How much does the PANCE exam cost?

The PANCE exam costs a non-refundable $550 application fee, paid directly to the NCCPA (National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants), which covers your initial registration and allows you to schedule the exam within a 180-day window after approval. This fee is separate from costs for practice materials, which can range from a couple hundred to several hundred dollars depending on prep courses like UWorld or Rosh Review.

How expensive is the PANCE?

To register for the PANCE exam, submit your application and $550 payment through the NCCPA.

Is 500 a good PANCE score?

Though passing scores are no longer published, a PANCE score of 350+ is generally accepted as "passing," however, passing scores can and do range from 350-392. The highest score attainable on your PANCE is 800.

Is 3 weeks enough to study for PANCE?

Yes, 3 weeks can be enough for PANCE prep, especially if you're a strong student with recent clinical knowledge, but it requires intense, focused study (8+ hours/day) on high-yield topics and practice questions, essentially condensing a longer plan; however, 2-3 months is often recommended for more thorough preparation, while others suggest 3-12 months for a less stressful review, so it depends heavily on your baseline knowledge and study efficiency. 

How many people pass PANCE on First Try?

Most people pass the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination) on their first try, with national first-time pass rates typically hovering around 92-93%, though it can fluctuate slightly year to year, with figures around 89-95% reported in recent years (2020-2024). While overall pass rates (including retakes) are higher (95-97%), the first attempt is generally very successful for most graduates. 

My PANCE study schedule and Strategy (rambling & life update)

What is the 3/2:1 rule in studying?

The 3-2-1 rule in studying refers to different effective techniques, most commonly: reading a concept 3 times, speaking it out loud 2 times, and writing it down 1 time from memory to boost retention; or, as another method, using a spaced repetition schedule of reviewing new info 3 times in the first week, 2 times in the second, and 1 time in the third to solidify long-term memory. A third variation focuses on motivation: 3 small tasks, start for 2 minutes, find 1 reason to continue. 

What is the hardest PA school to get into?

The hardest Physician Assistant (PA) schools to get into are extremely competitive, often featuring <2.3% acceptance rates, like Duke University, with top-tier programs also including Baylor College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Emory University, and George Washington University. These programs demand exceptional academics (high GPAs), significant patient care hours (often thousands), strong GRE scores, and a deep understanding of the profession, making them far tougher than general university admissions, even at elite schools like the University of Pennsylvania. 

Is PANCE harder than UWorld?

📚Uworld - level of difficulty was about the same or harder than questions on the PANCE so I definitely think it prepares you well. Reading explanations for things you get wrong & understanding it is key. The PANCE also looks EXACTLY like uworld so that helped me feel more familiar on test day!

Is the PANCE changing in 2025?

Yes, the PANCE blueprint changed in 2025, with updates taking effect January 2025, reflecting the evolving medical field through percentage adjustments in content areas (like increased emphasis on Psychiatry and Infectious Disease, decreased Cardiology), new and moved topics (e.g., new musculoskeletal topics, revised neurology sections), and slight renamings to align with current medical terminology. These changes, determined by the NCCPA, ensure the exam remains relevant for new Physician Assistants.
 

Is PA school harder than med school?

Neither PA school nor medical school is definitively "harder"; they are intensely rigorous but differ in focus, duration, and admission hurdles, with PA school often requiring more diverse patient care hours upfront but medical school demanding deeper foundational science and the challenging MCAT, culminating in longer, specialized residency for MDs versus direct PA practice. PA school condenses core medical knowledge into a fast-paced 2-3 years, while medical school (4 years + residency) offers broader, deeper, and longer specialization, making both demanding in different ways. 

How many questions can I miss on PANCE?

The exam uses a scaled scoring system ranging from 200 to 800, with 350 being the minimum passing score. Candidates should note that each question on the PANCE carries equal weight. There is no penalty for incorrect answers, so it's advisable to attempt every question.

How much is 1 year of PA school?

One year of PA (Physician Assistant) school typically costs between $25,000 and over $95,000, depending heavily on whether it's a public or private institution and in-state or out-of-state status, with total costs often reaching $70,000 to over $120,000 for the entire 2-3 year program, including tuition, fees, books, living expenses, and health insurance. 

Is PANCE all multiple-choice?

The five-hour PANCE exam includes 300 multiple-choice questions administered in five blocks of 60 questions with 60 minutes to complete each block. There is a total of 45 minutes allotted for breaks between blocks and you will be responsible for managing your break time.

Is PA a 2 year degree?

PA school (Physician Assistant school) is typically a 2 to 3-year graduate-level master's program, combining intensive classroom (didactic) learning with hands-on clinical rotations, usually taking about 27 months (around 2.5 years) in total after completing a bachelor's degree. While some programs are exactly 24 months, many are closer to 2.5 or 3 years, often requiring around 27 months of dedicated study. 

Who gets paid more, PA or NP?

Generally, Physician Assistants (PAs) tend to earn slightly more than Nurse Practitioners (NPs) nationally, with median salaries often a few thousand dollars higher for PAs, but this varies greatly by specialty, location, and experience, with high-paying NP roles sometimes exceeding PA salaries in specific areas like surgery or emergency medicine. Recent data shows PAs earning around $130,000-$134,000 and NPs around $129,000-$126,000 median, but PAs often work in higher-paying specialties like surgery, boosting their average. 

How rare is a 525 MCAT?

A 525 MCAT score is extremely rare and exceptional, placing you in the 100th percentile, meaning you scored better than 100% of test-takers in recent years (2022-2024) and are just 3 points shy of a perfect score (528). This score is considered a top-tier score for the most selective medical schools, putting you in a statistically tiny fraction of applicants, as scores above 520 represent the top 1-3%. 

How many people fail PA school?

A staggering statistic shows that one in four PA students is at high risk of academic dismissal in their first year. With this in mind, let's explore how to succeed in PA school, and essential strategies to help you avoid failure.

What is a good first time PANCE pass rate?

The first-time pass rate is typically between 91–93% The overall pass rate (including retakes) is around 95–97%

Is a CPA harder than a bar?

Most people find the CPA exam harder than the Bar exam due to its multi-section format, requiring passing four parts within 18 months, compared to the Bar's intense but shorter, single-test focus; however, difficulty is subjective, depending heavily on your strengths, with the CPA testing broad accounting/business knowledge and the Bar testing legal reasoning, often leading to CPA candidates (especially those with JD/CPAs) finding the CPA more challenging, despite the Bar often having lower average pass rates in some jurisdictions. 

What is the easiest PA school to get into?

There isn't a single "easiest" PA school, as it depends on your profile, but programs like Advent Health University, West Coast University, University of North Dakota, and Mercy College are sometimes cited for lower minimum GPAs or acceptance rates, while others like Barry University, Marquette University, and Loma Linda University accept applicants with lower scores but still require strong applications overall, with many schools looking for GPAs around 3.0 and beyond, plus clinical experience. 

What is the 20 minute rule for studying?

Goldilocks Of Study: The 20-Minute Rule

In my opinion (and experience of being a student myself), just 20 minutes of study time on one subject is what you should aim for. It's long enough for enough information to be repeated. It short enough to not get tired and/or lose concentration.

What is the 80 20 principle in studying?

What is the Pareto Principle? The Pareto Principle, often called the 80/20 rule, is the broad observation that approximately 80% of outcomes or results come from about 20% of your inputs or effort. Therefore you should concentrate on areas where you can get 'big wins' with comparatively little effort.

Why is round robin reading no longer recommended?

Round robin reading is considered bad because it hinders reading fluency and comprehension, causes anxiety and embarrassment for struggling readers, and wastes class time, as students often tune out, focus on their own turn rather than the text, and miss opportunities for self-correction and building stamina. It creates a disconnect between what students are reading and its meaning, leading to disengagement and poor learning outcomes, despite its common use.