Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) Requirements

What is the PANCE?

The Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) is a standardized exam required for physician assistant certification in the United States. It is administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) and assesses medical and surgical knowledge essential for entry-level physician assistants.

Eligibility Requirements

• Graduate from an ARC-PA Accredited Program: To be eligible, you must have successfully completed a PA program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
• Register with the NCCPA: Create an account and register for the exam on the NCCPA website.
• Pay the Exam Fee: The PANCE exam fee is $550. Payment is required when you register.

Exam Format

The PANCE is a computer-based exam consisting of 300 multiple-choice questions. It is divided into five blocks of 60 questions, with 60 minutes allotted for each block. There is a total testing time of five hours, plus scheduled breaks between blocks.

Scheduling Your Exam

• Testing Windows: You can take the PANCE up to 180 days after completing your PA program. The earliest you can schedule the exam is 7 days after your program completion date.
• Prometric Centers: The PANCE is administered at Prometric testing centers nationwide. Schedule your exam online through the NCCPA account portal.

Preparing for the PANCE

Proper preparation is essential for success. Consider using a comprehensive prep course, like those offered by ContinueEdge, which provide practice questions, study guides, and exam simulations tailored to the PANCE blueprint.

Scoring and Retakes

The PANCE is scored on a scale of 200 to 800, with a minimum passing score of 350. If you don’t pass on your first attempt, you can retake the exam up to six times within six years of graduation. Retakes can be scheduled every 90 days.