--- title: Passing the PANCE and PANRE description: What does it take to become a physician assistant? Med-Challenger can help. image: https://challengercme.com/hubfs/BecomePA.webp --- [![Med-Challenger-green-logo-1024x244](https://challengercme.com/hubfs/Med-Challenger-green-logo-1024x244.webp) ](https://challengercme.com/) - [SHOP EXAM PREP & CME ](https://challengercme.com/blog/articles/so-you-want-to-become-a-physician-assistant#) ### [EMERGENCY MEDICINE](https://challengercme.com/emergency-medicine-exam-review-cme-course) [ABEM exam prep](https://challengercme.com/emergency-medicine-exam-review-cme-course), [MyEMCert](https://challengercme.com/emergency-medicine-myemcert-exam-review-course), etc. ### [FAMILY MEDICINE](https://challengercme.com/family-medicine-exam-review-cme-course) [ABFM exam prep](https://challengercme.com/family-medicine-exam-review-cme-course), [ABFM KSA](https://challengercme.com/family-medicine-moc-ksa-course), etc. ### [INTERNAL MEDICINE ABIM exam prep, MOC points, etc.](https://challengercme.com/internal-medicine-exam-review-cme-course) ### [OBGYN ABOG exam prep, CREOG, etc.](https://challengercme.com/obgyn-exam-review-cme-course) ### [PEDIATRICS ABP exam prep, MOCA-PEDS, etc.](https://challengercme.com/pediatric-medicine-exam-review-cme-course) ### [PEDIATRIC EM](https://challengercme.com/pediatric-emergency-medicine-3rd-edition) [ABP/ABEM exam prep Ed.3](https://challengercme.com/pediatric-emergency-medicine-3rd-edition), [Ed.2](https://challengercme.com/pediatric-emergency-medicine-pack2), etc. ### [SPECIAL PURPOSE / SPEX FSMB exam prep, etc.](https://challengercme.com/special-purpose-exam-review-spex-exam-preparation-course) ### [PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT](https://challengercme.com/physician-assistant-exam-review-cme-course) [PANCE / PANRE](https://challengercme.com/physician-assistant-exam-review-cme-course), [CAQ-EM](https://challengercme.com/pa-caq-em-review-course), etc ### [NURSE PRACTITIONER](https://challengercme.com/family-nurse-practitioner-exam-review-cme-course) [FNP](https://challengercme.com/family-nurse-practitioner-exam-review-cme-course), [ENP](https://challengercme.com/emergency-nurse-practitioner-exam-review-cne-course), [AGNP](https://challengercme.com/adult-gerontology-nurse-practitioner-exam-review-cne-course), [PNCB/CPNP](https://challengercme.com/pediatric-nurse-practitioner-exam-review-cne-course), etc. ### [NURSING / NCLEX NCLEX, CNE, etc.](https://challengercme.com/nursing-certification-nclex-exam-review-cne-courses) ### [STATE-REQUIRED CME / CE State CME requirements, etc.](https://challengercme.com/state-required-cme) ### [JOINT COMMISSION CME](https://challengercme.com/stroke-center-ce-review-course) [Stroke](https://challengercme.com/stroke-center-ce-review-course), [Cardiac](https://challengercme.com/cardiac-center-ce-review-course), [Trauma](https://challengercme.com/trauma-center-ce-review-course), [ALS](https://challengercme.com/advanced-life-support-and-resuscitation-center-ce-review-course), etc. ### [PROFESSIONALISM CME Professionalism review with CME](https://challengercme.com/professionalism-review-course) ### [DERMATOLOGY CME Dermatology review with CME](https://challengercme.com/dermatology-review-course) ### [USMLE STEP 2CK / STEP 3 USMLE exam prep, etc.](https://challengercme.com/usmle-certification-exam-review-clerkship-exams-shelf-exam-review) - [INSTITUTIONS ](https://challengercme.com/atlas-pro-inst) - [BLOG ](https://challengercme.com/blog) - [SUPPORT ](https://support.challengercme.com/knowledge) [SIGN IN ](https://fuse.challengercme.com/sign-in?redirectURL=%2Fuserdash) Physician Assistant # Passing the PANCE and PANRE What does it take to become a physician assistant? Med-Challenger can help. [ Mark Perdue PA-C ](https://challengercme.com/blog/author/mark-perdue-pa-c) Jun 20, 2023 [Personal Education](https://challengercme.com/blog/tag/personal-education) [Physician Assistant](https://challengercme.com/blog/tag/physician-assistant) [Product News](https://challengercme.com/blog/tag/product-news) ### < [All Posts](https://challengercme.com/blog) Try Med-Challenger Start a free trial today and save! Pass-guaranteed board exam review with CME/CE credits built-in. Target weak areas, study smarter, stay on track. Act now and save. [BROWSE COURSES](https://fuse.challengercme.com/store) --- ### Share this article [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://challengercme.com/blog/articles/so-you-want-to-become-a-physician-assistant&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email%20&body=Check%20out%20https://challengercme.com/blog/articles/so-you-want-to-become-a-physician-assistant&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://challengercme.com/blog/articles/so-you-want-to-become-a-physician-assistant&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email%20&body=Check%20out%20https://challengercme.com/blog/articles/so-you-want-to-become-a-physician-assistant&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email) ### Subscribe ### Subscribe ![Passing the PANCE and PANRE](https://challengercme.com/hubfs/BecomePA.webp) ## Becoming a Physician Assistant You've been working harder than you've ever worked to succeed in a grueling 2 1/2 year training program to become a physician assistant. Unfortunately, you are not finished — you're not even close. Your next marching orders if you are to become a PA are: 1. Get certified 2. Stay certified To accomplish these goals your mission is to prepare for and successfully pass the physician assistant national certification exam (PANCE). When it’s time to recertify, you may choose to take the physician assistant national recertification exam (PANRE). See also: [How to Prepare for PANCE and PANRE: A PA Exam Prep Guide](https://challengercme.com/blog/articles/2023/08/how-to-prepare-for-pance-and-panre-a-pa-exam-prep-guide) ### **Passing the PANCE** For me and even my current students, the key to successfully passing the PANCE is ongoing and progressive review. Instead of passing PA school and then cramming for the PANCE, I identified salient topics on the [NCCPA blueprint](https://www.nccpa.net/become-certified/pance-blueprint/) and progressively studied those topics as part of my program curriculum. This type of slow-and-steady-wins-the-race approach was very helpful and provided a great deal of space recognition. It's a win-win situation — you get to study for PA school and study for national certification exam at the same time. Now when it comes to materials there are plenty of review books with a few questions at the back. For me the books were fine, but eventually became stale and did not provide enough repetitions for me to be fully prepared. A nice complement to your preparation is to take some sort of PANCE preparation course. A PANCE prep course could take the form of the live review course or it could be taken online. After all of the study in PA school I found that what I needed was not primary learning (watching lectures or reading book chapters) but to find out where the holes in my education were and figure out how to fill those holes. To accomplish this, I think it's best to use question and answer databases that are evidence-based and provide remediation feedback. This format allows for the identification of knowledge gaps, and if explanations and remediation materials are high quality you can efficiently round out your education. #### PANCE Pass Rates ![PANCE Pass Rates](https://challengercme.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PANCE%20Pass%20Rates.jpg?width=696&height=266&name=PANCE%20Pass%20Rates.jpg) See also: [What Physician Assistants Say About Med-Challenger, PA Product Review](https://challengercme.com/blog/articles/2022/01/what-physician-assistants-say-about-med-challenger-pa-reviews) ### **Passing the PANRE** As practicing PAs we not only need to obtain recertification, but we also need to constantly update our knowledge and skill set. Add to this the need to rack up 50 hours category 1 CMEs and you can see where the PANRE prep course would be an asset. Passing the physician assistant national recertification exam is very similar to taking the PANCE. As with PANCE courses, PANRE courses may be live or online, but if you're going to use a board review course you may as well get CMEs in the process. One thing is different about the PA recertification exam — it may have been years since you have reviewed some of the material. If you work in ENT there is a good chance that you haven’t thought too much about heart failure. Consequently, it is important to find and fix any weakness in your knowledge base.  When colleagues asked me the best way to prepare for an upcoming recertification exam, I'll tell them to do some type of diagnostic run. Take a comprehensive test, identify your weak points and then focus on those weak points as you gradually review the rest of the material relevant to your line of practice. Although the future of recertification may change, I personally think that preparing for and taking the full PANRE is a great way to objectively assess and maintain one’s knowledge base. #### PANRE Pass Rates ![PANRE Pass Rates](https://challengercme.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PANRE%20Pass%20Rates.jpg?width=739&height=243&name=PANRE%20Pass%20Rates.jpg) --- [Shop Physician Assistant Products](https://challengercme.com/physician-assistant-exam-review-cme-courses) [Special Offers](https://challengercme.com/special-cme-offers-medical-education-sale)     [![subcription_icon_pa-e1519157433195-3](https://challengercme.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/subcription_icon_pa-e1519157433195-3.png?width=300&height=307&name=subcription_icon_pa-e1519157433195-3.png)](https://challengercme.com/physician-assistant-exam-review-cme-course) [![Start Free Trial PA](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/9106197/interactive-185154063494.png) ](https://challengercme.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLIFlJSWKvnmC6JMCIgu9V3FRJ%2BPZHW10xuFBUcQ%2FjMQu19X5HAk8CJOdWVCCA0TnAy4WOeR9BuSoWspBV5rVL908IBb037fKa0alqlLjk2I8FUFKfA54OPxVbIWaAQA9uneFprXdI6ZafRGS8PZsmMt%2FpyqDeN2OSCXQV%2BYI8lBFdRSNX05%2B8%2BHEEtbhAjL&webInteractiveContentId=185154063494&portalId=9106197)   [![Buy PA Now](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/9106197/interactive-185130583645.png) ](https://challengercme.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLJ69bdbEt%2FqjWBph16sKAUi0nLnAA9lmhyKqD6AGtTNbX69hHwC9hgj3OaCJ3vCA%2BSmKe%2FPIHtb9dUvbyhZBzOgjq4O4olD%2FCqWLvXa%2B4NLpAPGoqm93%2FraE1FlKknrTzknIhdwXIwuGg6uk7cp2YcJ72vQV6V9s7LC2ZusC6VaK7hCzDWAsCwn%2BjNO&webInteractiveContentId=185130583645&portalId=9106197)   [![View Lifetime Option PA](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/9106197/interactive-185067608726.png) ](https://challengercme.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLKs%2B0WGB3Iqe8kvndEbx33UifM23RA%2B8UAHiPJNXhGGujudY%2B6wUuWNqvH1DitPuZO8SB5s%2F6S0L%2BWzWmvJOtFO7qJZ1VnERQ%2BCZf80KKzHAzASChwpru4GToqHqxKbkc3c3m5J%2Bk%2FpaBQap3f4D66h8LxZ2GqWN2FvwTTN5nwB30lNe6ym7EKOiNR03g%3D%3D&webInteractiveContentId=185067608726&portalId=9106197) Is it physician assistant group or program education that you seek? [Med-Challenger for Physician Assistant Training](https://challengercme.com/medical-education-lms-for-physician-assistant-training-programs) can help with that too! ## Similar posts how to study ### [How to Prepare for PANCE and PANRE: A PA Exam Prep Guide](https://challengercme.com/blog/articles/2023/08/how-to-prepare-for-pance-and-panre-a-pa-exam-prep-guide) This article outlines how to best prepare for the PANCE and PANRE exams. Mark Perdue PA-C Aug 31, 2023 board review ### [Common PANCE and PANRE Mistakes — and How to Avoid Them](https://challengercme.com/blog/common-pance-and-panre-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them) Avoid common PANCE and PANRE mistakes. Learn how blueprint weighting, scoring, and study strategy impact NCCPA exam performance. Med-Challenger Feb 25, 2026 board review ### [NCCPA Scoring for PANCE and PANRE Explained](https://challengercme.com/blog/nccpa-scoring-for-pance-and-panre-explained) Learn how NCCPA scoring works for the PANCE and PANRE, including scaled scores, passing standards, score reports, and retake policies. Med-Challenger Feb 25, 2026 ## Stay informed. ### Subscribe to our [Medical Education Blog](https://challengercme.com/blog)  Stay informed of new medical education content, certification requirements and deadlines, case-based CME quizzes, and special offers. 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All rights reserved [Privacy Policy](https://support.challengercme.com/knowledge/what-are-your-terms-of-service-privacy-policy-user-agreement) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://challengercme.com/blog#webpage", "@type" : "WebPage", "description" : "The Challenger Medical Education Blog offers informative patient cases, medical certification exam preparation courses and board exam review tips.", "inLanguage" : "en", "isPartOf" : { "@type" : "WebSite", "name" : "Med-Challenger", "url" : "https://challengercme.com/" }, "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://challengercme.com/blog", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "name" : "Challenger Medical Education Blog", "primaryImageOfPage" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://challengercme.com/hubfs/Webpage%20Featured%20Images/Medical%20Education%20Blog%20-%20Free%20CME%20resources%2c%20certification%20exam%20tips%2c%20clinical%20challenge%20questions%20and%20more.png" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "Challenger Corporation", "url" : "https://challengercme.com/" }, "url" : "https://challengercme.com/blog" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "about" : [ "PANCE", "PANRE", "NCCPA blueprint", "exam preparation", "question banks", "progressive review", "recertification", "CME", "diagnostic testing for knowledge gaps", "board review course" ], "articleSection" : "Physician Assistant Education", "author" : { "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "Challenger Corporation" }, "dateModified" : "2025-09-19T19:35:10.148Z", "datePublished" : "2023-06-20T16:46:26.000Z", "description" : "What does it take to become a physician assistant? 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He recommends using evidence-based question-and-answer databases that provide remediation feedback to identify and fill knowledge gaps, and supplementing with a PANCE prep course (live or online) as needed." }, "name" : "Most effective study strategy for passing the PANCE?", "text" : "According to the article, what study strategy did the author find most effective for passing the PANCE?" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "ItemList", "description" : "Exam-style review questions based on this article’s teaching points.", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Integrate ongoing, progressive review throughout PA school instead of attempting to cram after graduation." }, "name" : "When should PA students incorporate PANCE study according to the article?" }, "position" : 1 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Use evidence-based question-and-answer databases that provide remediation feedback; consider a PANCE prep course (live or online) for additional assessment." }, "name" : "What resource format does the author recommend to identify and remediate knowledge gaps?" }, "position" : 2 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "PANRE preparation is very similar to PANCE preparation; courses may be live or online, and board review courses that provide CMEs can be useful." }, "name" : "How is PANRE preparation described relative to PANCE preparation?" }, "position" : 3 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Take a comprehensive diagnostic test to identify weak points, then concentrate remediation on those areas while gradually reviewing other relevant material." }, "name" : "What diagnostic step does the author advise before focusing PANRE study?" }, "position" : 4 } ], "name" : "Practice Questions", "numberOfItems" : 4 } ```