Physician Assistants
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Physician Assistant legislation was adopted in California in 1971 and amended in 1975. The present law gives joint authority over the practice of physician assistants to the Allied Health Division of the Medical Board of California and the Physician Assistant Examining Committee (PAEC).
The PAEC has the responsibility to approve training programs for PAs and to certify PAs in California. At the completion of the educational program, the PA student is required to pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE). It should be noted that this certification is equivalent to licensing. The supervising physician must apply to the Medical Board for approval to supervise the graduate physician assistant. No individual will be certified by the State Physician Assistant Examining Committee to practice as a physician assistant unless they have:
- Graduated from a training program which has been approved by the Committee
- Passed the Physician Assistants National Certifying Examination (PANCE) in Primary Care administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
- Applied for and received approval from the Physician Assistant Examining Committee to practice as a physician assistant under the supervision of a physician approved by the Board to act in such capacity
