remains highly relevant.

EKG Guide Book Cover

The PANRE/PANRE-LA Review Exam Bundle

Our most comprehensive package is the PANRE/PANRE-LA Review Exams with Gift Card Add-On. This bundle is designed to eliminate the guesswork involved in recertification. It includes 720 practice questions across three full-length exams that mirror the NCCPA content blueprint percentages.

Product Details:

  • Total Questions: 720 (Three 240-question simulations).
  • Format: 5-answer multiple-choice (matches official NCCPA format).
  • Credit: 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 Credit.
  • Delivery: Instant access via downloadable Google Slides and Word documents.
  • No Expiration: You own the files indefinitely.

Practice Clinical Vignettes

Vignette 1
Your patient is a 64-year-old male with a history of hypertension and tobacco use who presents to the emergency department with sudden onset of severe, "tearing" chest pain that radiates to his back. His blood pressure is 190/110 mmHg in the right arm and 165/95 mmHg in the left arm. A chest X-ray reveals a widened mediastinum. What is the most appropriate initial pharmacological management to reduce shear stress?

A. Intravenous Nitroprusside
B. Intravenous Labetalol
C. Oral Amlodipine
D. Intravenous Heparin
E. Oral Aspirin

Explanation:
The correct answer is B. Intravenous Labetalol. In cases of suspected aortic dissection, the primary goal is to reduce both the heart rate (to <60 bpm) and the systolic blood pressure (to 100-120 mmHg) to minimize the aortic wall shear stress (dP/dt). Labetalol provides both alpha- and beta-blocking properties, making it an ideal first-line agent. Nitroprusside (Choice A) can cause reflex tachycardia, which increases shear stress; it should only be used after beta-blockade is established. Oral medications (Choice C) are too slow-acting for this hypertensive emergency. Heparin (Choice D) and Aspirin (Choice E) are contraindicated if dissection is confirmed, as they could exacerbate hemorrhage.

Vignette 2
Your patient is a 28-year-old female who presents with a 3-day history of increased vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, and dyspareunia. On physical exam, she has a temperature of 101.2°F and significant cervical motion tenderness. She is currently hemodynamically stable. Which of the following is the recommended outpatient treatment regimen for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)?

A. Azithromycin 1g orally as a single dose
B. Ceftriaxone 500mg IM + Doxycycline 100mg BID for 14 days + Metronidazole 500mg BID for 14 days
C. Ciprofloxacin 500mg BID for 7 days
D. Penicillin G 2.4 million units IM
E. Vancomycin 1g IV every 12 hours

Explanation:
The correct answer is B. Ceftriaxone 500mg IM + Doxycycline 100mg BID for 14 days + Metronidazole 500mg BID for 14 days. This regimen provides broad-spectrum coverage for the most common pathogens, including Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and anaerobes. Azithromycin (Choice A) alone is insufficient for PID. Ciprofloxacin (Choice B) is no longer recommended due to high resistance rates in N. gonorrhoeae. Penicillin G (Choice D) is for syphilis, not PID. Vancomycin (Choice E) is used for MRSA and is not a primary treatment for the polymicrobial nature of PID.

Vignette 3
Your patient is a 45-year-old male with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus who presents for a routine follow-up. His recent labs show a serum creatinine of 1.4 mg/dL and a spot urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) of 150 mg/g. His blood pressure today is 138/88 mmHg. Which class of medication should be initiated to provide renal protection?

A. Loop diuretics
B. Calcium channel blockers
C. ACE inhibitors
D. Beta-blockers
E. Thiazide diuretics

Explanation:
The correct answer is C. ACE inhibitors. In patients with diabetes and albuminuria (UACR 30-299 mg/g), ACE inhibitors or ARBs are the first-line antihypertensive agents because they reduce intraglomerular pressure and provide renoprotective effects beyond blood pressure control. While other antihypertensives (Choices B, D, and E) may lower blood pressure, they do not offer the same degree of protection against the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Loop diuretics (Choice A) are typically used for volume overload rather than primary renal protection in stable diabetes.

Psychiatry EOR Book Cover

Conclusion

Navigating AAPA Category 1 CME credit requirements is a critical component of professional PA practice. By choosing a high-yield panre review course, PAs can efficiently meet their 100-hour requirement while gaining the clinical knowledge necessary for recertification. Integrating cme gift cards into these purchases allows for a more comprehensive educational investment, ensuring that your CME allowance is used to its fullest potential.

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PANRE-LA vs Traditional PANRE: Which Path Saves You More CME Money?

Choosing between the PANRE-LA and the traditional PANRE is one of the most significant decisions you will make during your ten-year recertification cycle. While both paths lead to the same goal: maintaining your PA-C credentials: the financial and logistical implications differ substantially. Understanding how to navigate these options while maximizing your employer-provided CME budget is essential for every practicing physician assistant.

Price: $499.99
Duration: 30 Months Access
Deliverables: 100 Category 1 AAPA CME Credits, Comprehensive PANRE Review

The Financial Landscape of Recertification

The NCCPA has set the base price for both the traditional PANRE and the PANRE-LA at $350. On the surface, the costs appear identical. However, the true cost of recertification involves much more than the registration fee. It includes the cost of preparation materials, the time spent away from clinical practice, and the strategic use of your CME allowance.

When you invest in a panre review course, you are not just buying test preparation; you are acquiring the necessary credits to fulfill your biennial requirements. Our PANRE Review Course provides 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA credit, which effectively covers your entire 50-hour Category 1 requirement for two full cycles. By bundling your education with your exam prep, you eliminate the need to purchase separate, fragmented CME activities throughout the year.

PANRE-LA: The Longitudinal Approach

The PANRE-LA (Longitudinal Assessment) is an "open-book" format spread over three years (quarters 7 through 12 of your cycle). You answer 25 questions per quarter.

Pros:

  • Lower Stress: You can answer questions at your own pace within each quarter.
  • Open Resource: You can use clinical references during the exam.
  • Immediate Feedback: You receive the correct answers and rationales immediately after submitting your response.

Cons:

  • Long-Term Commitment: You must remain engaged for up to 12 quarters.
  • Delayed Results: You may not know if you passed until the end of the third year of the process.
  • No Retakes: If you fail the PANRE-LA, you are forced to take the traditional PANRE at an additional cost.

Traditional PANRE: The Single-Day Event

The traditional PANRE remains a four-hour, 240-question proctored exam taken at a Pearson VUE testing center during years 9 or 10 of your cycle.

Pros:

  • One and Done: You finish your requirement in a single afternoon.
  • Flexibility in Timing: You choose the day and time that fits your schedule in the final two years.
  • Familiar Format: It mirrors the PANCE format that most PAs are comfortable with.

Cons:

  • High Pressure: One bad day can impact your certification.
  • Closed Book: Requires significant rote memorization of the NCCPA Blueprint.
  • Logistics: Requires travel to a testing center and time off from work.

Maximizing Value with CME Gift Cards

Regardless of the path you choose, you should be utilizing your employer’s CME money to its fullest extent. A common challenge for PAs is spending their entire CME allowance before the end of the fiscal year. To solve this, we offer cme gift cards as add-ons to our packages.

Amazon and Apple gift cards on a desk with medical equipment

When you purchase our panre review course, you have the option to add an Amazon or Apple Gift Card ranging from $100 to $1500 to your order. It is important to note that these are NOT free gifts. They are educational add-ons that allow you to use your CME funds to purchase additional medical equipment, textbooks, or technology (like an iPad for patient education) that further enriches your clinical practice. This turns a simple course purchase into a comprehensive professional development investment.

Integrating the 100-Hour Course into Your Study Plan

For those choosing the PANRE-LA, our course serves as a real-time reference. Because the PANRE-LA is open-book, having a searchable, comprehensive review written by physician assistants for physician assistants is invaluable. For those opting for the traditional PANRE, the course provides the structure needed to master the vast amount of information required for a high-stakes exam.

PANRE Review Exam 1 Book Cover

Our content covers the breadth of clinical practice, including:

  • Cardiology
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Internal Medicine/Hospitalist
  • Orthopedics
  • Dermatology
  • Psychiatry
  • Neurology
  • OB/GYN

While our primary audience is physician assistants, many nurse practitioners and physicians find value in our materials. For Nurse Practitioners, AAPA Category 1 Credit acceptance varies by state board, so verification is recommended. For physicians, our courses typically count as Category 2 CME.

PANRE Review Exam 2 Book Cover

Clinical Application and Practice

Success on either the PANRE or PANRE-LA requires more than just reading; it requires applying knowledge to clinical scenarios. High-quality pance prep courses focus on the "most likely diagnosis" and "initial management" questions that dominate the NCCPA Blueprint.

Clinical Vignette: Cardiovascular Management

EKG monitor in a clinical setting

Your patient is a 64-year-old male with a history of hypertension and tobacco use who presents to the Emergency Department with a 2-hour history of substernal chest pressure that radiates to his left jaw. He is diaphoretic and appears uncomfortable. His vital signs are: BP 110/70 mmHg, HR 98 bpm, RR 20 bpm, and SaO2 96% on room air. An EKG is performed and demonstrates 3mm ST-segment elevation in leads II, III, and aVF.

What is the most appropriate next step in the management of this patient?

A) Administer 324mg of Aspirin and activate the cardiac catheterization lab
B) Obtain a STAT chest X-ray to rule out aortic dissection
C) Administer 0.4mg of sublingual Nitroglycerin and monitor for symptom relief
D) Draw serial Troponin levels and admit to the observation unit

Explanation:
The correct answer is A: Administer 324mg of Aspirin and activate the cardiac catheterization lab.
The patient is presenting with an acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) involving the inferior wall (leads II, III, aVF). Immediate reperfusion therapy is the gold standard of care. Aspirin should be administered immediately to inhibit further platelet aggregation. Activation of the catheterization lab for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the definitive treatment to restore blood flow.

  • Choice B is incorrect because while aortic dissection can cause chest pain, it typically presents with a tearing sensation and unequal blood pressures in the arms; delaying STEMI treatment for a chest X-ray increases myocardial necrosis.
  • Choice C is incorrect as Nitroglycerin should be used with extreme caution in inferior wall MIs due to the high risk of profound hypotension if there is right ventricular involvement. It is not the priority over reperfusion.
  • Choice D is incorrect because serial Troponins are used for NSTEMI or unstable angina; a STEMI diagnosis is made via EKG, and treatment must not be delayed for laboratory confirmation.

Efficiency in CME Spending

Whether you are five years out from your exam or in the middle of your PANRE-LA quarters, efficiency is key. By selecting a course that offers 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA credit, you solve your CME requirement and your exam preparation in one step. Adding a cme gift card add-on ensures that your clinical tools are as up-to-date as your medical knowledge.

The transition to the 10-year cycle and the introduction of the PANRE-LA has given PAs more choices than ever. Make the choice that protects your time, your credentials, and your wallet.