CME Credit
To be eligible to earn CME credit during AAPA 2020, you must be a PA or have graduated from an accredited PA program. Sessions (lectures, Small Interactive Sessions (SIS), Fast 15 sessions, and Workshops) with CME numbers (e.g., N20###) are eligible for AAPA Category 1 CME credit.

CME Information
With more than 250 hours of Category 1 CME in 46 therapeutic categories at AAPA 2020, you’ll find everything you need to keep your clinical skills sharp. Choose from Small Interactive Sessions (SIS), Workshops, Fast 15 (quick updates on changes to clinical guidelines) and traditional lectures to earn up to 32 hours of CME in less than a week.

AAPA Accreditation Statement
AAPA has reviewed and approved the CME programs during the conference for AAPA Category 1 CME or AAPA Category 1 Self-Assessment CME credit hours as indicated. PAs should claim only those hours actually spent participating in the CME activity.

These programs were planned in accordance with AAPA’s CME Standards for Live Programs and for Commercial Support of Live Programs.

For NCCPA certification maintenance ONLY, NCCPA will now apply an additional 50% weighting when these self-assessment credits are logged for NCCPA certification maintenance purposes. PAs should log up to a maximum of Total Credits Earned (see credits on certificate) of AAPA Category 1 Self-Assessment CME credits, as the additional weighting will be automatically applied by NCCPA.

CME lectures, Small Interactive Sessions (SIS), Fast 15 sessions, and Workshops that have CME numbers (ex. N20###) are eligible for AAPA Category 1 CME or AAPA Category 1 Self-Assessment CME credit. Check the Conference Scheduler or AAPA app for sessions that carry self-assessment credit.

Athletic Trainer Credit
AAPA is not offering ATC credits this year.

Attendance at CME Sessions
No guests, including infants and children, will be admitted to CME sessions at AAPA 2020. CME sessions are professional education activities and some content may be inappropriate for infants and/or children.

Registered guests must be 18 years of age or older. Please keep in mind guests are only allowed access to the Exhibit Hall, General Session, and the AAPA 2020 Opening Reception. For more information on our guest policy, click here.

AAPA Conference is not a public event. Programs presented at the AAPA Conference are for the education of attendees and purchasers of recorded presentations as authorized by AAPA. Any use of program content, the name of a speaker and/or program title, or the name of AAPA without the written consent of AAPA is prohibited. For purposes of the preceding sentence, “program content” includes, but is not limited to: oral presentations, audiovisual materials used by speakers, program handouts, and summaries of the same. This rule applies before, after, and during the meeting.

Disclaimer Statement/Disclosure of Unlabeled Use
The audience is advised that this continuing education activity may contain references to unlabeled uses of FDA-approved products or to products not approved by the FDA for use in the United States. The faculty members have been made aware of their obligation to disclose such usage. All activity participants will be informed if any speakers/authors intend to discuss either non-FDA approved or investigational use of products/devices. The material presented at or in any AAPA continuing medical education activities does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of AAPA. Neither AAPA, nor the faculty endorse or recommend any techniques, commercial products, or manufacturers. The faculty/authors may discuss the use of materials and/or products that have not yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. All readers and continuing education participants should verify all information before treating patients or utilizing any product.

The Conference Scheduler is your online tool to manage your education and event schedule at AAPA 2020. It’s available here and on the AAPA app — just log into the app using your AAPA credentials.

The Conference Scheduler consists of two parts: the View Sessions/My Sessions area, which includes all conference activities and allows you to search them and then add them to your personal schedule (My Sessions). The second part is the Conference Certificate Portal , which allows you to track the CME sessions you attend, evaluate them, and create your CME certificate. Using the different parts of the Conference Scheduler will allow you to make the most of your time at AAPA 2020.

In addition to CME lectures and Fast 15 sessions, workshops and Small Interactive Sessions are available for participants to purchase.

Workshops (WS) are small-group, generally hands-on, sessions with one-on-one opportunities for learning. These Category 1 CME programs require separate payment and tickets for admittance. Identical content is offered in sessions marked as REPEAT. Audience size is dependent on the workshop. Fees are assessed to offset additional costs related to equipment, supplies, and faculty.

Small Interactive Sessions (SIS) are small-group learning activities that require separate payment and tickets for admittance. All of these sessions are case-based. Each session is limited to 50 registrants and requires active participation. The $10 fee assessed for SIS is donated to the PA Foundation.

• Workshops (WS) and Small Interactive Sessions (SIS) require additional fees and separate, advance registration.
• Don’t be late to your WS or SIS! AAPA has the right to assign unclaimed reserved seats to standby attendees 10 minutes after the posted class starting time.
• Standby attendees are charged the full course fee.
• You must complete the online evaluation through the Conference Certificate Portal to receive a certificate of attendance for all WS and SIS.

Electronic Handouts

• Handouts provided by faculty are posted and linked in the Conference Scheduler.
• If you prefer hard copies of handouts, please print them prior to your sessions. There are NO printers available on site.
• Access to electronic handouts is available through the Conference Certificate Portal until December 31, 2020.

Electronic Evaluation Using The Conference Certificate Portal

• The electronic evaluation through the Conference Certificate Portal is the first step in creating your CME certificate.
• Please complete an evaluation of each session you attend, preferably the same day to ensure that feedback is fresh in your mind.
• Session evaluations must be completed by June 30, 2020.
• Access the evaluation online through the Conference Certificate Portal or via the AAPA app.
• Session evaluations are very important to the Commission on Continuing Professional Development and Education as they plan future educational programming for the conference and beyond. These evaluations are also valuable to speakers to improve their presentation skills, so please complete the evaluations and provide constructive comments when possible.

CME Certificates Using Conference Certificate Portal

• You will be able to create an electronic copy of your CME certificate as soon as you are done attending sessions.
• Confirm, add, or delete the sessions you attended. Make any necessary changes to ensure your schedule accurately corresponds to the sessions you attended.
• You must select the corresponding check box if you want AAPA to send your record electronically to the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
• If you request your hours sent to NCCPA by June 30, 2020, your hours will be sent electronically. By logging your hours through the conference link, your hours are verified and less likely to be subject to audit by NCCPA. After June 30, the hours will no longer be transferred to NCCPA – you will be responsible for adding your credits to your personal NCCPA record
• Indicate the amount of time (15-minute increments) spent in each session.
• Complete the evaluation for each session you attended (if done by June 30, 2020).
• If you have questions regarding certificates, or if your employer requires verification of attendance immediately upon your return from the conference, see AAPA staff at the Information Booth.

For NCCPA certification purposes, AAPA has provided NCCPA with a list of CME-eligible conference registrants. All eligible registrants will have access to a special logging link specific to AAPA Conference 2020 within their personal certification record. By logging your credits through the conference link, they are verified and not subject to an audit by NCCPA.

To log your conference credits conveniently at NCCPA’s website, follow these steps:

• Keep track of the sessions you attend.
• Go to NCCPA’s website and log in to your personal certification record.
• Click CME, select Log New CME, and click on your conference link.

Helpful Tips to Complete Logging With NCCPA

• Select the dates that you would like to log. You may log activities by individual day or select All Dates to log sessions for all dates at once.
• Choose the sessions you attended by clicking the check box next to each session.
• If you would like to change the cycle, click on the cycle box next to each session and select the cycle for which you would like the session applied. (Only qualifying cycles will be listed.)
• If necessary, change the amount of credits that you are claiming for each session in the Credits Logged column.
• If you would like to apply the activity toward a CAQ, select the CAQ from the drop down menu in the Also apply towards CAQ column. (You may select multiple CAQs.)
• Once you have finished, click on the box next to the statement “I certify that the above information is true and correct,” and then click the Save button and choose the next step that you would like to take.
• To close the conference after entering all sessions that you attended, click Save and then select the Save and Close Conference option.
• To edit a session after it is logged, go to the CME Details page and click Edit next to the session.
• NCCPA service representatives are available 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST Monday – Friday at 678-417-8100 to help answer any questions.
• For purposes of your state license, create your certificate and keep it in your professional file in case of an audit. Check with your state licensing board for the appropriate logging procedures and submit a copy of your CME certificate, if necessary. CME requirements vary from state to state and also change periodically, so make sure that you have current information. An up-to-date listing of contact information for all state licensing boards may be obtained from the AAPA website.