Preceptorate
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Precept PAstudents.

PA students rotate through family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, behavioral health and surgery. PAs and physicians in each of these precept them.

Apply to preceptAll specialties
PAPhysician Assistant
  • Family and internal medicine
  • Emergency medicine
  • Pediatrics and women’s health
  • Behavioral health

In person

Your student joins you for the rotation, seeing patients and presenting cases to you.

Virtually

PA rotations are usually in person, so we match PA preceptors in person.

The students

PA students in their clinical year.

What schools usually ask of you

  • An active, unrestricted PA, MD or DO license; some programs also accept NPs
  • Board certification where your profession certifies
  • Usually a year or more in practice

Each school sets its own rules. Our team tells you exactly what your student’s school needs.

PA precepting and CME credit

What we handle

  • Matching you with the right student
  • The affiliation agreement and the school’s forms
  • Evaluations, and the mentorship sessions for virtual precepting
  • Your payments, per block of hours

How do you become a PA preceptor?

The short answer

PA students are precepted in person by PAs and physicians, and in many programs by nurse practitioners for part of the year, across rotations in family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, behavioral health and surgery. Practicing PAs who precept students from ARC-PA accredited programs earn AAPA Category 1 CME: 2 credits per student for each 40-hour week, toward NCCPA’s 100 CME credits every two years.

  • 2AAPA Category 1 CME credits per 40-hour week, per student
  • 100CME credits NCCPA asks for in each two-year cycle
  • 7core rotation areas PA students move through
  • 10 yearsNCCPA’s full certification maintenance process

What PA students practice with you

PA students in their clinical year rotate through core areas of medicine, each with its own objectives:

  • Family and internal medicine: acute and chronic care across ages.
  • Emergency medicine: undifferentiated and urgent presentations.
  • Pediatrics and women’s health.
  • Behavioral health.
  • General surgery: pre-operative, operative and post-operative care.

Who precepts PA students

PAs and physicians precept most rotations, and many programs also welcome nurse practitioners for part of the year. Each program sets its own preceptor guidelines, and you need an active, unencumbered license and board certification where your profession certifies.

AAPA CME and NCCPA certification

AAPA awards Category 1 CME for clinical teaching through ARC-PA accredited programs: 2 credits per student for each 40-hour week, up to AAPA’s annual maximum, awarded by the program to practicing PAs. NCCPA certification maintenance runs in two-year cycles of at least 100 CME credits, including at least 50 Category 1, within a ten-year process.

Precepting PA students with Preceptorate

PA rotations are in person, so we match PA preceptors in person by specialty and location. You see the rotation dates, hours and pay before you accept, our team prepares the affiliation agreement and the program’s forms, and you are paid per block of hours at the rate you set.

Sources

  1. AAPA: Category 1 CME for precepting
  2. NCCPA: Continuing medical education
  3. CMS MLN Matters MM11560: Summary of policies in the CY 2020 Physician Fee Schedule

Checked October 30, 2026. Schools build on these standards with their own guidelines, and our team tells you exactly what your student’s school asks.

PA precepting questions

What preceptors ask us most. Anything else, our team answers.

Ask a questionAll questions
How do PA preceptors earn CME?
Through the student’s ARC-PA accredited program, which awards 2 AAPA Category 1 credits per student for each 40-hour week.
Can an NP precept a PA student?
Many programs welcome nurse practitioners for part of the year; each program sets its own guidelines.
Are PA rotations in person?
Yes, so we match PA preceptors in person.
How many CME credits does NCCPA ask for?
At least 100 every two years, including at least 50 Category 1.

From the Preceptor Brief

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Other specialties

All specialties
FNPFamily Nurse PractitionerPrimary care across the lifespan, from children to older adults.Precept FNP studentsAGPCNPAdult-Gerontology Primary Care NPPrimary care for adolescents, adults and older adults.Precept AGPCNP studentsAGACNPAdult-Gerontology Acute Care NPHospital, critical and specialty care for acutely ill adults.Precept AGACNP studentsPMHNPPsychiatric-Mental Health NPPsychiatric assessment, therapy and medication management.Precept PMHNP studentsPNPPediatric Nurse PractitionerCare for infants, children and adolescents.Precept PNP studentsWHNPWomen’s Health Nurse PractitionerGynecologic, reproductive, prenatal and postpartum care.Precept WHNP studentsNNPNeonatal Nurse PractitionerCare for newborns in neonatal intensive care.Precept NNP studentsCNMNurse midwifePregnancy, birth, postpartum and gynecologic care.Precept CNM students

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