The recertification assessment
The recertification assessment is designed to cover all core areas of practice that a physician associate (PA) is expected to maintain knowledge in, regardless of whether they are working in a specific specialty. Medicine is forever changing and PAs have a responsibility to keep up to date. This ensures they are fit to practise and safe for patients.
The fee for the recertification assessment is £275. From Sep 2023 the fee for the recertification assessment will be £280.
Payment must be received prior to the assessment. The RCP assessment unit reserves the right to review the assessment fees periodically.
When are PAs required to recertify?
PAs can recertify from the start of their fifth year of practice. If a PA qualified in May, their first diet would be in May of their fifth year. The last diet the PA could sit would be in May of their sixth year. Although, ideally the PA would have recertified by this point.
Each PA has 4 attempts to pass the recertification assessment from the start of their fifth year. Each PA must have recertified by the end of their sixth year of practice. To calculate when a PA should recertify for a second time, they must work another 6 years from their original qualification date – effectively year 11 or 12 of practice.
Recertification 1
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
|---|
| May 2010 – May 2011 |
May 2011 – May 2012 |
May 2012 – May 2013 |
May 2013 – May 2014 |
May 2014 – May 2015 |
May 2015 – May 2016 |
Recertification 2
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | Year 10 | Year 11 | Year 12 |
|---|
| May 2016 – May 2017 |
May 2017 – May 2018 |
May 2018 – May 2019 |
May 2019 – May 2020 |
May 2020 – May 2021 |
May 2021 – May 2022 |
Sitting the recertification assessment
In order to remain on the Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR) PAs have to sit the recertification assessment every six years.
If a PA fails the recertification assessment on 4 occasions or does not pass the assessment within the above timeframe, they will be removed from the PAMVR and their employer notified. They will then have to take the national certification assessment or follow the process that the statutory regulator stipulates in order to enter onto the PAMVR.
