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Physician Assistants must complete a total of 100 Continuing medical education (CME) course hours during the previous two years or documentation that the licensee is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) at the time of renewal. A minimum of 50 hours must be Category I and approved by the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education ( ACCME) the American Osteopathic Association Council on Continuing Medical Education (AOACCME) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFA).

You may contact the AMA for approved CME providers at (312) 464-2500, ext. 4952 or visit their website at www.ama-assn.org . You may contact the AAPA for approved CME providers at (703) 836-2272 or visit their website at www.aapa.org.

Initial Licensure
  A Two (2) hours in Prevention of Medical Errors
First Renewal
 

Ninety-seven (97) hours of general CME or current NCCPA certification which can substitute for the 97 general CME courses, plus

A one (1) hour course of category I, AMA approved, HIV/AIDS, plus

A two (2) hour course in Preventing Medical Errors

All Subsequent Renewals
 

Ninety-eight (98) hours of general CME, or current NCCPA certification which can substitute for the 98 general CME courses,  plus

A two (2) hour course in Preventing Medical Errors.

Every 3rd Biennium – All Physician Assistants
 

In addition to the CME requirements for all subsequent renewals, every 3rd renewal you must complete a two (2) hour course in Domestic Violence.

NOTE: PA’s renewing on January 31, 2008 will be required to complete a two (2) hour course in Domestic Violence during the prior two years before renewing in 2012.
Prescribing Physicians Assistants
  In addition to the above, ten (10) hours of CME in each specialty area of the supervising physician must be completed.  These hours are inclusive of the general CME hours.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
 
If you are attesting to completion of 100 hours CME for renewal, the CME coursework must be completed, between February 1 of the even year through January 31 of the next even year. Licensees should not submit CME documentation unless requested by staff for purposes of an audit.

End-of-Life Care and Palliative Care can no longer be completed in lieu of the HIV/AIDS or Domestic Violence courses.

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Continuing Education Providers

The following are organizations approved as continuing education providers:

The American Medical Association (AMA) - 312-464-5000 - Information on locating activities (pdf - 13kb) certified for AMA PRA category 1 credit, including live events, internet, and self-study materials
The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) - 703-836-2272
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) - 800-621-1773
The Accreditation Council on Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).

Links are provided as general information for visitors to this site. The Department of Health has not formally evaluated the information provided in these linked sites and their inclusion does not constitute an endorsement of any organization.


How To Become a Continuing Education Provider

To become an approved continuing education provider for physician assistants, contact the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) for provider approval at (678) 417-8100 or the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) at 515 N. State St., Ste 1801, Chicago, IL 60654, (312) 527-9200, www.accme.org.