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How Many Questions Is the PANCE?
The PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam) has 300 multiple-choice questions, delivered in five blocks of 60 questions each, with 5 hours of testing time. It's the exam you must pass to become a certified PA, and it's administered by the NCCPA.
How it's structured
- 5 blocks x 60 questions = 300 total, each block timed at 60 minutes.
- You also get about 45 minutes of break time to use between blocks.
- Questions are multiple choice, most with a clinical vignette.
What it covers
- Content is organized by medical/surgical content areas (cardiology, pulmonology, GI, and so on) and by task areas like history-taking, diagnosis, and management.
- Emphasis leans toward common conditions and clinical decision-making, not obscure trivia.
Scoring
- Scored on a scaled system, so passing isn't a flat percentage of the 300 items.
- Results are reported after the exam, and you have a limited number of attempts within the certification window.
Because the NCCPA can update the blueprint, timing, and content weighting, confirm the current structure and scoring on the official NCCPA website before your test date. The related recertification exam (PANRE) is shorter and structured differently.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is the PANCE structured?
It has 300 multiple-choice questions in five blocks of 60, each block timed at 60 minutes, for 5 hours of testing plus about 45 minutes of break time to split between blocks.
What does the PANCE cover?
It's organized by medical and surgical content areas like cardiology and pulmonology, and by task areas such as diagnosis and management. Most questions use a clinical vignette and focus on common conditions.
Is the PANCE scored as a percentage?
No. The PANCE uses a scaled score rather than a flat percentage of the 300 questions, and results are reported as pass or fail. Check the current passing standard on the NCCPA website.