Texas Jurisprudence Exam Physician Assistant Practice Exam

Which reason allows a physician assistant to be exempt from annual minimum CME requirements, subject to committee approval?

1. Part-time work

2. Catastrophic illness

3. Low patient load

4. New to practice

The correct answer is: Catastrophic illness

A physician assistant may be exempt from the annual minimum Continuing Medical Education (CME) requirements in the event of a catastrophic illness, as this situation can significantly impact their ability to participate in educational activities. Catastrophic illnesses may require extensive time for recovery, thereby limiting the physician assistant's capacity to engage in professional development or maintain their existing credentials through the typical educational requirements. The exemption requires committee approval to ensure that the request is justified and aligns with the standards set forth by the relevant medical board or authority, thus providing a formal mechanism for managing exceptions due to significant personal health challenges. In contrast, options such as part-time work or low patient load do not typically constitute valid reasons for exemption since they do not inherently inhibit educational participation. New practitioners are often expected to engage in foundational CME as part of their onboarding into professional practice, making that choice less applicable for exemption purposes.