If you are a PA planning your next CME cycle, the main issue is not simply finding educational content. You need to know what type of credit the activity awards, how much credit applies to your NCCPA cycle, how to document it, and whether your state board accepts it.
Here is the practical breakdown.
The PANRE Review Course is the Category 1 AAPA credit course.
The 100 credits apply to the PANRE Review Course specifically through the PANRE Clinical Review Module. They do not apply to the Pharmacology Review Course. Pharmacology is a separate course with its own course-specific AAPA Category 1 designation.
Review the PANRE Review Course with 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits.
AAPA Category 1 CME consists of clinical and professional education designed to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance used in patient care.
The important distinction is that Category 1 credit is attached to an approved educational activity. It is not determined only by the topic or by the amount of time you spend studying.
A course generally needs:
Credit is commonly calculated by educational participation time, with one credit generally representing 60 minutes. Some activities award fractional credit. The provider, not the learner, determines the official credit designation.
For the PANRE Review Course, you must complete the required course content, pass the post-test, and complete the evaluation before claiming the applicable credit. Claim only the number of credits supported by your actual participation.
For NCCPA certification maintenance, PAs must earn:
Therefore, a course offering 100 AAPA Category 1 credits can satisfy the total 100-credit requirement for an NCCPA cycle when completed and logged appropriately. It also exceeds the minimum 50 Category 1 requirement.
However, do not assume that one course automatically satisfies every state license requirement. State boards may require specific topics, specific credit types, or additional documentation.
You should check both:
The AAPA CME FAQ explains the NCCPA maintenance requirements and provides links to state licensing information.
The process is straightforward, but accuracy matters.
Look for the accreditation statement. It should specify AAPA Category 1 CME credit or another credit designation accepted by NCCPA.
Do not rely only on terms such as “medical education,” “board review,” or “continuing education.” Those descriptions do not automatically establish Category 1 status.
Depending on the activity, this may include:
For the PANRE Clinical Review Module, completion requirements include the course content, post-test, and evaluation.
When logging CME, you will typically need:
You can log CME through the NCCPA PA Portal. AAPA also provides PA Portfolio, which can transfer eligible AAPA-earned Category 1 credits to NCCPA.
NCCPA may audit CME records. Keep course documentation and completion information for the period required by NCCPA and your state licensing board. Also verify whether your state requires separate reporting or documentation.
The difference is primarily accreditation and documentation.
Category 1 CME is formally approved and carries a stated credit designation. The provider determines the credit amount, and you claim credit after completing the activity requirements.
Category 2 CME is elective, medically related education that is not formally approved as Category 1. Examples may include reading medical journals or textbooks, reviewing clinical guidelines, or completing other self-directed learning.
Category 2 can be useful, but it should not be confused with formal AAPA Category 1 credit. A PA who needs at least 50 Category 1 credits cannot meet that requirement by logging only self-directed Category 2 activities.
The AAPA CME FAQ provides examples of Category 2 activities and explains how they differ from Category 1.
The CME Review Courses catalog currently includes 14 courses with 468.75 total AAPA Category 1 credits at the program level.
The catalog spans:
This larger catalog allows you to select education based on your clinical practice or specific knowledge gaps. But credit remains course-specific. You should verify the designation for the exact course or module you complete.
For example, the PANRE Review Course awards up to 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits through the PANRE Clinical Review Module. The Pharmacology Review Course is separate and does not provide those 100 PANRE credits.
Physicians generally use AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for physician CME requirements. AAPA Category 1 credit is not automatically the same as AMA PRA Category 1 Credit.
Physicians may still find the clinical content valuable, and many physicians use these courses for professional education. In most cases, however, the activity is treated as Category 2 CME for physicians, not physician Category 1 CME.
Physicians should verify requirements with their state medical board, specialty board, and employer before purchasing.
Acceptance for NPs varies by state, employer, and certifying organization.
Some state boards, employers, or credentialing bodies may accept AAPA Category 1 credit. Others may require nursing-specific credit, such as ANCC or AANP-approved continuing education.
If you are an NP, verify the course with:
Do not assume that an AAPA designation will transfer automatically to your NP renewal requirement.
The PANRE Review Course and other eligible courses may be purchased with Amazon or Apple gift card add-ons from $100 to $1,500.
These are:
Selecting a gift card does not increase the number of credits awarded. A PANRE Review Course purchase still provides up to 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits whether you select no gift card or add a $100–$1,500 option.
The add-on is simply a way to use an available CME budget for an education purchase that includes course access and a separately priced gift card. Review your employer’s CME spending policy before selecting an add-on.
A 62-year-old man presents to the ED with 45 minutes of substernal chest pressure, diaphoresis, and nausea. HR is 104/min, BP is 148/86 mm Hg, and SaO₂ is 97% on room air. ECG shows 2-mm ST-segment elevation in leads II, III, and aVF with reciprocal ST depression in leads I and aVL. He has no history of intracranial hemorrhage, active bleeding, or aspirin allergy.
Which is the most appropriate immediate management?
A. Schedule an outpatient exercise stress test
B. Administer aspirin and activate the cardiac catheterization team
C. Administer IV beta-blocker before obtaining additional testing
D. Give fibrinolytic therapy without contacting cardiology
E. Obtain a coronary CT angiogram before treatment
B. Administer aspirin and activate the cardiac catheterization team.
This patient has an acute inferior STEMI. Immediate aspirin and reperfusion planning with primary PCI are indicated. An outpatient stress test and coronary CT angiography delay definitive treatment. IV beta-blocker therapy is not the first priority, and fibrinolysis is generally reserved for situations in which timely PCI is not available and after assessing contraindications.
Before logging any CME activity, confirm:
For PAs who need a large amount of Category 1 CME while preparing for recertification, the PANRE Review Course is the Category 1 AAPA credit course that provides the 100-credit option.
PAtopia is separate from the PANRE CME course. It is designed for PA students preparing for the PANCE, PACKRAT, EOR, and EOC exams. It does not provide the 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits discussed above.
Students can access PAtopia through:
Use the PANRE Review Course for practicing-PA recertification preparation and CME. Use PAtopia for PA-student exam preparation and question practice.
Jeremy Boroff, MPAS, PA-C, is the founder and primary educator behind CME Review Courses. He has 24 years of Emergency Medicine experience and writes clinical review material for physician assistants preparing for certification, recertification, and specialty examinations.
His work focuses on practical clinical reasoning, board-style assessment, emergency medicine, and efficient CME planning for practicing healthcare professionals.
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