Continuing Education and the Physician Assistant Group 3

Life-Time Learner What is a life-time learner? Resources available Recertification Issues

What is a life-time learner? According to Bob McNellis, MPH, PA-C of the AAPA, “Life-long learning is a basic tenet for any discipline which deals with a large body of knowledge that is constantly changing. Do you think you are going to learn everything there is to know about medicine in two years? No, of course you don't. That's why spending a good portion of your time in a PA program learning how to learn is as important as gaining fund of knowledge and clinical skills. In addition, unless you know how to continue to learn after you graduate your knowledge and skills will be nearly useless in just a few years. Do you think hypertension or diabetes is treated the same way it was five years ago? Probably not, that's why life-long learning is so important.”

Resources available to PA’s AAPA Continuing Medical Education (CME) National Commission on Certification of PA’s Joining the PAEA Journals Online Resources

Membership to AAPA JAAPA Join AAPA chapters Attend annual AAPA conferences

Continuing Medical Education (CME) Attend live programs Receive home study materials Annual CME conference CME post tests

Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) Involved in all aspects of PA education Pa educational programs and faculty development

Journals & Online Resources JAAPA Job placement Education opportunities Membership websites: – – –

Recertification Issues PANRE exam taken every 5-6 years Given 2 times a year Issues surrounding: –Discrimination against specialty PA encompasses –Leave of Absence –Failure of Exam –Alternative options ; Pathway II Exam