Becoming a Physician Assistant in Montana

By Jennifer Williams, allied health world Contributing Writer
Published: January, 7 2010

Step #1: Montana State Licensure

Montana has a state-licensing requirement for all students looking to pursue physician assistant jobs in Montana. This state license can be applied for and given only by the Montana Board of Medical Examiners. The mission of the Montana Board of Medical Examiners is to ensure quality healthcare for all Montana residents through the licensure of competent and educated healthcare professionals.

The Board holds very strict standards to any resident interested in applying for a license. The Board also lays out some very specific requirements that each student must accomplish before they can even be considered for physician assistant jobs in Montana.

The first step in the licensing process for those who want to know how to become a physician assistant in Montana is to have a certificate from the National Commission on Certification of Physicians Assistants, also known as NCCPA. In addition, the state of Montana is unique in that not only do they require certification from the NCCPA, but they also require a student to have a Supervision Agreement and a Duties and Delegation Agreement with a supervising physician.

Step #2:  National Accreditation Requirements

Keeping in mind that there are still educational requirements to be a physician assistant in Montana, it is first important to learn how certification affects a student’s ability to act as a physician assistant. Simply put, a Montana student cannot obtain state licensure without certification from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, or NCCPA.

This is a very important credential to keep in mind, as the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants does have requirements before certification, as well. The NCCPA requires that any Montana student interested in becoming certified has already received their education from a nationally accredited school. The approved accreditation organization is known as the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, or ARC-PA.

The ARC-PA works in combination with several other affiliated agencies, including the American Academy of Physician Assistants. Their name is affiliated with firm ethics and standards for all physician assistant students. They are not only the pillar of a strong educational background, but also a lucrative career as a physician assistant.

The importance of attending a nationally accredited school cannot be overemphasized enough for those who wish to become a physician assistant in Montana. Because a strong education is the foundation of any great career, a Montana student cannot afford to waste time and money by not attending an accredited school. In addition, a student needs to understand that without accreditation from the NCCPA, their education is literally useless.

Step #3: Getting Certified

Now that the student has completed their schooling, he or she is ready to take the examination by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. That examination is called the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, or the PANCE test.

The PANCE test is rather comprehensive in that it ensures a student is knowledgeable about the profession. It is simply not safe to allow someone to work as a physician assistant without any education and the strictest of testing methods. So, the NCCPA works to maintain their ethics through the administration of the PANCE test.

When a Montana student has successfully passed this test, they are not only qualified to be licensed in the state of Montana, but they are also able to use the designation PA-C after their given name. The PA-C conveys to hospitals, physicians, organizations and patients that the practicing physician assistant is certified by the NCCPA and licensed in the state of Montana.

Once certified by the NCCPA, a physician assistant in Montana is then responsible for maintaining their certification. The NCCPA requires that each physician assistant complete 100 credit hours of continuing medical education during every two year time span.