The Best 5 Physician Assistant CME Courses to Take in 2022

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The Best 5 Physician Assistant CME Courses to Take in 2022

Author: Christine Zink, MD

Every clinician has difficulty keeping up with new and evolving clinical practice guidelines. Working in the fast-paced clinical environment is already more than a full-time job. Nevertheless, staying knowledgeable on advancements in healthcare delivery is crucial to improving patient outcomes. We help physician assistants (PA) like you to access educational activities that offer insight into the latest developments and quality standards in a wide variety of clinical environments.

As a convenience to you, Pri-Med offers free online CME that can be completed on your schedule and even during short work breaks. The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) requires all practicing PAs to earn 100 CME credits every two years, half of which must be Category 1 CME credits. Additionally, PAs must meet all of their specific state licensing requirements. Much of this continuing education can be completed through online courses and conferences. 

Unlike most physicians, you work in various clinical environments and care for an extensive array of patients. For that reason, we have chosen the five best and most diverse CME courses for PAs to take in 2022. Stay ahead of the curve through Pri-Med’s free online CME for physician assistants, and read highlights about each course below.

 

According to the NCCPA, most PAs work in surgical subspecialties or primary care. And, among surgical subspecialties, many work in orthopedics.1 Orthopedic pain and injury, especially back pain, are the most common complaints in acute and chronic care settings; PAs are constantly presented with patients who have back, hip, or knee pain. Learn more about treatment options in our course:

Evaluation and Treatment of Hip, Knee, and Back Pain in the Outpatient Setting

Faculty:

  • Stephen N. Henry, DO, MS; Assistant Professor of Orthopedics and Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Miami Sports Medicine Institute and Miller School of Medicine; Team Physician for the University of Miami Intercollegiate Athletics and the Miami Marlins

This course helps you incorporate evidence-based management into the evaluation of hip, knee, and back pain. Afterward, you will be able to confidently describe common causes for orthopedic pain, know when to order advanced imaging, and understand when referral to a subspecialist is required. This course is also ideal for PAs who work in urgent care or an emergency department since acute orthopedic complaints will also be discussed. Watch now, and earn 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ and 1.00 ABIM Medical Knowledge MOC Point, or 1.00 AANP contact hour of continuing education.

 

How often do PAs work alone without the ability to seek advice from peers and colleagues? With shortages in the workforce, PAs increasingly provide much of the outpatient care needed in the United States.2 Additionally, they increasingly find themselves caring for more complex patients without additional support. Pri-Med offers several courses that discuss the care of challenging primary care patients, such as:

Challenging Cases in Primary Care

Faculty:

  • Charles Vega, MD, FAAFP; Health Sciences Clinical Professor, UC Irvine Department of Family Medicine; Assistant Dean for Culture and Community Education; Executive Director, UC Irvine Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community; UC Irvine School of Medicine

In this course, Dr. Vega presents challenging cases in primary care. Learn more about peripheral arterial disease, postpartum jitters, deprescribing medications in older adults, the workup and management of tick bites, and how to assess adolescent knee pain. You will interpret laboratory and imaging studies, learn tips to establish specific complex diagnoses, and become familiar with decision aids that help improve diagnostic accuracy. Watch now, and earn 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ and 1.00 ABIM Medical Knowledge MOC Point, or 1.00 AANP contact hour of continuing education, including 0.40 hour of pharmacology.

 

Over 34 million Americans live with diabetes (one in 10 people).3 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 12 million people will have atrial fibrillation in 2030, and diabetes is a risk factor for developing dysrhythmia.4 In addition, as the United States’ population ages, the annual number of cancer cases will increase 49%, with the most significant percentage increase in people over age 75.5 Primary care clinicians need to understand how to diagnose and manage all of these conditions since so many of their patients make up these groups. PAs can target all of these disorders in one free physician assistant CME course: 

Curbside Consults: Top Questions from PCPs on Diabetes, Atrial Fibrillation, and Geriatric Cancer Screening

Faculty:

  • Martin J. Abrahamson, MD, FACP; Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Director of the Division of CME, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
  • Ty J. Gluckman, MD, FACC, FAHA; Medical Director, Center for Cardiovascular Analytics, Research, and Data Science, Providence Heart Institute
  • Lee A. Linnquist, MD, MPH, MBA; Chief of Geriatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine 

In this course, you will join distinguished faculty to review important questions about some of the most common topics in primary care. Acquire insights into the latest diabetes management guidelines, and review some of the most common questions when treating patients with atrial fibrillation. Furthermore, you will take away essential concepts related to geriatric cancer screening. Watch now, and earn 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ and 1.50 ABIM Medical Knowledge MOC Points, or 1.50 AANP contact hours of continuing education, including 0.33 hour of pharmacology.

 

Do you know when it is best to prescribe antibiotics for patients with upper respiratory symptoms, particularly in those with underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease? Antibiotic stewardship is an increasing focus in primary and urgent care clinics. Primary care clinicians are responsible for most antibiotic prescriptions, and they need to understand prudent prescribing to avoid antimicrobial resistance, inappropriate use of resources, and adverse side effects.6 Learn best practices through our course:

COPD Exacerbations: Who Needs Antibiotics? – Frankly Speaking Podcast EP 145

Faculty:

  • Frank J. Domino, MD; Professor, Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School
  • Alan M. Ehrlich, MD, FAAFP; Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School; Executive Editor, DynaMed

An upper respiratory tract infection frequently initiates chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations. Often this infection is viral, but it can be difficult for a primary care clinician to know whether antibiotics are needed for a bacterial pathogen instead. In this course, take away lessons on how to select patients who need antibiotics according to evidence-based guidelines. Also, learn about using point-of-care C-reactive protein testing to help reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions. Listen now, and earn 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

 

Approximately 70% of adolescents in the United States play an individual sport or on a team.7 Head injuries and concussions are common. Physician assistants are tasked with encouraging head injury prevention in parents and adolescents and are responsible for evaluating patients after injuries occur. Moreover, they must understand the most up-to-date management guidelines. Learn more in our course:

Concussion Risk and Prevention Among High School Student Athletes – Frankly Speaking Podcast EP 177

Faculty:

  • Frank J. Domino, MD; Professor, Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School

Identify adolescents who are most at risk for concussion and learn how best to encourage helmet use. This podcast will also discuss the latest evidence-based guidelines on the management of concussions and when to return to play. Listen now, and earn 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. 

 

Pri-Med is a leader in CME for PAs and makes it easy to stay on top of the latest developments. Our physician assistant CME courses offer variety in education and provide the latest developments in medicine. Visit Pri-Med.com to learn more about the online and in-person educational activities that can help you excel in your practice. 

 

References

1. National Commission of Certification of Physician Assistants. 2019 statistical profile of certified physician assistants. Accessed March 10, 2022. https://prodcmsstoragesa.blob.core.windows.net/uploads/files/2019StatisticalProfileofCertifiedPhysicianAssistants.pdf

2. Cawley JF. Physician assistants and their role in primary care. Virtual Mentor. 2012;14(5):411-4. doi:10.1001/virtualmentor.2012.14.5.pfor2-1205. 

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The facts, stats, and impact of diabetes. Updated January 24, 2022. Accessed March 3, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/spotlights/diabetes-facts-stats.html

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Atrial fibrillation. Updated September 27, 2021. Accessed March 14, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/atrial_fibrillation.htm

5. Weir HK, Thompson TD, Stewart SL, White MC. Cancer incidence projections in the United States between 2015 and 2050. Prev Chronic Dis. 2021;18:E59. doi:10.5888/pcd18.210006.

6. Butler CC, Gillespie D, White P, Bates J, et al. C-Reactive protein testing to guide antibiotic prescribing for COPD exacerbations. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(2):111-120. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1803185. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1803185

7. The Aspen Institute. Project play: state of play 2020. Accessed March 14, 2022. https://www.aspenprojectplay.org/state-of-play-2020/ages-13-17