PAs were asked how often they encountered the diseases and disorders (frequency) and the extent to which the diagnosis or treatment of that disease or disorder was likely to result in harm to the patient (criticality). These 12 specialties represented at least 88% of all certified PAs. Lists also were developed of diseases and disorders encountered in primary care and in the 11 specialty areas. By contrast, in the 2015 practice analysis, 12 different PA groups developed a list of tasks, knowledge, and skills in primary care, as well as listings of tasks, knowledge, and skills in 11 specialty areas. One list of tasks, knowledge, and skills was used to evaluate the entire PA profession. NCCPA practice analyses before 2015 focused on general tasks, knowledge, and skills that were performed by all PAs. Furthermore, the compilation of practice analyses provides an archival record of the evolution and trends of the PA profession. The blueprint serves as the framework for building examination forms, informing score reports, and providing part of the documentation required to support the validity of examination scores. The specifications also serve other purposes, such as providing guidance for test question authors in reviewing and classifying examination questions to comply with current medical standards and contemporary medical practice. Examination specifications enable the construction of consistent test forms. A major goal of these studies centers on documentation development and content validation to link NCCPA's examination specifications or blueprints to the practice of PAs in the healthcare environment. 10 Since then, a PA practice analysis has been undertaken about once every 5 years. The first certification examination was administered in 1975. The NCCPA was created in the early 1970s to provide a certification program that reflects standards for clinical knowledge and skills required for PAs. 3 Because the US healthcare industry is rapidly changing, practice analysis results help to focus examination content and to meet standards established by external accreditation organizations. 8 Those relying on the validity of NCCPA certification include patients, employers (such as physicians, hospitals, or healthcare systems), those responsible for credentialing professionals (including state licensing boards), external accreditors, and insurers.Ĭontemporary professional standards for certification testing require that the examination content reflect the actual practice of the profession in question. In turn, certifications are the quality disclosures healthcare professionals put forth to the public to indicate that they have been examined in accordance with contemporary healthcare practice standards of care. 4- 7 The NCCPA is responsible not only to the PAs it certifies, but to other stakeholders as well for the preparation of psychometrically sound and defensible certification examinations. In complying with best practices for the development and validation of high-stakes certification examinations, most healthcare professions-for example, physical therapy or occupational therapy-base their examination content on data gathered through a practice analysis. 3 Practice analysis of the physician assistant (PA) profession helps the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) ensure that examination content is realistic, relevant, and reflects current practice. 1, 2 This type of analysis is used to validate certification examinations and provide a basis for defending the appropriateness of examination content. A practice analysis identifies and documents the major tasks performed in a particular profession, and often includes the knowledge and skills required to conduct those tasks.
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