American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) ongoing strategic plan includes a commitment to grow the physician assistant (PA) profession. With the number of accredited PA programs on the rise, access to clinical training sites and preceptors is widely recognized as one of the rate-limiting steps to growth of the profession. In short, more preceptors equal more PAs. AAPA is excited to collaborate with the Physician Assistant Education Association to increase the number of preceptors and ultimately grow the profession.

Since 2013, individual preceptors were eligible to earn a maximum of 10 AAPA category 1 CME credits during any single calendar year for precepting. In 2019 that incentive was doubled, and preceptors permitted to earn a maximum of 20 AAPA category 1 CME credits during any single calendar year. The AAPA House of Delegates also adjusted the rate at which Category 1 CME credit may be earned for precepting. Preceptors may now earn a total of 2 AAPA Category 1 CME credits per week for each PA student they precept. View the Category 1 CME for Preceptors Guide.

Clinical Year 

• Start Date: 6/08/2020
• End Date: 5/21/2021

Eligibility requirements

• Eligibility is limited to ARC-PA accredited PA programs.
• Only PA programs that have submitted an application and received approval are authorized to award AAPA
• Category 1 CME credit for precepting.
• Eligibility for AAPA Category 1 CME credit is currently limited to preceptors who are practicing PAs.
• Preceptors must be fully licensed to practice at the clinical site where the training will occur.
• Preceptors must disclose any relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined commercial interests to PA students.
• All other AAPA CME Standards apply 

Awarding Credit

• Approved PA programs may award 2 AAPA Category 1 CME credit per student for each week of clinical teaching.
• PA programs must receive a completed evaluation form from the PA preceptor prior to awarding CME credit.
• The evaluation form may include a self-report and attestation of the number of weeks the preceptor taught as well as the number of students precepted. The form must be completed and submitted by the preceptor requesting credit.
• For purposes of credit calculation, a week is defined as 40 hours of precepting.
• A maximum of 20 AAPA Category 1 CME credits per calendar year may be awarded to each preceptor.
• All CME beyond 20 credits may be awarded and considered at Category 2 CME. 

Overall Learning Objectives

• Demonstration of core medical knowledge about medical conditions for the patients in their area of practice.
• Demonstration of critical decision making and lifelong learning skills.
• Demonstration of effective communication with patients and their families, physicians and other health care professionals.
• Demonstration of high quality health care and a commitment to patient safety.
• Demonstration of personal responsibility, ethical standards, and sensitivity to diverse patient populations.
• Demonstration of ongoing evaluation and improvement of their patient care practices.
• Demonstration of the ability to effectively interact with different types of health care delivery systems.