Physician Assistant

Physician Assistant

Crush the PANCE and PANRE!

Physician Assistant

Crush the PANCE and PANRE!

The Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) and Physician Assistant National Recertifying Exam (PANRE) are certification examinations taken by physician assistants (PAs) in the United States. The examinations are administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. The tests are computer-based and consist of practical medical and surgical questions. The PANCE must be taken before a PA can be licensed for the first time upon graduation from an accredited program. The examination consists of 300 multiple-choice questions administered in five 60-minute, 60-question blocks. There are a total of 45 minutes allotted for breaks between blocks, as well as a 15-minute tutorial prior to the examination. The PANRE consists of 240 multiple-choice questions administered in four 60-minute, 60-question blocks with similar breaks as the PANCE. The PANRE is composed of two sections. Sixty percent of the generalist exam covers the same content while the remaining forty percent can be directed towards questions in one of three areas: adult medicine, surgery, or primary care. Both examinations are broken into two sections of material: 1. Organ systems and the diseases, disorders and medical assessments physician assistants encounter within those systems and 2. The knowledge and skills physician assistants should exhibit when confronted with those diseases, disorders and assessments. Join our platform and find courses and mentors who will guide you every step of the way!

Courses

Access our integrated curriculum: video lectures, student notes, post lesson quizzes, and newly updated textbooks

Global Medical Community

Connect with medical students from across the world. Enjoy access to forums, study groups, and other member exclusive perks!

Mentor Advising Tutoring and Coaching Hub

  • A personalized and one-on-one experience
  • Prepare to succeed with our package options
  • Develop clinical reasoning and test taking skills

Question Bank

Practice test taking skills to prepare you for a successful exam day!

Meet the Professionals

Medical School Companion is a team of medical educators dedicated to student success in healthcare education.

Your Success Starts Here

Philip Tisdall, MD, award-winning teacher and published author, trained at the Mayo Clinic and is a diplomat of the American Board of Pathology (AP and CP).

He is a dynamic and engaging speaker who helps students understand how to correlate the basic sciences and apply them to the essential thought processes of clinical medicine.

Dr. Tisdall received his MD from the University of Alberta, where he was the recipient of the gold medal in surgery and the MacKenzie award for History and Physical examination. Students praise him for his insight and ability to make complex material clear and memorable.

Mary Ruebush, PhD, is one of the nation’s most experienced instructors in Microbiology and Immunology for USMLE Step 1 review.

Dr. Ruebush received her PhD from the University of Georgia and has taught Infectious Disease, Immunology, and Pathology at Bowman-Gray Medical School, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and Montana State University, where she received Outstanding Teacher of the Year.

Jack Wilson received his PhD from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He is a Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN, where he has taught all the disciplines of Anatomy for 45 years.

He has received over 70 teaching awards and written 45 published papers, abstracts, and books.

Dr. Wilson has been active in teaching USMLE Step 1 review courses for Anatomy for over 25 years. Students have consistently recognized his ability to present Step 1 Clinical Anatomy in a concise way for success on Step 1.