Pennsylvania Licensure Requirements
Bachelor’s Degree & Graduate from approved PA Program
1 Examination
No Experience Requirement
3 Hours of Continuing Education
$30.00 Initial Fee
$40.00 Renewal Fee
A physician assistant practices medicine with physician supervision and provides any medical service when the service is within the physician assistant’s scope of practice, is identified in the written agreement, and is consistent with accepted standards of medical practice.
Degree Requirement:
Bachelor’s Degree & Graduate from an approved PA Program
An applicant must have obtained a minimum of a Baccalaureate/Bachelor’s Degree and graduate from a physician assistant program recognized by the State Board. The Board recognizes physician assistant education programs accredited by the American Medical Association's Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA), the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) or a successor organization.
Examination Requirement:
1 Examination
The applicant must receive a passing grade on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) provided by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
Experience:
No Experience Requirement
Continuing Education:
3 Hours (for initial licensure)
Applicants must complete 3 hours of Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting for initial licensure.
100 Hours (when renewing license)
To be eligible for renewal of a physician assistant license, the physician assistant shall complete continuing medical education as required by the NCCPA and maintain National certification by completing current recertification mechanisms available to the profession, identified on the NCCPA's website as recognized by the Board, including 2 hours of Board-approved continuing education on child abuse recognition and reporting requirements.
4 Hours of CE in Pain Management / Practices of Prescribing or Dispensing of Opioids
Section 9.1(a) of ABC-MAP* requires that all prescribers or dispensers, as defined in Section 3 of ABC-MAP, applying for licensure/approval complete at least 4 hours of Board-approved education consisting of 2 hours in pain management or the identification of addiction and 2 hours in the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids. Applicants seeking licensure/approval on or after July 1, 2017, must document, within one year from issuance of the licensure/ approval, that they completed this education either as part of an initial education program, a stand-alone course from a Board-approved course provider, or a continuing education course from an approved continuing education provider.
The 4 hours of Board-approved education need to be completed only once. See the Board’s website for the Opioid Education Forms and additional information.
Initial Licensing Fee:
$30.00
Licensure Renewal Fee:
$40.00
Licensure by Endorsement under Section 27 of the Medical Practice Act:
The Board will grant a license without restriction to an applicant who does not meet the standard license requirements if the applicant has achieved cumulative qualifications that are endorsed by the Board as being equivalent to the standard requirements for the license.
Licensure by Act 41:
Act 41 promotes licensure portability for out-of-state professionals seeking to work in Pennsylvania. Act 41 authorizes all licensing boards and commissions within the Commonwealth to endorse licenses issued by other states, territories, and jurisdictions, provided the applicant meets certain criteria. Specifically, an applicant must:
- Hold a current, active license in good standing in another jurisdiction whose licensing requirements are substantially equivalent to or exceed Pennsylvania’s.
- Have no disciplinary action or criminal convictions.
- Have been actively engaged in the licensed practice of the profession for at least two of the last five years.
- Demonstrate competence, as determined by the Board; this may include education, continuing education, or other standards set by the Board.
- Meet any other administrative requirements such as fees.