Course price: $499.99
Access: 30 months
CME: Up to 100 Category 1 AAPA CME credits through the PANRE Review Course
Practice questions: 1,200+ questions across five 240-question exams
Gift card options: Paid Amazon or Apple add-ons from $100 to $1,500
If you have unused CME funds, the most practical strategy is to match your purchase to the amount remaining in your employer allowance. The PANRE Review Course combines exam preparation with up to 100 Category 1 AAPA CME credits. You can also select a paid Amazon or Apple Gift Card add-on in an amount from $100 to $1,500.
The gift card add-on is not free, and it is not a giveaway. You choose the gift card amount and pay that amount as part of the CME purchase. The add-on does not increase the number of CME credits. Its value is that it allows you to use more of an available CME budget toward educational tools, technology, books, and other eligible professional needs, subject to your employer’s policy.
Most PAs have two separate needs:
The PANRE Review Course addresses both needs in one online program. It is listed at $499.99, includes 30 months of access, and provides 1,200+ questions across five 240-question practice exams. The course also includes clinical review content designed around the NCCPA Blueprint.
The course offers up to 100 Category 1 AAPA CME credits. These credits apply specifically to the PANRE Review Course. They do not apply to the separate Pharmacology Course.
For NCCPA certification maintenance, PAs generally need 100 CME credits during each two-year cycle, including at least 50 Category 1 credits. State licensing requirements may differ. Review your current NCCPA cycle, state requirements, and employer reimbursement policy before selecting a course.
The purchase structure is straightforward:
The gift card is not a promotional gift provided at no cost. If you select a $300 Amazon Gift Card, you pay an additional $300. If you select a $1,000 Apple Gift Card, you pay an additional $1,000.
The CME credit amount remains tied to the course. A $100 add-on and a $1,500 add-on do not provide different CME credit totals. Both are paid add-ons attached to the course purchase.
This distinction matters when you are asking an employer to approve the purchase. Confirm that your organization allows the purchase of a CME package with a paid gift card add-on and determine whether the entire amount can be applied to your remaining professional development allowance.
Start with three numbers:
The basic formula is:
Remaining allowance − $499.99 = maximum available add-on
For example, if you have $599.99 remaining:
If you have $799.99 remaining:
If you have $999.99 remaining:
If your employer provides a $1,500 remaining allowance, the calculation is:
Because gift card tiers are offered in fixed amounts, you could select a $1,000 add-on and keep a small amount of the allowance unused. The correct selection depends on your employer’s reimbursement rules and whether taxes or other transaction charges apply.
Do not select the highest available gift card simply because it is available. Select the amount that fits your documented allowance and your actual professional needs.
Your choice should match how you plan to use the funds.
An Amazon Gift Card may be useful for eligible purchases such as:
An Apple Gift Card may be useful for eligible purchases such as:
These examples do not override employer restrictions. Some organizations permit only traditional course fees. Others allow technology, books, or professional supplies. Ask your CME coordinator or human resources department before completing the order.
The PANRE Review Course is intended for practicing PAs preparing for recertification. The course includes:
The course is self-paced and designed for use across an extended certification cycle. You can study by organ system, complete practice exams, identify knowledge gaps, and return to difficult sections over time.
PAs should claim only the CME credit they complete according to the activity requirements. Keep your course documentation and confirm the activity’s current accreditation information before logging credit.
NPs and physicians may find the clinical content useful. However, AAPA Category 1 credit is primarily relevant to PA certification maintenance. Nurse practitioners and physicians may be able to count the activity differently, including as Category 2, depending on state rules, licensing requirements, employer policy, or certification requirements. Verify acceptance with the appropriate board or certifying organization.
A 68-year-old man with hypertension and hyperlipidemia presents with sudden-onset right-sided weakness and expressive aphasia that began 75 minutes ago. He takes aspirin and atorvastatin but no anticoagulant. BP is 178/102 mm Hg, HR is 88/min and irregular, RR is 18/min, and SaO₂ is 97% on room air. Finger-stick glucose is 112 mg/dL. Noncontrast CT of the head shows no hemorrhage or established infarction. CT angiography demonstrates a left middle cerebral artery occlusion.
Which of the following is the most appropriate next step?
A. Administer IV alteplase without further blood pressure treatment
B. Lower the blood pressure below 185/110 mm Hg and administer IV thrombolysis
C. Start aspirin and defer reperfusion therapy for 24 hours
D. Begin IV heparin and observe for neurological improvement
E. Administer a beta blocker only and repeat CT in 6 hours
Answer: B. Lower the blood pressure below 185/110 mm Hg and administer IV thrombolysis.
The patient has an acute ischemic stroke within the treatment window, no hemorrhage on CT, and a BP above the usual thrombolysis threshold. BP should be reduced below 185/110 mm Hg before IV thrombolysis. Mechanical thrombectomy may also be indicated for a large-vessel occlusion, depending on eligibility and local stroke protocols.
Aspirin is not an adequate substitute for reperfusion therapy in this setting. Heparin is not routinely used for acute ischemic stroke. Waiting for repeat imaging would delay time-sensitive treatment.
A well-planned CME purchase should provide educational value first. The paid gift card add-on is a budgeting option, not the reason to ignore accreditation or employer rules.
Before ordering:
For additional PA exam preparation, CME Review Courses also offers PAtopia, a separate platform for PANCE, PACKRAT, EOC, and PAEA End of Rotation preparation. You can use the PAtopia web version, or download the PAtopia iOS app and PAtopia Android app. These resources are designed for PA students and are separate from the PANRE CME course.
The PANRE Review Course and CME gift card add-on page allows you to review the course details and select a paid Amazon or Apple Gift Card amount from $100 to $1,500.
The practical goal is simple: use your available CME funds for a qualifying educational activity, earn up to 100 Category 1 AAPA credits through the PANRE Review Course, and choose an add-on amount that matches, not exceeds, your remaining allowance.
About the Author: Jeremy Boroff, MPAS, PA-C, is an emergency medicine physician assistant, PA educator, and CME developer with extensive clinical experience. He creates PANRE, PANCE, EOR, and specialty review content for physician assistants through CME Review Courses.
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