Preceptors Can Earn CME Credit for Mentoring
Oct. 2, 2013
Alexandria, VA – Physician assistant educational programs may now submit an annual application to receive eligibility to award Category 1 continuing medical education (CME) credit to their PA preceptors.
With the number of accredited PA programs on the rise, access to clinical training sites and preceptors is widely recognized as one of the rate limiting steps to growth of the profession. Clinical preceptors open up their practices to students and spend time educating them on the proper clinical evaluation and treatment of their patients. In short, more preceptors equal more PAs.
The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) and the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) are eager to support preceptors and increase their ranks, and ultimately grow the profession.
In a 2011 PAEA survey of more than 11,700 clinically active PAs, 63 percent of respondents identified the potential ability to earn Category 1 CME as the most important benefit of precepting. In response to this research, AAPA’s Professional Education Commission has approved the following process for individual PA programs to be able to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for clinical teaching.
“As an educator at a PA program, I can attest to the value of precepting PA students,” said Lawrence Herman, MPA, PA-C, AAPA president. “We are pleased to be able to support PAs who are giving back to their profession and hopefully inspire others to precept the next generation of PAs and add to the growth of our profession.”
“The ability to award Category 1 CME credit for clinical teaching will greatly enhance our members’ ability to recruit and retain preceptors,” said PAEA President Constance Goldgar, MS, PA-C. “Working together with AAPA, we were able to take feedback from our member programs and nearly 12,000 clinically practicing PAs and create something that helps both succeed.”
Every PA must earn 50 credits of Category 1 CME every two years for recertification. This initiative will make it easier for clinically practicing PAs to meet those requirements while training new PAs.
Learn more about how PA programs can apply for their preceptors to earn CME credit.
Contacts
Patrick Dunne, AAPA, 571-319-4394, [email protected]
Sean Stickle, PAEA, 202-701-8353, [email protected]
About the American Academy of Physician Assistants
Founded in 1968, the American Academy of Physician Assistants is the national professional society for physician assistants. It represents a profession of more than 92,000 certified PAs across all medical and surgical specialties in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the majority of the U.S. territories and within the uniformed services. AAPA advocates and educates on behalf of the profession and the patients PAs serve. It works to ensure the professional growth, personal excellence and recognition of physician assistants and to enhance their ability to improve the quality, accessibility and cost-effectiveness of patient-centered healthcare.
Visit www.aapa.org to learn more.
About the Physician Assistant Education Association
The Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) is the only national organization in the United States representing physician assistant (PA) educational programs. PAEA serves as a resource for individuals and organizations from various professional sectors interested in the educational aspects of the PA profession. The association is the organization primarily responsible for collecting, publishing and disseminating information on PA programs. PAEA provides effective representation to affiliated organizations involved in health education, healthcare policy and the national certification of PA graduates. PAEA works to ensure quality PA education through the development and distribution of educational services and products specifically geared toward meeting the emerging needs of PA programs, the PA profession and the healthcare industry.
Visit www.paeaonline.org to learn more.
