Opioid prescribing CME courses: https://cme.aapa.org/opioidrems.aspx
https://www.medscape.org/sites/advances/long-acting-opioids
VERIFICATION OF OPIOID EDUCATION FOR
MEDICAL PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT APPLICATIONS AND RENEWALS
SUBMITTED AFTER JULY 1, 2017
Section 9.1(a) of ABC-MAP* requires that all prescribers or dispensers, as defined in Section 3 of ABC-MAP, applying for licensure/certification 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. Medical physician assistants, who hold prescriptive authority approval fall within ABC-MAP’s definition of prescribers or dispensers.
Requirements for initial applicants
Medical physician assistants seeking prescriptive authority approval on or after July 1, 2017, must document, within one (1) year from issuance of the license or prescriptive authority approval, that they completed this education either as part of their professional degree education program, or through a stand-alone course. The four (4) hours of Board-approved education needs to be completed only once.
Where this education is part of the professional degree educational program, verification of completion from the Program may be included within the Verification of Graduation from a Physician Assistant Program for medical physician assistants.
New initial PA license forms were published August of 2017 on the State Board of Medicine website http://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/Medicine/Pages/default.aspxunder general board information.
Renewals
In order for medical physician assistants to renew their license or prescriptive authority approval for the next renewal period, section 9.1(a)(2) of ABC-MAP requires that they complete at least two (2) hours of continuing education in pain management, the identification of addiction or the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids. The continuing education requirements of ABC-MAP will count towards the total number of continuing education credits required for renewal. For medical physician assistants, this continuing education must be acceptable for credit by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
Allopathic physician assistant licenses expire December 31 of every even-numbered year. The Board mails renewal notices two to three months prior to the license expiration date. Notices are mailed to the most recent address that was reported to the Board. The Postal Service does not forward licenses.
*The Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Program Act (ABC-MAP) (also known as Act 124 of 2016), 35 P.S. § 872.3, is available on the Legislature’s website at:http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?yr=2016&sessInd=0&act=124
VERIFICATION OF OPIOID EDUCATION FOR OSTEOPATHIC
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT APPLICATIONS AND RENEWALS
SUBMITTED AFTER JULY 1, 2017
Section 9.1(a) of ABC-MAP* requires that all prescribers or dispensers, as defined in Section 3 of ABC-MAP, applying for licensure/certification 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. Osteopathic physician assistants fall within ABC-MAP’s definition of prescribers or dispensers.
Requirements for initial applicants
Osteopathic physician assistants must document within one (1) year from issuance of the license that they completed this education either as part of their professional degree education program and its completion attested to when applying for renewal. The four (4) hours of Board-approved education needs to be completed only once.
Where this education is part of the professional degree educational program, verification of completion from the Program may be included within the Verification of Graduation from a Physician Assistant Program for osteopathic physician assistants. The Verification forms will be available on the website at http://www.dos.pa.gov/ost.
New initial PA license forms were published August 2017 on the State Board of Osteopathic Board website http://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/OsteopathicMedicine/Pages/default.aspx under general board information.
Renewals
In order for osteopathic physician assistants to renew their license for the next renewal period, section 9.1(a)(2) of ABC-MAP requires that they complete at least two (2) hours of continuing education in pain management, the identification of addiction, or the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids. The continuing education requirements of ABC-MAP will count towards the total number of continuing education credits required for renewal. For osteopathic physician assistants, this continuing education must be acceptable for credit by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
The board mails renewal notices 2 to 3 months prior to the license expiration date. Notices are mailed to the most recent address the licensee has reported to the Board. The Postal Service does not forward licenses. The Osteopathic Physician Assistant renewal cycle is October 31st even-numbered years at a cost of $10.00
*The Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Program Act (ABC-MAP) (also known as Act 124 of 2016), 35 P.S. § 872.3, is available on the Legislature’s website at: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?yr=2016&sessInd=0&act=124