If you need help studying for the Physician Assistant National Recertifying Examination (PANRE) or just want some more information about what the test is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free PANRE practice test!
What’s on the Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the exam. There are 240 multiple-choice questions total, but some of the questions won’t count toward your score. Why is that?
The unscored questions on the PANRE exam are called “pre-test” questions. These are added to the exam to determine if they’re good enough questions to add to future versions of the test.
The trick is that you won’t have any way of knowing which questions are scored and which ones are pre-test. They will appear just like the scored questions throughout the test.
The exam is split into four blocks. Each block contains exactly 60 questions and is timed at 1 hour, and you’ll get to take a break between each block. Just keep in mind that all of your breaks added together can’t take longer than 45 minutes, so be mindful of how long your breaks are.
PANRE Medical Content Categories
The questions are categorized into medical content categories:
Cardiovascular System
12% of the exam
- Cardiomyopathy
- Conduction disorders/dysrhythmias
- Congenital heart disease
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart failure
- Hypertension
- Hypotension
- Lipid disorders
- Traumatic, infectious, and inflammatory heart conditions
- Valvular disorders
- Vascular disease
Dermatologic System
5% of the exam
- Acneiform eruptions
- Desquamation
- Diseases/disorders of the hair and nails
- Envenomations and arthropod bite reactions
- Exanthems
- Infectious diseases
- Keratotic disorders
- Neoplasms
- Papulosquamous disorders
- Pigment disorders
- Skin integrity
- Vascular abnormalities
- Vesiculobullous disease
- Other dermatologic disorders
Endocrine System
8% of the exam
- Adrenal disorders
- Diabetes mellitus
- Hypogonadism
- Neoplasms
- Parathyroid disorders
- Pituitary disorders
- Thyroid disorders
Eyes, Ears, Nose, and Throat
8% of the exam
- Eye disorders
- Ear disorders
- Foreign bodies
- Neoplasms
- Nose/sinus disorders
- Oropharyngeal disorders
Gastrointestinal System/Nutrition
10% of the exam
- Biliary disorders
- Colorectal disorders
- Esophageal disorders
- Food allergies and food sensitivities
- Gastric disorders
- Hepatic disorders
- Hernias
- Infectious diarrhea
- Ingestion of toxic substances or foreign bodies
- Metabolic disorders
- Neoplasms
- Nutritional and vitamin disorders
- Pancreatic disorders
- Small intestine disorders
Genitourinary System
5% of the exam
- Bladder disorders
- Congenital and acquired abnormalities
- Human sexuality
- Infectious disorders
- Neoplasms
- Nephrolithiasis/urolithiasis
- Penile disorders
- Prostate disorders
- Testicular disorders
- Urethral disorders
Hematologic System
4% of the exam
- Autoimmune disorders
- Coagulation disorders
- Cytopenia
- Cytoses
- Hemoglobinopathies
- Immunologic disorders
- Neoplasms, premalignancies, and malignancies
Infectious Diseases
7% of the exam
- Bacterial diseases
- Fungal diseases
- Mycobacterial diseases
- Parasitic diseases
- Prenatal transmission of disorders
- Sepsis/systemic inflammatory response syndrome
- Spirochetal diseases
- Viral diseases
Musculoskeletal System
8% of the exam
- Chest/rib disorders
- Compartment syndrome
- Degenerative diseases
- Infectious diseases
- Lower extremity disorders
- Neoplasms
- Rheumatologic disorders
- Spinal disorders
- Upper extremity disorders
Neurologic System
5% of the exam
- Closed head injuries
- Cranial nerve palsies
- Encephalopathic disorders
- Headaches
- Infectious disorders
- Movement disorders
- Neoplasms
- Neurocognitive disorders
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Peripheral nerve disorders
- Seizure disorders
- Vascular disorders
Psychiatry/Behavioral Science
7% of the exam
- Abuse and neglect
- Anxiety disorders
- Bipolar and related disorders
- Depressive disorders
- Disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders
- Dissociative disorders
- Feeding and eating disorders
- Human sexuality
- Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Personality disorders
- Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders
- Sleep-wake disorders
- Somatic symptom and related disorders
- Substance-related and addictive disorders
- Trauma- and stressor-related disorders
Pulmonary System
10% of the exam
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases
- Infectious disorders
- Neoplasms
- Pleural diseases
- Pulmonary circulation
- Restrictive pulmonary diseases
- Sleep apnea/Obesity hypoventilation syndrome
- Other pulmonary disorders
Renal System
4% of the exam
- Acute disorders
- Acute kidney injury (acute renal failure)
- Chronic kidney disease
- Congenital or structural renal disorders
- End-stage renal disease
- Fluid and electrolyte disorders
- Neoplasms
Reproductive System
5% of the exam
- Breast disorders
- Cervical disorders
- Complicated pregnancy
- Contraceptive methods
- Human sexuality
- Infertility
- Menopause
- Menstrual disorders
- Neoplasms of the breast and reproductive tract
- Ovarian disorders
- Sexually transmitted infections/Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Trauma
- Uncomplicated pregnancy
- Uterine disorders
- Vaginal/vulvar disorders
How to Register
To get started with the registration process, you’ll need to submit an application on NCCPA’s website. The application will ask you for your contact information and any documentation to prove your eligibility (among other things).
When you submit the application, you’ll also need to submit the testing fee, which is $350.
PANRE Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
Exam Scores
The test is scored using a scaled scoring method. Here’s how it works:
For every question you answer correctly, you get one point added to your raw score. At the end of the test, your final raw score will be converted to a scaled score. This scaled score will range somewhere between 200 and 800.
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone who takes the test is given a slightly different set of questions. Since everyone has a different arrangement of questions, and because some questions are harder than others, converting your raw score to a scaled score ensures a more even playing field.
Retaking the Exam
If you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, that’s okay! You can retake the test after a 90-day waiting period.
Keep in mind that you will have to pay the full testing fee every time you retake the test, and you can only take the exam up to three times per calendar year.
FAQs
How many questions are on the PANRE exam?
The exam contains 240 questions.
What is the time limit for the PANRE exam?
The exam is timed at 4 hours.
What is the passing score for the PANRE exam?
You’ll need to get a final scaled score of at least 379 to pass.
How much does the PANRE exam cost?
The testing fee is $350.