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If your 2026 employer CME stipend expires on December 31, you may have less time than you think to use it. The same is true if you are approaching the end of an NCCPA certification maintenance cycle or preparing to apply for the PANRE.

The practical solution is to identify what your employer benefit covers, confirm your NCCPA credit requirements, and purchase a course that provides meaningful exam preparation, not a collection of unrelated activities selected at the last minute.

For physician assistants, the PANRE Review Course is $399.99, provides 30 months of access, and offers up to 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits through the PANRE Clinical Review Module. The course includes 1,200+ practice questions across five full-length 240-question exams, aligned with the NCCPA Blueprint.

What Expires and When?

Two separate deadlines commonly create confusion.

1. Your employer CME stipend

Employer CME benefits may be structured as:

• A calendar-year allowance
• A fiscal-year allowance
• A reimbursement account
• A CME debit or gift card
• A professional development benefit with a specific expiration date

Many benefits are use-it-or-lose-it. An unused balance may not roll over, and a purchase made after the deadline may not qualify even if you intended to use it for professional education.

Check your policy for:

• The exact expiration date and time
• Whether online CME and board-review courses qualify
• Whether gift card add-ons are permitted
• Whether the purchase must be completed before the deadline
• Whether completion must occur during the same benefit year

If the deadline is approaching, purchase before the cutoff and retain the course information required by your employer’s reimbursement process.

2. Your NCCPA certification maintenance cycle

NCCPA requires certified PAs to earn and log 100 total CME credits during each two-year cycle, including at least 50 Category 1 CME credits. The remaining credits may be Category 1, Category 2, or a combination.

A separate PANRE eligibility requirement may apply if you are using the recertification examination pathway. PAs generally need 100 Category 1 CME credits earned during the two years immediately before the PANRE application date. Confirm your specific dates and requirements directly with NCCPA’s continuing medical education guidance.

Your employer’s stipend deadline and your NCCPA cycle deadline are not necessarily the same. Plan for both.

The One-Purchase Math

The PANRE Review Course is designed to combine exam preparation and CME completion in one activity.

Course price: $399.99
Access period: 30 months
AAPA Category 1 CME: Up to 100 credits through the PANRE Clinical Review Module
Practice questions: 1,200+ questions across five 240-question exams
Exam format: Five-answer multiple-choice questions with explanations
Content alignment: NCCPA Blueprint coverage across the major organ systems and task areas

At the base price, the math is approximately $4.00 per available Category 1 CME credit. More importantly, the purchase gives you a structured review resource that can support PANRE preparation over multiple years.

The 30-month access period is useful when your employer stipend and certification cycle do not align. You can purchase before the current stipend expires, complete the activity over time, and use the material to prepare for an upcoming recertification examination.

The course includes:

• Five full-length practice exams
• 240 questions per exam
• More than 1,200 exam-style questions
• Detailed answer explanations
• A comprehensive PANRE study library
• Access to content across a 30-month period
• A mobile-friendly online format

The 100 Category 1 credits come specifically from the PANRE Clinical Review Module. They are not generated by the gift card option or by unrelated products in the CME catalog.

How the Gift Card Add-On Works

CME Review Courses also offers optional Amazon and Apple gift card add-ons from $100 to $1,500.

These are paid add-ons selected at checkout. They are not free gifts, rebates, or additional CME. They do not increase the number of credits awarded by the course.

Examples:

Purchase	Total before applicable taxes	CME available
PANRE Review Course only	$399.99	Up to 100 AAPA Category 1 credits
Course + $100 gift card	$499.99	Up to 100 AAPA Category 1 credits
Course + $500 gift card	$899.99	Up to 100 AAPA Category 1 credits
Course + $1,000 gift card	$1,399.99	Up to 100 AAPA Category 1 credits

The gift card selection allows you to match the total purchase to the amount available in your CME budget. Select the option only if your employer permits that type of add-on under its CME policy.

See the current PANRE Review Course with Gift Card listing for available options and course details.

One Purchase Does Not Mean One Night of Studying

Do not wait until the final week of the year to complete 100 credits. The better approach is to use the 30-month access period strategically:

1. Purchase before your employer deadline.
2. Confirm the course’s AAPA Category 1 designation and credit amount.
3. Complete the required course content, post-test, and evaluation.
4. Claim only the credit commensurate with your participation.
5. Log the credit with NCCPA according to its current policy.
6. Use the practice exams later for structured PANRE preparation.

A reasonable schedule is to complete one major section each month, followed by a full-length practice exam at regular intervals. This creates a sustained review plan instead of a single high-volume study session.

CME Review Courses offers 14 courses with 468.75 total AAPA Category 1 credits across the catalog. The full catalog includes clinical areas such as emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, cardiology, dermatology, neurology, orthopedics, psychiatry, and OB/GYN. The PANRE Review Course is the course specifically associated with the 100-credit PANRE Clinical Review Module.

Category 1 Versus Category 2: Confirm Your Eligibility

The PANRE Review Course carries AAPA Category 1 CME for PAs who complete the activity requirements.

Physicians and nurse practitioners should not automatically assume that AAPA Category 1 credit will be treated the same way under their own certification or licensure requirements.

• Physicians: The course may have educational value, but physician CME acceptance and Category 1 treatment depend on the applicable certifying organization, state board, and employer. In some situations, the activity may be usable only as Category 2 credit.
• Nurse practitioners: Some state boards and employers accept AAPA Category 1 credit for NP continuing education, while others require nursing-specific accreditation. Acceptance varies by state and licensure type.
• PAs: AAPA Category 1 CME may be logged toward NCCPA requirements as permitted by current NCCPA policy.

Verify the applicable rules before purchasing, particularly if you are not a PA.

Practice Question: PANRE-Style Clinical Review

Your patient is a 42-year-old woman who presents with acute dyspnea and pleuritic chest pain three days after knee surgery. HR is 118/min, BP is 128/76 mm Hg, RR is 26/min, and SaO₂ is 91% on room air. She has unilateral calf swelling and tenderness. ECG shows sinus tachycardia. What is the most appropriate next diagnostic test?

A. D-dimer assay
B. CT pulmonary angiography
C. Transthoracic echocardiography
D. Chest radiograph only
E. Lower-extremity venous ultrasound only

Answer: B. CT pulmonary angiography

CT pulmonary angiography is correct because this patient has a high pretest probability for pulmonary embolism based on recent surgery, tachycardia, hypoxemia, pleuritic chest pain, and unilateral leg findings. In a hemodynamically stable patient, CT pulmonary angiography provides direct evaluation of the pulmonary vasculature.

A D-dimer is not useful when the clinical probability is high. Transthoracic echocardiography can identify RV strain and is valuable in an unstable patient, but it does not replace definitive imaging in this stable presentation. A chest radiograph may help evaluate alternative diagnoses but cannot exclude PE. Lower-extremity ultrasound can support the diagnosis if positive, but CT pulmonary angiography is the preferred next study when there is no contraindication.

Use the Deadline Before It Uses You

Before your 2026 CME budget expires:

• Find the exact employer deadline.
• Confirm whether board-review CME is eligible.
• Verify whether a gift card add-on is allowed.
• Compare the remaining stipend with the course price.
• Purchase before the deadline.
• Use the 30-month access period to spread study and completion across your certification timeline.
• Confirm whether the credit applies to your profession and state.
• Complete and log the activity according to current requirements.

The PANRE Review Course provides a direct way for PAs to combine recertification preparation with up to 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits in one purchase. The optional Amazon or Apple gift card add-on can be selected to match an eligible CME budget, but it does not add credits.

For PA Students: PAtopia on Web, iOS, and Android

PAtopia is a separate PA-student exam-preparation platform. It covers the PANCE, PACKRAT, EOC, and all seven PAEA End of Rotation exams. It does not provide the 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits associated with the PANRE Clinical Review Module.

Access PAtopia on the web, or download the apps:

• PAtopia for iOS
• PAtopia for Android

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EEAT Author Box

Jeremy Boroff, MPAS, PA-C
Jeremy Boroff is a physician assistant with 24 years of Emergency Medicine experience. He develops medical education and board-review content for physician assistants, including PANRE preparation, clinical CME, and PA-student examination resources. His work emphasizes practical clinical reasoning, current guideline-based management, and exam-relevant application.

If you are planning your next NCCPA CME cycle, the label on a course matters. “CME” is not enough by itself. You need to know whether the activity is Category 1 or Category 2, whether it is designated as self-assessment, how many credits you can claim, and whether the activity is approved by a recognized accreditor.

Current PANRE Review Course details:

• Price: $499.99 for the course package listed with 30 months of access
• Access: 30 months from purchase
• CME: Up to 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits
• Practice questions: Five full-length examinations with 240 questions each, or 1,200 questions total
• Format: Online, self-paced enduring material
• Completion requirements: Review the content, score at least 70% on the post-test, and complete the evaluation

The course is available through the PANRE Review Course with Gift Card page. Amazon and Apple gift cards from $100 to $1,500 are optional paid add-ons. They are not free gifts and are priced separately from the CME course.

Fact 1: Category 1 credit must come from an approved educational activity

AAPA Category 1 CME is not simply any medical information you read or any activity that feels educational. The activity must meet the requirements of a recognized CME accreditor and be formally designated for Category 1 credit.

For an online enduring activity, the provider should identify:

• The approved activity title
• The number of Category 1 credits available
• The approval period
• The accrediting organization
• Any applicable AAPA reference number
• The requirements for completing the activity

You should claim only the amount of credit supported by your participation and the course documentation. The AAPA CME FAQs provide additional guidance on approved CME activities and credit types.

This is why the source of the credit matters. A course may be clinically useful but still fail to meet the Category 1 requirement if it was not appropriately approved or designated.

Fact 2: Self-assessment CME is a Category 1 subtype, not Category 2

Self-assessment CME is designed to help you identify knowledge gaps through questions, case analysis, testing, or another structured evaluation process. When the activity is properly designated as Category 1 Self-Assessment CME, it remains Category 1 credit for NCCPA purposes.

This distinction matters because self-assessment is often associated with board preparation. However, not every question bank or exam review product automatically qualifies. Look for the official accreditation statement and the exact credit designation.

NCCPA gives Category 1 Self-Assessment CME additional weight in its tracking system. For example, an activity worth 20 Category 1 Self-Assessment credits may count as 30 credits toward NCCPA requirements after the applicable multiplier is applied.

You should not calculate or alter the credit amount yourself. Log the face-value credit shown on your documentation and identify the activity as self-assessment when the provider designates it that way. NCCPA applies the appropriate calculation in its system.

Category 2 learning is different. It may include medically related reading, teaching, independent study, or other educational activities that are not formally approved as Category 1. Category 2 can contribute to the overall CME total, but it does not satisfy the minimum Category 1 requirement.

Fact 3: Most PAs need 100 CME credits in a two-year cycle

For a standard NCCPA certification maintenance cycle, the basic requirement is:

• 100 total CME credits
• At least 50 Category 1 CME credits
• The remaining credits may be Category 1, Category 2, or a combination

This means you cannot complete 100 Category 2 credits and assume the cycle is complete. At least 50 credits must be Category 1.

A course providing 100 AAPA Category 1 credits can simplify your tracking because the activity may cover the full numerical CME requirement before any applicable NCCPA weighting. You still need to complete the activity correctly and log it according to NCCPA rules.

Review the current requirements directly through the NCCPA Continuing Medical Education page, especially if your certification cycle or reporting deadline is approaching.

Fact 4: Log the activity exactly as the provider documents it

When you complete an approved course, do not enter a rounded or estimated number that differs from the course documentation. Use the activity title, completion date, credit amount, and activity type shown by the provider.

For Category 1 Self-Assessment CME, the practical process is generally:

1. Complete the required educational material.
2. Complete the post-test or assessment.
3. Complete the activity evaluation.
4. Obtain the completion documentation showing the credit amount.
5. Enter the activity in your NCCPA record using the appropriate Category 1 and self-assessment selections.
6. Keep your supporting documentation according to NCCPA requirements.

For the CME Review Courses PANRE Review Course, the post-test requires a score of at least 70%. Missed questions may be retaken to reach the passing score. The course issues documentation for the precise amount of credit earned after the completion requirements are met.

The 100 AAPA Category 1 credits discussed in this post apply to the PANRE Review Course. They do not apply to the separate Pharmacology course. The Pharmacology CME Review Package is a different product with its own credit designation.

Fact 5: Category 1 and Category 2 are not interchangeable

Category 2 can be useful, but it has a different role in your CME plan.

A Category 1 course is formally reviewed and designated by an accrediting organization. Category 2 activities are generally self-reported and may include professional learning that does not have formal Category 1 approval. Category 2 can help you reach the 100-credit total after you have met the 50-credit Category 1 minimum.

A practical approach is to complete enough Category 1 CME early in the cycle to protect the minimum requirement. You can then use Category 2 activities to supplement your total if needed.

This is also why a low-cost activity is not necessarily the best value. If it does not meet the Category 1 requirement, it may not solve the problem you are trying to solve.

Fact 6: The accreditor and the profession determine how the credit can be used

AAPA Category 1 credit is designed primarily for physician assistants. PAs should verify that the activity is appropriate for their NCCPA certification maintenance requirements.

Physicians may find the clinical content useful, but AAPA Category 1 credit generally does not function as Category 1 CME for physician certification purposes. A physician should verify whether the activity qualifies as Category 2 credit or meets the requirements of the physician’s specific certifying organization.

Nurse practitioners should also verify state-specific rules. Some state boards and employers accept AAPA Category 1 credit for NP continuing education, while others require nursing-specific approval. Acceptance can vary by state, employer, and certification body.

How the PANRE Review Course applies these facts

The PANRE Review Course with Gift Card is designed for practicing PAs who want PANRE or PANRE-LA preparation combined with a substantial Category 1 CME activity.

The current course listing includes:

• Up to 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits
• Five full-length practice examinations
• 1,200 board-style questions
• Detailed explanations and cited sources
• A PANRE Study Library covering the NCCPA Blueprint
• 30 months of access
• Online access from a phone, tablet, or computer

The course page lists the package at $499.99. Optional Amazon or Apple gift card add-ons range from $100 to $1,500 and are added to the purchase price. These are paid add-ons, not complimentary gifts. The value of the package should be evaluated first on the educational content, the Category 1 credit, the access period, and the relevance of the PANRE preparation.

Practice Question

Your patient is a 64-year-old woman with 12 hours of fever, RUQ pain, and jaundice. She is confused and appears ill. Vital signs are T 39.1°C, HR 122, BP 88/54 mm Hg, RR 24/min, and SaO₂ 94% on room air. Laboratory studies show leukocytosis and an elevated total bilirubin. Ultrasound demonstrates a dilated common bile duct. What is the most appropriate management?

A. Elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy
B. MRCP before initiating treatment
C. Oral antibiotics and outpatient follow-up
D. IV broad-spectrum antibiotics, hemodynamic resuscitation, and urgent biliary drainage with ERCP
E. Observation with repeat liver tests in 24 hours

Correct answer: D. IV broad-spectrum antibiotics, hemodynamic resuscitation, and urgent biliary drainage with ERCP.

This patient has severe acute ascending cholangitis with hypotension and altered mental status. Initial treatment requires IV fluids, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and urgent source control through biliary drainage. Elective cholecystectomy does not address the immediate obstruction. MRCP may define anatomy but should not delay treatment in an unstable patient. Oral antibiotics and observation are inadequate.

A practical CME checklist

Before purchasing or logging an activity, confirm:

• Is the activity formally designated as AAPA Category 1?
• How many credits are available?
• Is it designated as standard Category 1, Self-Assessment, or another subtype?
• What completion requirements must you meet?
• Does the activity fall within the approval period?
• Are you logging the exact credit amount shown on the documentation?
• Will the activity meet your profession’s certification or licensing rules?

If you are a PA preparing for recertification, the PANRE Review Course combines board-style practice with 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME. If you are looking for PANCE prep courses rather than PANRE preparation, CME Review Courses also offers PAtopia.

You can try the PAtopia web version without downloading anything. PAtopia is also available through the iOS App Store and Google Play for Android.

The key point is straightforward: count your credits by category, confirm the accreditor, follow the logging rules, and choose educational products that solve both your exam-preparation and CME needs.

About the Author

Jeremy Boroff, MPAS, PA-C is a practicing emergency medicine physician assistant and the sole faculty member for the CME Review Courses PANRE review activity. He has extensive clinical experience and has served in physician assistant leadership and education roles. His review materials are written for PAs and focus on practical clinical reasoning, board-style assessment, and evidence-based management.

Educational content should not replace the current requirements published by NCCPA, AAPA, a state medical board, a state board of nursing, or another certifying organization. Verify your individual CME requirements before logging credit.

Course price: $499.99
Access: 30 months
CME: Up to 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME through the PANRE Clinical Review Module
Practice: 1,200+ board-style questions, including five 240-question full-length exams

PANRE preparation can fail in ways that are not obvious on your first day of studying. You may complete hundreds of questions but retain little. You may purchase a course but fail to finish the requirements needed to claim CME. You may also spend your employer’s CME allowance on preparation that does not match your exam format or your actual knowledge gaps.

The issue is not simply how much you study. It is whether your study process converts time and CME money into exam readiness and documented credit.

The PANRE Review Course from CME Review Courses is designed to combine both goals. Its credit-bearing component is the PANRE Clinical Review Module, which offers up to 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME when you complete the required activity components. The 100 hours apply to this PANRE course, not to the separate Pharmacology course.

1. Starting late and treating PANRE-LA like one isolated exam

A common mistake is waiting until several weeks before a traditional PANRE date to begin reviewing. A related mistake is treating PANRE-LA as if it were one high-stakes sitting rather than a rolling assessment process with repeated quarterly participation.

The NCCPA describes PANRE-LA as a longitudinal assessment. Questions are administered over time, and participants use references while answering within the allotted time. That structure rewards consistent review, not a last-minute information dump.

Cost in study time: Late preparation forces you to review every system at once. You lose the ability to identify weak areas, revisit them, and measure improvement.

Cost in CME money: A short access window or narrowly focused course may not support a multi-month or multi-quarter plan. You may need to purchase another resource when your original preparation expires.

Cost in lost credit: If you enroll in a CME activity but do not complete its content, post-test, and evaluation within your available schedule, you may not be able to claim the credit. The 100 hours remain a potential benefit until the activity requirements are completed.

A better approach is to begin with a diagnostic block, then divide study into scheduled system reviews and mixed question sets. The 30 months of access included with the PANRE Review Course allows you to use the material for either concentrated traditional PANRE preparation or a longer PANRE-LA study cadence.

2. Confusing question volume with active recall

Completing a large number of questions is not the same as learning from them. Some candidates select an answer, check whether it is correct, and immediately move to the next item. This creates the appearance of progress without requiring you to retrieve the clinical principle later.

Active recall requires you to explain why the correct answer is right, why the distractors are wrong, and what change in the stem would alter the diagnosis or management.

Cost in study time: You repeat the same errors because each question becomes an isolated event rather than part of an organized error pattern.

Cost in CME money: You may pay for a question bank or review course but use only its scoring function. That wastes the educational value of rationales, system tracking, and targeted review.

Cost in lost credit: Questions alone do not automatically award AAPA Category 1 CME. You must complete the requirements of the credit-bearing activity. For the PANRE Clinical Review Module, that includes reviewing the module content, passing the post-test, and completing the evaluation.

Use each missed or guessed question as a short retrieval exercise. Write down the diagnosis, the decisive finding, the next best step, and the reason each distractor is less appropriate. Then revisit that topic in a mixed block several days later.

The PANRE Review Course includes 1,200+ board-style practice questions, consisting of five 240-question full-length exams. The value is not just the volume. It is the opportunity to use the questions as structured practice across the organ systems and task areas addressed by the NCCPA PANRE/PANRE-LA Content Blueprint.

3. Ignoring the NCCPA PANRE/PANRE-LA Content Blueprint

Studying based only on your clinical specialty is inefficient. An emergency medicine PA may over-study acute care while under-reviewing dermatology, reproductive health, hematology, or endocrine disorders. An internal medicine PA may do the reverse.

The NCCPA PANRE/PANRE-LA Content Blueprint provides the framework for the core medical knowledge assessed on the exams. It should guide how you allocate study time, not merely confirm what you already know.

Cost in study time: You spend hours on familiar material while leaving high-value knowledge gaps unresolved.

Cost in CME money: A course can provide substantial CME, but the investment is less useful if you do not use its system organization to target weak areas.

Cost in lost credit: Unstructured studying can delay course completion. If your CME deadline arrives before you finish the module requirements, you may lose the opportunity to claim the available credit.

Start with a baseline exam or system assessment. Use your performance data to identify weak content areas. Then alternate targeted review with mixed, timed practice. The PANRE Review Course is organized for this type of full-blueprint review, while its PANRE Clinical Review Module is the component that carries the 100 AAPA Category 1 CME hours.

Review the NCCPA PANRE/PANRE-LA Content Blueprint and compare it with your study schedule.

4. Practicing facts instead of clinical vignettes

PANRE questions require more than recognition of isolated facts. You must identify the relevant information in a clinical stem, determine what the question is asking, and choose the best answer for the specific patient and setting.

A candidate who knows the medicine can still miss questions by overlooking acuity, risk factors, contraindications, or the distinction between the best initial test and the definitive test.

Cost in study time: You spend additional hours relearning content when the actual problem is interpretation of the stem.

Cost in CME money: A course with board-style questions is less valuable if you rush through the questions without analyzing the wording and rationale.

Cost in lost credit: Repeatedly avoiding post-tests or delaying completion because the questions feel unfamiliar can prevent you from finishing the credit-bearing module. The 100 hours are earned through completed participation, not purchase alone.

When reviewing, identify four elements: patient demographics, presenting symptoms, vital signs, and the requested action. Then ask whether the question wants the most likely diagnosis, the next diagnostic step, the best initial treatment, or definitive management.

PANRE-style clinical vignette

Your patient is a 58-year-old woman who is 5 days postoperative from total knee arthroplasty. She reports sudden dyspnea and pleuritic chest pain. HR is 118/min, BP is 132/78 mm Hg, RR is 26/min, and SaO2 is 89% on room air. Examination shows unilateral left calf swelling and tenderness. She has no known history of renal disease or contrast allergy.

What is the most appropriate next step?

A. Obtain a D-dimer level
B. Begin warfarin and arrange outpatient follow-up
C. Perform CT pulmonary angiography
D. Obtain a ventilation-perfusion scan
E. Order bilateral lower-extremity radiographs

Correct answer: C. Perform CT pulmonary angiography.

This patient has a high pretest probability for pulmonary embolism based on recent surgery, tachycardia, hypoxemia, pleuritic chest pain, and unilateral leg findings. CT pulmonary angiography is the appropriate diagnostic study when the patient is hemodynamically stable and has no contrast contraindication. A D-dimer is not useful in a high-probability postoperative patient. Warfarin is not appropriate initial monotherapy for suspected acute PE. A ventilation-perfusion scan is preferred when CT contrast is contraindicated. Radiographs do not evaluate the suspected diagnosis.

5. Completing the questions but skipping the post-test or evaluation

This is the quietest administrative mistake because your study dashboard may show substantial progress. However, completing practice questions is not the same as completing an AAPA-accredited CME activity.

For the PANRE Clinical Review Module, you must review the content, pass the post-test with the required score, and complete the activity evaluation. Missed post-test questions may be retaken according to the course requirements.

Cost in study time: You may need to repeat content or retrace your steps when you discover that the final credit process was not completed.

Cost in CME money: You have paid for access to an activity but have not completed the steps needed to convert that purchase into documented Category 1 CME.

Cost in lost credit: The most direct loss is the unclaimed credit. You cannot treat the 100 hours as earned until you complete the requirements and receive the appropriate certificate.

Before starting, place the post-test and evaluation on your calendar. Do not leave them for the final day of access. The course provides 30 months of access, but long access does not replace completion.

Use CME money carefully: gift card add-ons are paid options

The PANRE Review Course is available with Amazon and Apple gift card add-ons from $100 to $1,500. These are paid add-ons selected at checkout. They are not free gifts, rebates, discounts, or additional CME credits. The gift card amount is added to the total purchase price, and it does not increase the 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME.

For example, if your remaining employer CME allowance is approximately $700, you could select the $200 Amazon gift card add-on with the $499.99 course. That creates a total of $699.99 before applicable taxes or fees, subject to your employer’s CME policy.

Review the PANRE Review Course with Gift Card for current pricing, add-on selections, access terms, and CME requirements.

A practical correction plan

To avoid these five mistakes:

1. Start early enough to use diagnostic data and repeat weak areas.
2. Review rationales instead of counting questions completed.
3. Follow the NCCPA PANRE/PANRE-LA Content Blueprint.
4. Practice reading complete clinical vignettes and identifying the management question.
5. Finish the post-test and evaluation before considering the CME activity complete.

This approach gives you two measurable outcomes: better PANRE preparation and a defined path toward 100 AAPA Category 1 CME hours through the PANRE Clinical Review Module.

For PA students: PAtopia PANCE prep courses

If you are still in PA school, PAtopia is designed for PANCE prep courses and PA students. The platform includes PANCE practice exams, EOR review, PACKRAT preparation, EOC preparation, and study-library content.

You can use PAtopia on the web, download it through the iOS App Store, or access it through Google Play for Android.

PAtopia is for PA student exam preparation. It does not carry the 100 AAPA Category 1 CME hours described in this article. Those hours apply to the PANRE Clinical Review Module within the PANRE Review Course.

Author and EEAT

Jeremy Boroff, MPAS, PA-C, is an emergency medicine physician assistant with 24 years of Emergency Medicine experience. He is a PA educator, author, and CME developer who creates PANRE, PANCE, EOR, and specialty review courses for practicing clinicians and PA students. His clinical and educational work focuses on practical exam preparation, clinical reasoning, and efficient CME use.

Your employer CME allowance has a defined value and, in many organizations, an expiration date. If unused funds do not carry forward, the practical goal is to apply them to education that supports your certification requirements, exam preparation, and long-term clinical development.

The PANRE Review Course with Gift Card combines a comprehensive review program with a paid Amazon or Apple gift card add-on from $100 to $1,500. The gift card is not a free gift or giveaway. It is an optional add-on that increases the total purchase price and allows you to use more of your available CME budget in one transaction.

Course Details at a Glance

• Course price: $499.99 before the gift card add-on
• Access period: 30 months
• CME: Up to 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA CME through the PANRE Review Course
• Practice testing: Five full-length exams with 240 questions each, for 1,200 board-style questions
• Add-on choices: Amazon or Apple gift cards from $100 to $1,500
• Delivery: Online, self-paced access from a computer, tablet, or phone

The course covers the organ systems and task areas reflected in the NCCPA PANRE/PANRE-LA Content Blueprint. The course also includes the PANRE Study Library, cited answer rationales, and post-test requirements for claiming the applicable CME.

How the CME Gift Card Add-On Works

The basic calculation is straightforward:

Total purchase price = $499.99 PANRE Review Course + selected paid gift card add-on

The gift card amount is added at face value. For example:

Available CME budget	Course	Paid add-on	Total purchase
$600	$499.99	$100	$599.99
$1,000	$499.99	$500	$999.99
$1,500	$499.99	$1,000	$1,499.99
$2,000	$499.99	$1,500	$1,999.99

These examples are before any applicable taxes or employer-specific requirements. Your employer may have limits on eligible CME expenses, so confirm the policy before selecting an add-on.

The advantage is administrative efficiency. Instead of purchasing a review course now and attempting to use the remaining allowance on another educational resource before the year ends, you can select the course and add-on together. You receive the educational component immediately and use the selected gift card value toward additional tools that support learning.

Amazon and Apple gift cards are processed by email, generally within two to three business days. Gift card packages are nonrefundable, so choose the denomination carefully.

Three Practical Ways to Use Your CME Allowance

1. Match the add-on to your remaining balance

Suppose you have $1,000 remaining in your employer CME account. The PANRE Review Course costs $499.99. Selecting a $500 Amazon or Apple gift card produces a total of $999.99, leaving approximately one cent of the allowance unused before taxes.

This approach works particularly well near the end of the employer budget year. You are not buying a gift card separately; you are purchasing a CME package that includes the course and a paid add-on selected at checkout.

2. Use a larger add-on for a larger annual stipend

A PA with a $2,000 annual CME allowance could select the $1,500 add-on. The course and add-on total $1,999.99 before taxes.

The add-on value can be directed toward educational tools such as:

• Medical reference books
• Digital clinical references
• Study accessories and supplies
• A tablet or computer used for coursework
• Apps and technology that support exam preparation
• Professional reading and clinical education resources

The specific use of the card is up to the purchaser. The educational value of the package comes from the PANRE review content and CME credit; the add-on provides additional purchasing flexibility.

3. Select a lower add-on when your budget is limited

A smaller budget does not eliminate the value of the course. If you have $600 available, the $100 add-on brings the total to $599.99 before taxes.

This option gives you the full PANRE Review Course, 30 months of access, and the opportunity to earn the course’s 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA CME after completing the required activity components.

The Core Educational Value: 100 Hours Through the PANRE Review Course

The PANRE Review Course provides up to 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA CME upon completion of the PANRE Clinical Review Module requirements. You must review the content, complete the post-test with a passing score, and complete the activity evaluation. Credit should be claimed commensurate with your participation.

The course also includes five 240-question full-length practice examinations. That provides 1,200 questions for timed practice, knowledge assessment, and review of explanations. The content is designed for practicing PAs preparing for the PANRE or PANRE-LA while completing meaningful CME.

The Pharmacology Course is separate. It also offers Category 1 AAPA CME, with up to 12.5 hours available through the pharmacology module, but it does not carry the 100 hours associated with the PANRE Review Course. Review the Pharmacology CME Review Package if you need pharmacology-specific education.

Who Can Claim the Credit?

The AAPA Category 1 designation applies directly to physician assistants. PAs may use the credit toward applicable NCCPA CME requirements according to NCCPA policy.

The audience is broader than PAs, but the credit treatment differs:

• Physician assistants: May claim the applicable AAPA Category 1 CME.
• Physicians: Physicians purchasing the content generally receive Category 2 CME rather than Category 1 physician CME. Verify acceptance with your credentialing organization.
• Nurse practitioners: Some state boards and employers accept AAPA Category 1 credit for NP continuing education, but this varies by state. NPs should confirm requirements with their state board of nursing and certifying organization before purchasing.

The course may be clinically useful for physicians, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, and other clinicians, but each professional is responsible for confirming how the activity applies to their own renewal requirements.

PANRE Practice Question

Your patient is a 64-year-old man with hypertension and tobacco use who presents with 45 minutes of substernal chest pressure radiating to the left jaw. He is diaphoretic. Vital signs are BP 158/92, HR 104, RR 20, and SaO₂ 96% on room air. ECG shows 2-mm ST-segment elevation in leads II, III, and aVF.

Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A. Order CT angiography of the chest
B. Arrange emergent coronary angiography with PCI
C. Repeat the ECG in 30 minutes
D. Administer an oral beta-blocker and observe
E. Schedule outpatient stress testing

Correct answer: B. Arrange emergent coronary angiography with PCI.

This patient has an acute inferior STEMI. Emergent PCI is the preferred reperfusion strategy when it can be performed within the recommended time frame. CT angiography is not indicated when the ECG establishes an acute coronary occlusion pattern and would delay reperfusion. Repeating the ECG or arranging outpatient testing delays definitive treatment. An oral beta-blocker does not address the immediate need for reperfusion and may be unsafe in patients with bradycardia, hypotension, conduction disease, or evolving right ventricular infarction.

This type of question illustrates the course’s practical emphasis: recognize the presentation, identify the time-sensitive diagnosis, and select the management step that changes outcomes.

How This Compares With PANCE Prep Courses

The PANRE Review Course is intended for PAs preparing for recertification rather than students preparing for initial certification. However, the clinical foundation overlaps with the broader medical content found in many PANCE prep courses, including cardiology, pulmonary medicine, infectious disease, emergency medicine, and pharmacology.

If you are already practicing and need recertification preparation plus CME, a PANRE-focused course may be more appropriate than an entry-level PANCE resource. If you are a PA student, select a course designed for your examination and training stage.

Use Your CME Budget Before It Expires

The most efficient purchase depends on your allowance, your remaining CME needs, and your certification timeline. Before choosing an add-on:

1. Confirm your employer’s CME spending rules.
2. Identify the amount remaining in your allowance.
3. Select the PANRE Review Course if you need broad exam preparation and Category 1 AAPA CME.
4. Add the $100–$1,500 Amazon or Apple gift card tier that fits your budget.
5. Complete the course requirements and claim only the credit you earn.
6. Use the add-on value toward appropriate educational tools, references, or study resources.

Explore the PANRE Review Course with Amazon and Apple gift card add-on options. The package provides 30 months of access, 1,200 full-length practice questions, and up to 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA CME through the PANRE Review Course.

About the Author

Jeremy Boroff, MPAS, PA-C is an emergency medicine physician assistant with 24 years of clinical experience as a PA-C and seven additional years of experience as a registered respiratory therapist. He is a PA educator, CME developer, and author of PANRE, PANCE, EOR, and specialty medical review courses at CME Review Courses.

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:

1. Review the relevant clinical topics before beginning the assessment.
2. Complete the 25 questions using references appropriately.
3. Record the questions you missed or answered uncertainly.
4. Review the clinical reasoning behind each answer.
5. Document any eligible self-assessment CME according to NCCPA instructions.
6. 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:

• PAtopia on iOS
• PAtopia on Android

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.

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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.

Base price: $499.99
Access: 30 months
Included study volume: 2,500+ board-style questions and five full-length 240-question practice exams
Optional paid add-ons: Amazon or Apple Gift Cards from $100 to $1,500

End-of-cycle CME planning is primarily a budgeting problem. You need to determine how much of your employer allowance remains, confirm what your policy permits, and select an add-on tier that does not push the total purchase beyond the available amount.

The PANRE Review Course with Gift Card combines an online PANRE review activity with up to 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA CME credit. The optional Amazon or Apple gift card is a paid add-on. It increases the total amount charged, does not provide CME credit, is not a free gift or rebate, and should not be treated as part of the educational credit.

Start With the Course Cost

The PANRE Review Course costs $499.99 before any add-on. Upon completing the course requirements, including the post-test and evaluation, participants may claim up to 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME commensurate with their participation.

The course includes:

• 2,500+ board-style PANRE practice questions
• Five full-length practice exams
• 240 questions per practice exam
• Detailed answer rationales and cited sources
• Coverage of the clinical areas included in the current NCCPA Blueprint
• A study library and performance tracking
• 30 months of online access

The 100 Category 1 AAPA credits apply to the PANRE Review Course. Do not attribute those 100 hours to the separate Pharmacology course. Each course has its own credit designation and completion requirements.

The course is designed for physician assistants preparing for the PANRE or PANRE-LA while also completing a substantial portion of their CME requirement. Review the current NCCPA CME requirements before planning your individual certification cycle.

The Add-On Is Paid and Changes the Total Charge

At checkout, you may select an Amazon or Apple Gift Card add-on. Available options range from $100 to $1,500. The add-on amount is added to the $499.99 course price.

For example:

• $499.99 course + $100 add-on = $599.99 total
• $499.99 course + $300 add-on = $799.99 total
• $499.99 course + $500 add-on = $999.99 total
• $499.99 course + $1,000 add-on = $1,499.99 total
• $499.99 course + $1,500 add-on = $1,999.99 total

The gift card does not add CME hours. The educational activity provides the CME. The gift card is a separate paid component of the package.

Amazon Gift Cards are processed by email within approximately 2–3 business days. Apple Gift Cards are also processed by email within approximately 2–3 business days. The product page states that gift card packages are nonrefundable after purchase.

CME Allowance Worksheet: Match the Tier to Your Remaining Balance

Use the table below to estimate the largest practical add-on tier for several common remaining allowance amounts. The calculations assume that your employer permits reimbursement of the complete package.

Remaining CME allowance	Suggested add-on tier	Course plus add-on	Approximate unused balance
$600	$100	$599.99	$0.01
$750	$200	$699.99	$50.01
$1,000	$500	$999.99	$0.01
$1,250	$700	$1,199.99	$50.01
$1,500	$1,000	$1,499.99	$0.01
$2,000	$1,500	$1,999.99	$0.01

These are budgeting examples, not reimbursement recommendations. If you have $750 remaining, selecting the $300 add-on would create a $799.99 total and exceed the allowance by $49.99. You would need to confirm whether your employer permits partial personal payment or choose the $200 tier instead.

Amazon also lists a $150 option. Apple and Amazon availability may differ by tier, so verify the choices shown at checkout.

If your remaining balance is less than $499.99, the base course itself exceeds that allowance. In that situation, ask whether your organization permits split funding, a new benefit year, or another approved payment method. Do not select an add-on to solve a base-price shortfall.

Questions to Ask Your CME Administrator

Employer policies determine whether a CME package with a paid gift card add-on is reimbursable. There is no universal rule requiring an employer to cover the add-on.

Before ordering, ask:

1. Is an AAPA Category 1 CME activity eligible under my CME benefit?
2. Is the full course package eligible, or will the organization cover only the educational portion?
3. Are gift cards, cash equivalents, or personal-use items excluded?
4. Does the allowance need to be spent by a specific date?
5. Can unused funds carry over into the next benefit year?
6. Is advance approval required for an online enduring CME activity?
7. Can the organization reimburse the full amount when a paid add-on is included?
8. Is there a maximum amount per course or per transaction?
9. What documentation is required for approval and reimbursement?
10. Could the gift card portion be treated as a taxable benefit under organizational policy?

Obtain the answer before purchase, preferably through the normal administrative process used by your employer. A course being accredited for AAPA Category 1 CME does not automatically make every bundled component eligible under your employment agreement.

If your policy excludes gift cards, purchase the PANRE Review Course without an add-on or use a payment method permitted by your employer. Do not describe the gift card portion as CME. It provides no CME credit.

Plan the Purchase Around Your Certification Cycle

The 30-month access period allows you to use the course across a longer preparation and CME-planning window. A practical schedule is:

• At the beginning of the cycle: Confirm your required CME hours and the amount of Category 1 credit you need.
• Several months before the allowance deadline: Check the remaining dollar balance and any carryover rules.
• Before checkout: Match the paid add-on tier to the available allowance and confirm eligibility.
• During the access period: Use the system’s question modules and performance data to identify weak clinical areas.
• At completion: Complete the post-test and evaluation, then claim only the CME credit supported by your participation.

The PANRE Review Course can support both exam preparation and CME planning, but you remain responsible for confirming your NCCPA requirements, employer rules, and any state-specific requirements that apply to you.

PANRE-Style Practice Question

Clinical Vignette

Your patient is a 54-year-old man who is 5 days status post total knee arthroplasty. He develops sudden dyspnea and pleuritic chest pain. His BP is 82/50 mm Hg, HR is 126/min, RR is 30/min, and SaO₂ is 86% on room air. Bedside echocardiography demonstrates acute right ventricular dilation. There is no history of recent intracranial hemorrhage or other major bleeding contraindication.

Which of the following is the most appropriate next step?

A. CT pulmonary angiography before treatment
B. Intravenous unfractionated heparin alone
C. Systemic thrombolytic therapy
D. Placement of an inferior vena cava filter
E. Oral apixaban

Correct Answer: C. Systemic thrombolytic therapy

This patient has a high-risk pulmonary embolism with hypotension, hypoxemia, tachycardia, and acute RV strain. Systemic thrombolysis is indicated when there is hemodynamic instability and no major contraindication. Stabilization and reperfusion take priority over confirmatory CT imaging.

CT pulmonary angiography may be appropriate in a stable patient, but delaying treatment in a patient with shock increases risk. Heparin alone, an IVC filter, and oral apixaban do not provide adequate immediate reperfusion for unstable PE. Catheter-directed therapy or surgical embolectomy may be considered when thrombolysis is contraindicated or unsuccessful.

Study Tip: Use PAtopia for Additional PA Exam Practice

If you are comparing pance prep courses or building a study routine for PA school examinations, PAtopia PA Student Exam Prep provides browser-based preparation for the PANCE, PACKRAT, EOC, and all seven EOR exams.

PAtopia is separate from the PANRE Review Course and does not provide the 100 Category 1 AAPA credits discussed in this article. It is an exam-preparation resource for PA students.

• PAtopia on the web
• PAtopia for iOS on the Apple App Store
• PAtopia for Android on Google Play

Who Can Claim the Credit?

The PANRE Review Course is designed primarily for physician assistants and provides up to 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA CME upon completion of the applicable course requirements.

Nurse practitioners should verify acceptance with their state board of nursing before purchase. AAPA Category 1 credit acceptance for NP licensure or certification maintenance varies by state and employer.

Physicians may find the clinical content useful, but physicians generally count this activity as Category 2 CME, not Category 1 CME. Confirm classification with your licensing or credentialing organization.

Author and EEAT Information

Jeremy Boroff, MPAS, PA-C
Jeremy Boroff has 24 years of Emergency Medicine experience and serves as an educator and the founder of CME Review Courses. His educational content is written for practicing clinicians and PA students preparing for certification, recertification, and clinical examinations.

Start Your Budget Review

If your employer permits the full package and your remaining allowance matches the total, review the available CME gift cards and choose the appropriate paid add-on tier.

View the PANRE Review Course with Gift Card options

CME Review Courses is not affiliated with or endorsed by NCCPA, Amazon, or Apple. PANRE, PANRE-LA, and PANCE are trademarks of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

If you are preparing for PANRE recertification, your study plan affects more than your exam score. It also affects how efficiently you use your CME budget, how many Category 1 AAPA credits you earn, and whether you need to purchase additional activities later.

The PANRE Review Course with Gift Card is designed to combine exam preparation with CME completion.

Key course details:

• Price: $499.99 for the PANRE Review Course
• Access: 30 months
• CME: Up to 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME
• Practice content: More than 2,500 PANRE review questions
• Full-length practice exams: Five 240-question exams, or 1,200 questions total
• Format: Online, self-paced review with explanations, cited sources, study materials, and performance tracking
• Optional add-ons: Paid Amazon or Apple Gift Card add-ons from $100 to $1,500

The 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA credit apply specifically to the PANRE Review Course. They do not apply to the Pharmacology Course. The Pharmacology Course is a separate activity worth up to 12.5 hours of Category 1 AAPA CME.

Mistake 1: Choosing PANCE Prep Courses When You Need PANRE Review

PANCE and PANRE serve different purposes.

PANCE prep courses are designed primarily for PA students preparing for initial certification after graduation. Resources such as PAtopia focus on the PACKRAT, End of Rotation exams, End of Curriculum exam, and PANCE.

PANRE is different. It is the recertification examination for practicing PAs maintaining NCCPA certification. Your preparation should reflect the clinical breadth, question style, and adult-learning needs of a practicing clinician.

Using the wrong resource can cost you weeks of study time. It can also cause you to spend your CME allowance on a product that does not provide the 100 Category 1 AAPA credits you were trying to earn.

The PANRE Review Course is built for practicing PAs preparing for PANRE or PANRE-LA. It covers the clinical areas identified in the NCCPA Blueprint and pairs review questions with CME completion.

Mistake 2: Treating a Question Bank as a Complete Course

A question bank can identify knowledge gaps, but a short question bank may not provide enough coverage for a comprehensive recertification plan.

A complete PANRE review should give you:

• Questions across all major organ systems and task areas
• Multiple full-length practice examinations
• Explanations that clarify why the correct option is correct
• Sources for further review
• A method for tracking weak areas
• Sufficient access time to study around clinical practice

The PANRE Review Course includes more than 2,500 board-style questions, including five full-length 240-question practice exams. The full-length exams allow you to evaluate pacing and endurance rather than simply completing short question blocks.

That distinction matters. If you purchase several disconnected resources, you may spend more money while still lacking a structured review plan. You may also finish with fewer Category 1 credits than expected.

Mistake 3: Waiting Until the End of the CME Cycle

Many PAs postpone both PANRE preparation and CME completion until the final months of a certification cycle. That creates two separate problems:

1. You have less time to address weak clinical areas.
2. You may need to purchase additional CME at the last minute.

NCCPA states that PAs must earn and log 100 CME credits during each two-year cycle, including at least 50 Category 1 credits. Always verify your individual certification timeline and requirements directly with NCCPA’s continuing medical education guidance.

A 30-month access period gives you room to start earlier, study in stages, and use the same course throughout a broader portion of your maintenance cycle. You can begin with a diagnostic exam, build a system-based study schedule, and repeat practice exams as your test date approaches.

The course also allows you to use one purchase for both education and CME planning. Complete the required activity components, pass the post-test as directed, and complete the evaluation to claim the credit you actually earn.

Mistake 4: Assuming the Gift Card Is Free

The Amazon and Apple options are paid add-ons, not free gifts included at no charge.

The base PANRE Review Course is currently listed at $499.99. If you select an add-on, the total is calculated as follows:

• $499.99 course + $100 Amazon Gift Card = $599.99 total
• $499.99 course + $500 Apple Gift Card = $999.99 total
• $499.99 course + $1,500 Amazon Gift Card = $1,999.99 total

The available add-on amounts range from $100 to $1,500, depending on the Amazon or Apple option selected at checkout. The add-on increases the total purchase price by its face value.

This structure can help you use available CME funds for a substantial educational purchase, but you should confirm your employer’s CME spending rules before selecting an add-on. The educational value remains the course itself: 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA CME, 2,500-plus questions, five full-length exams, and 30 months of access.

Mistake 5: Confusing the PANRE Course With the Pharmacology Course

The courses have different credit amounts and different purposes.

The PANRE Review Course provides up to 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA CME and is focused on broad clinical review for PANRE and PANRE-LA preparation.

The separate Pharmacology CME Review Course provides up to 12.5 hours of Category 1 AAPA CME and focuses on medication classes, mechanisms, dosing, interactions, adverse effects, and prescribing.

Do not add the two credit amounts together when describing either individual course. The 100-hour credit applies specifically to the PANRE Review Course. The Pharmacology Course provides up to 12.5 hours.

Physicians may find the clinical content useful, but they should confirm how the activity applies to their own CME requirements. Nurse practitioner acceptance of AAPA Category 1 credit can vary by state, certification organization, and employer. Verify eligibility before purchase.

Practice Question: PANRE-Style Clinical Reasoning

Your patient is a 68-year-old man with a history of hypertension and chronic kidney disease who presents with 2 hours of substernal chest pressure and diaphoresis. HR is 104/min, BP is 156/92 mm Hg, and SaO₂ is 96% on room air. ECG demonstrates ST-segment elevations in leads II, III, and aVF. You administer aspirin, establish IV access, and activate the cardiac catheterization team. Which additional medication should be given immediately unless contraindicated?

A. Warfarin
B. Clopidogrel
C. Digoxin
D. Furosemide
E. Amiodarone

Correct answer: B. Clopidogrel

Clopidogrel provides additional platelet inhibition as part of dual antiplatelet therapy for acute STEMI management when PCI is planned. Warfarin is not the immediate antithrombotic choice for STEMI. Digoxin and furosemide do not treat the acute coronary occlusion. Amiodarone is reserved for selected arrhythmias, not routine initial STEMI management.

The point of a PANRE review question is not only to identify the correct drug. You should also connect the presentation, ECG findings, emergency treatment sequence, contraindications, and definitive management. That is the type of integrated reasoning required across a broad recertification review.

A Practical Study Plan That Protects Your CME Budget

Start by completing one diagnostic block without looking at the explanations. Record your score by clinical area. Then:

1. Identify your three weakest systems.
2. Review the relevant study material before repeating questions.
3. Complete full-length exams under timed conditions.
4. Read every explanation, including explanations for questions you answered correctly.
5. Track missed concepts rather than only tracking percentage scores.
6. Complete the CME evaluation and required post-test steps before the end of your access period.

If you are a PA student rather than a practicing PA preparing for recertification, use the separate PAtopia web resource. PAtopia covers student examinations, including PANCE preparation, and is separate from the PANRE CME activity. It does not provide the 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA CME associated with the PANRE Review Course.

You can also study through the PAtopia iOS app or PAtopia Android app.

Use One PANRE Review Course for Exam Preparation and CME Planning

The most expensive PANRE mistake is often not choosing the wrong answer. It is purchasing disconnected resources, delaying preparation, and using CME dollars without confirming what credit the activity provides.

The PANRE Review Course with Gift Card gives practicing PAs a single, structured option: up to 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA CME, more than 2,500 questions, five full-length practice exams, and 30 months of access.

Amazon and Apple cme gift cards can be selected as paid add-ons from $100 to $1,500. Review the total price before checkout and confirm that the purchase fits your employer’s CME policy.

Author

Jeremy Boroff, MPAS, PA-C, is the founder of CME Review Courses. He has 24 years of Emergency Medicine experience and develops clinical review resources for physician assistants preparing for certification, recertification, and continuing medical education.

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.

Quick Course Facts: 100 AAPA Category 1 CME Credits

The PANRE Review Course is the Category 1 AAPA credit course.

• Price: $499.99
• Access: 30 months
• CME: Up to 100 AAPA Category 1 CME credits
• Credit-bearing component: PANRE Clinical Review Module
• Practice content: More than 2,500 board-style questions, including five full-length 240-question practice examinations
• Audience: Practicing PAs preparing for the PANRE or PANRE-LA and completing CME requirements

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.

What AAPA Category 1 Credit Actually Means

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:

1. A recognized CME sponsor or accrediting organization.
2. An identified educational purpose and target audience.
3. Clinical or professional learning objectives.
4. An assessment, evaluation, or other activity requirements.
5. A stated credit designation.
6. Documentation showing the activity title, provider, sponsor, and number of credits.

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.

How Many CME Hours Do PAs Need?

For NCCPA certification maintenance, PAs must earn:

• 100 total CME credits every two-year cycle
• At least 50 Category 1 CME credits
• The remaining credits may generally be Category 1 or Category 2, subject to NCCPA rules

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:

• Your NCCPA earning window and certification requirements.
• The medical licensing rules in every state where you hold a license.

The AAPA CME FAQ explains the NCCPA maintenance requirements and provides links to state licensing information.

How Category 1 Credit Is Earned and Logged

The process is straightforward, but accuracy matters.

1. Confirm the credit designation before enrolling

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.

2. Complete the provider’s requirements

Depending on the activity, this may include:

• Reviewing the educational material.
• Completing a post-test.
• Meeting a minimum passing score.
• Completing an evaluation.
• Participating in required sections of the activity.

For the PANRE Clinical Review Module, completion requirements include the course content, post-test, and evaluation.

3. Record the activity with NCCPA

When logging CME, you will typically need:

• Program title.
• Provider.
• Sponsor or accrediting organization.
• Number of credits.
• Completion date.
• Credit type.

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.

4. Keep your documentation

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.

Category 1 Versus Category 2

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.

Where the 100-Credit PANRE Course Fits

The CME Review Courses catalog currently includes 14 courses with 468.75 total AAPA Category 1 credits at the program level.

The catalog spans:

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

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 and Nurse Practitioners: Do AAPA Credits Count?

Physicians

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.

Nurse Practitioners

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:

1. Your state board of nursing.
2. Your national certifying organization.
3. Your employer or credentialing department.

Do not assume that an AAPA designation will transfer automatically to your NP renewal requirement.

Important: Gift Card Add-Ons Are Paid Add-Ons

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:

• Paid add-ons selected at checkout
• Included as an additional cost in the purchase total
• Separate from the CME activity
• Not free gifts
• Not rebates
• Not additional CME credits

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.

Practice Question

Clinical Vignette

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

Answer

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.

A Practical Verification Checklist

Before logging any CME activity, confirm:

• Is the course specifically designated for AAPA Category 1 CME?
• How many credits apply to the exact module you completed?
• Are there post-test or evaluation requirements?
• Does the activity fall within your current NCCPA earning window?
• Does your state board accept the credit for license renewal?
• If you are a physician or NP, does your board accept the credit type?
• Have you retained the completion documentation?

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.

Student CTA: PAtopia for PANCE Prep Courses

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:

• PAtopia web platform
• PAtopia on iOS
• PAtopia on Android

Use the PANRE Review Course for practicing-PA recertification preparation and CME. Use PAtopia for PA-student exam preparation and question practice.

EEAT Author Box

About the Author

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.

Start With the Course Logistics

If you want one resource to support both recertification preparation and your CME plan, the PANRE Review Course with Gift Card includes:

• Price: $499.99 without a gift card add-on
• Access: 30 months
• Practice: More than 2,500 board-style practice questions
• Five full-length 240-question practice exams: 1,200 full-length exam questions
• Detailed rationales and cited references
• Up to 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME
• Online, self-paced, and mobile-friendly

The 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME apply to the PANRE Review Course only. They are not attributed to the Pharmacology Course.

The CME Cycle Should Drive Your Exam Plan

NCCPA certification maintenance is organized around five two-year CME cycles within a 10-year certification period. During each two-year cycle, you must earn and log the required CME and complete the appropriate recertification pathway by the end of the 10-year period.

The exam format you choose changes when and how you prepare, but it does not eliminate the need to plan CME independently. You must continue meeting CME requirements whether you select traditional PANRE or PANRE-LA.

The practical question is not simply, “Which exam is easier?” It is:

Which assessment format fits your work schedule, study habits, and CME budget over the next several years?

Traditional PANRE: Concentrated Preparation in Years 9 or 10

The traditional PANRE is a single, proctored examination administered at a Pearson VUE testing center. You may take it in year 9 or year 10 of your certification maintenance cycle.

Key logistical details include:

• Four 60-question blocks
• 60 minutes for each block
• 240 questions total
• Closed-book testing environment
• Pearson VUE test center administration
• $350 NCCPA application fee

This format concentrates the assessment into one testing event. Your preparation may also become concentrated: many PAs begin a structured review several months before the exam, then use practice exams to evaluate pacing, endurance, and knowledge gaps.

The financial advantage is predictability. You pay the NCCPA application fee and separately plan for review resources and CME. The disadvantage is that the exam is close to the end of the 10-year cycle, so delaying preparation can create avoidable pressure.

For a traditional PANRE candidate, a 30-month course-access period can cover the final portion of year 8, year 9, and much of year 10. That allows you to complete CME during an active two-year cycle while also building toward the exam.

PANRE-LA: Ongoing Assessment Beginning in Year 7

PANRE-LA is an online longitudinal assessment completed through the NCCPA portal. You apply in year 6 and begin participation in year 7.

Its structure is distributed over time:

• 25 questions per quarter
• Five minutes per question
• Open-book use of printed or online references
• A minimum of eight completed quarters
• Up to 12 quarters available
• Final performance based on the best eight quarters
• Immediate feedback, explanations, and references
• $350 NCCPA application fee

The assessment is administered across years 7 through 9. You must still participate in at least one quarter in year 7 and one quarter in year 8. If you do not pass by the end of the available PANRE-LA quarters, NCCPA provides a pathway to take traditional PANRE in year 10.

PANRE-LA also awards Category 1 Self-Assessment CME for completed quarters. That credit is separate from the up to 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME earned through the PANRE Review Course. Do not treat PANRE-LA self-assessment credit and course CME as the same activity.

How to Build the Budget Around Each Format

If You Choose Traditional PANRE

A practical budget may include:

1. The $350 PANRE application fee in year 9 or 10.
2. A review course purchased during the final 30 months before the exam.
3. CME completed during the applicable two-year cycle.
4. Travel or scheduling costs associated with the Pearson VUE appointment, if applicable.

The PANRE Review Course can consolidate the education portion of this plan. It provides up to 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME, more than 2,500 practice questions, five 240-question practice exams, detailed rationales, and cited references.

You do not need to wait until year 9 to use it. Starting earlier allows you to distribute practice questions across several quarters rather than attempting to complete the material in a short period.

If You Choose PANRE-LA

A PANRE-LA budget should account for:

1. The $350 PANRE-LA application fee in year 6.
2. CME needs during years 7, 8, and 9.
3. A longitudinal study system that can support quarterly review.
4. Continued clinical reading and practice between assessment windows.

Because PANRE-LA provides immediate feedback and references, it functions partly as an assessment and partly as a learning activity. However, it does not replace a comprehensive review plan. The PANRE Review Course can provide the broader clinical review needed across cardiovascular, pulmonary, GI, neurologic, infectious disease, endocrine, musculoskeletal, psychiatric, reproductive, and other NCCPA Blueprint categories.

The course’s 30-month access period is useful for PANRE-LA candidates because it overlaps multiple quarters. You can use the question bank to identify weak areas before a quarter begins, then review rationales and references after completing the NCCPA questions.

Planning Around Paid CME Gift Card Add-Ons

The PANRE Review Course is available without an add-on for $499.99. At checkout, you may choose a paid Amazon or Apple Gift Card add-on from $100 to $1,500.

These are not free gifts. The selected gift card amount is added to the purchase price. For example, a $100 add-on produces a total course purchase of $599.99 before any applicable taxes or other charges.

The add-on does not increase the CME awarded. The PANRE Review Course remains eligible for up to 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME, based on completion requirements and actual participation.

The purpose of the option is to direct part of an available CME allowance toward educational technology and clinical references. Depending on your employer’s policy, an Apple add-on may support a tablet or mobile study workflow, while an Amazon add-on may be used toward books, clinical references, or other approved professional resources. Confirm eligible expenses with your employer.

Clinical Practice Question

Your patient is a 42-year-old woman who presents to the emergency department with sudden pleuritic chest pain and dyspnea. She is five days status post total knee arthroplasty. She has mild right calf swelling and no history of chronic lung disease.

Vital signs:

• HR: 118 bpm
• BP: 132/78 mmHg
• RR: 26/min
• SaO2: 88% on room air
• Temp: 37.1°C

She is alert and has no active bleeding. Her creatinine is normal.

Which is the most appropriate next diagnostic step?

A. D-dimer assay
B. CT pulmonary angiography
C. Bilateral lower-extremity radiographs
D. Immediate outpatient follow-up
E. Sputum culture

Correct answer: B. CT pulmonary angiography.

Explanation: CT pulmonary angiography is the appropriate next diagnostic test for a hemodynamically stable patient with a high clinical suspicion for pulmonary embolism and no contraindication to iodinated contrast. A D-dimer is not useful when pretest probability is high. Lower-extremity imaging may identify DVT but does not directly evaluate the suspected pulmonary embolus. Outpatient management and sputum culture are inappropriate for this presentation.

Study Tip: Use Short, Repeated Review Sessions

Whether you select PANRE-LA or traditional PANRE, use active recall instead of passive rereading. A practical weekly routine is:

• Complete a defined set of board-style questions.
• Review every incorrect answer and every answer reached by guessing.
• Record the diagnosis, next best step, and key exclusion point.
• Revisit the topic several days later.
• Complete a timed block periodically to monitor pacing.

For additional PA exam practice, use PAtopia on the web, the PAtopia iOS app, or the PAtopia Android app. The same active-recall approach used in PANCE prep courses applies to PANRE preparation: answer first, then study the rationale.

Bottom Line

Traditional PANRE is a concentrated, closed-book assessment in years 9 or 10. PANRE-LA is an open-book, quarterly assessment beginning in year 7 after application in year 6. Both require continued CME planning, and both use the same broad NCCPA clinical content framework.

The PANRE Review Course gives you 30 months of access, more than 2,500 practice questions, five full-length practice exams, cited rationales, and up to 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME. That makes it useful whether you are budgeting for a single traditional exam or building a multi-quarter PANRE-LA study plan.

Review the PANRE Review Course with paid Amazon or Apple Gift Card add-ons.

Physicians can use the clinical content, but AAPA Category 1 credit is not automatically Category 1 physician CME. Nurse practitioners should confirm acceptance with their state board and employer before purchasing.

About the Author

Jeremy Boroff, MPAS, PA-C, has 24 years of Emergency Medicine experience and works as a PA educator, author, and CME developer. He is the founder of CME Review Courses and develops clinical review content for PANRE, PANCE, EOR, and specialty CME education.

Educational content is provided for exam preparation and professional education. Verify current certification, CME, and examination requirements directly with NCCPA and your licensing or certifying organization.

If your employer provides a fixed annual CME allowance, the most useful question may not be “What course should I buy?” It may be: How should I allocate the CME dollars I already have before the spending deadline?

A PANRE review course can address the educational requirement while giving you the option to add an Amazon or Apple gift card in a tier that matches your remaining budget. The add-on is not a free gift or a rebate. It is a paid addition to the course purchase, and it increases the total amount charged.

Course Details at a Glance

• Base price: $499.99
• Access: 30 months
• CME: Up to 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA credit through the PANRE Review Course
• Practice content: 2,500+ board-style questions and five full-length 240-question practice exams
• Gift card add-ons: Amazon or Apple options from $100 to $1,500
• Delivery: Online, self-paced, and mobile-friendly

The 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA credit apply specifically to the PANRE Review Course. They do not apply to the separate Pharmacology course. Complete the required course content, post-test, and evaluation before claiming credit, and report only the amount you actually complete.

How the Gift Card Add-On Fits Into Your Budget

The simplest way to use the option is to begin with your approved CME balance, then subtract the base course price.

For example:

Remaining CME budget	Base course	Possible add-on	Approximate total
$600	$499.99	$100 card	$599.99
$1,000	$499.99	$500 card	$999.99
$2,000	$499.99	$1,500 card	$1,999.99

These totals are before any applicable taxes or fees. The selected Amazon or Apple card is added to the course price at checkout.

The gift card is not free. A $100 gift card adds $100 to the purchase. A $1,500 gift card adds $1,500. The card does not provide CME credit; the educational activity provides the CME.

Before purchasing, confirm that your employer allows this type of bundled educational expense. Employer policies differ. Some organizations approve online review courses but may have separate rules about add-ons, reimbursement limits, or eligible vendors.

A Practical Three-Step Spending Plan

1. Confirm your remaining allowance and deadline

Check your current CME balance, spending deadline, and reimbursement rules. If your funds expire at the end of a calendar year, do not wait until the final days to determine whether a purchase is eligible.

Ask your CME administrator:

• What is my remaining annual allowance?
• When do funds expire?
• Are online review courses eligible?
• Are bundled add-ons permitted?
• Is there a maximum purchase amount?
• Does the purchase need prior approval?

The PANRE Review Course is designed for practicing PAs preparing for the traditional PANRE or PANRE-LA. It can also function as a structured clinical review across cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, neurologic, infectious disease, endocrine, renal, dermatologic, psychiatric, and other systems.

2. Protect the educational portion of the purchase

The primary reason to use CME funds should be the educational activity. The PANRE Review Course provides up to 100 Category 1 AAPA hours, 30 months of access, and a large question-based review library.

The gift card should be treated as a separate budget decision. If your allowance is $600, the $100 option may fit. If you have approximately $1,000 available, the $500 option may use more of the approved amount. If you have $2,000 remaining, the $1,500 option may bring the total close to that limit.

Do not select the largest card automatically. Select the amount that matches your approved balance and your organization’s policy.

3. Use the 30-month access period deliberately

Thirty months gives you time to use the course over a longer study cycle rather than compressing all preparation into one week.

A practical sequence is:

• Month 1: Complete a baseline question block and identify weak systems.
• Months 2–6: Review missed concepts and work through targeted modules.
• Months 7–18: Complete additional question sets and track recurring errors.
• Months 19–27: Take full-length practice exams under timed conditions.
• Months 28–30: Perform focused remediation before the PANRE or PANRE-LA.

The goal is not simply to accumulate questions. The goal is to identify whether each missed item reflects a knowledge deficit, a failure to interpret the vignette, or an incorrect next-step decision.

How This Compares With Other Exam-Preparation Products

When comparing a PANRE review course with PANCE prep courses or other question banks, separate the products by purpose.

A PANCE resource is designed primarily for PA students and recent graduates preparing for initial certification. A PANRE resource is designed for certified PAs preparing for recertification. Some clinical concepts overlap, but the exam context and study priorities are different.

Compare each product on:

1. Exam alignment: PANRE, PANRE-LA, PANCE, or another assessment.
2. Question format: Number of answer choices and question structure.
3. Practice volume: Total questions and full-length exams.
4. Access period: Whether you can use the material across your study timeline.
5. CME value: Whether the activity offers recognized credit.
6. Budget structure: Base price, add-on cost, and employer eligibility.

For additional short practice blocks, PAtopia is a separate PA student exam-preparation resource. The PAtopia web version and its iOS app and Android app provide access to PANCE, PACKRAT, EOR, and EOC review content. PAtopia does not provide the 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA credit associated with the PANRE Review Course.

Clinical Practice Question

Vignette

Your patient is a 68-year-old man with fever, dysuria, and left flank pain. He is confused and appears ill. Vital signs are T 39.2°C, HR 124/min, BP 84/52 mm Hg, RR 26/min, and SaO₂ 94% on room air. Laboratory testing shows WBC 19,000/mm³ and lactate 4.6 mmol/L. You administer broad-spectrum IV antibiotics and 30 mL/kg of crystalloid. His MAP remains 58 mm Hg.

Which of the following is the next best intervention?

A. Administer IV furosemide
B. Begin a norepinephrine infusion
C. Administer another dose of broad-spectrum antibiotics
D. Start dopamine as first-line vasopressor therapy
E. Obtain CT angiography of the chest

Answer and Explanation

B. Begin a norepinephrine infusion.

This patient has septic shock with persistent hypotension after initial fluid resuscitation. Norepinephrine is the first-line vasopressor to restore vascular tone and maintain a MAP of approximately 65 mm Hg or greater.

Furosemide would worsen effective circulating volume. Additional antibiotics should not delay hemodynamic support. Dopamine is not preferred because it produces more tachyarrhythmias than norepinephrine. CT angiography does not address the immediate shock state.

For PANRE preparation, identify the syndrome first, then determine whether the question is testing diagnosis, initial treatment, or the next management step. In unstable patients, stabilization takes priority over nonessential diagnostic testing.

Important Policy and Credit Notes

The PANRE Review Course with Gift Card option combines clinical review, practice questions, Category 1 AAPA credit, and optional paid add-ons.

Keep these distinctions clear:

• The PANRE Review Course provides up to 100 hours of Category 1 AAPA credit.
• The gift card does not provide CME credit.
• Amazon and Apple gift cards are optional paid add-ons.
• Add-on amounts range from $100 to $1,500.
• The add-on increases the total purchase price.
• The course provides 30 months of access.
• Nurse practitioners should verify whether their state board accepts AAPA Category 1 credit for their specific renewal requirements.
• Physicians should confirm how this activity applies to their own CME requirements; AAPA Category 1 designation is intended for PAs.

Gift cards are generally processed and delivered by email within approximately two to three business days. Review the current product terms and confirm your employer’s requirements before placing the order.

Use Your CME Funds Intentionally

The most efficient approach is straightforward: determine your approved balance, purchase the educational resource you need, and select an Amazon or Apple add-on only if the resulting total fits your employer’s policy and your remaining allowance.

To review the current course details, visit CME Review Courses. For PA student preparation, explore the PAtopia web version, iOS app, or Android app.

Author Credentials

Jeremy Boroff, MPAS, PA-C, has 24 years of Emergency Medicine experience and is an educator, medical education author, and founder of CME Review Courses. He develops clinical review content and board-style practice materials for physician assistants, including PANRE preparation and Category 1 AAPA CME activities.

CME Review Courses is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NCCPA, Amazon, or Apple. PANRE®, PANRE-LA®, and PANCE® are trademarks of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.