General Information
Certificates
NCCAA issues a certificate upon successful completion of the Certifying Examination and every two years thereafter so long as certification requirements are met. In years two and four of the certification cycle, certification requirements are met when 40 hours of CME credit have been registered and the CME registration fee has been paid and processed. In year six of the certification cycle, certification requirements are met when 40 hours of CME credit have been registered, the CME registration fee has been paid and processed, and the CDQ Examination has been completed. Replacement certificates are available upon written request (see Downloads).
Certification Process
The ongoing certification process administered by NCCAA involves (1) initial certification by successful completion of the Certifying Examination for Anesthesiologist Assistants; (2) registration of credit for continuing medical education [CME]; and (3) successful completion of Examination for Continued Demonstration of Qualifications [CDQ]. The certification process operates on a continuing six year cycle:
NCCAA Certification Process
Year 0
Certifying Examination
Year 1
Year 2
CME Registration
Year 3
Year 4
CME Registration
Year 5
Year 6
CME Registration&CDQ Examination
NCCAA awards a time-limited certificate to each candidate who successfully completes the Certifying Examination. Each anesthesiologist assistant is able to maintain current certification by registering requisite CME credits every other year and successfully completing a CDQ examination every six years. Certification permits individuals to use the designation AA-C (Anesthesiologist Assistant-Certified). NCCAA maintains a database of Anesthesiologist Assistants-Certified from which certification of individual practitioners can be verified (see Verify Certification).
Change of Address
NCCAA maintains on file the mailing address of each applicant, each examination candidate, and each Anesthesiologist Assistant-Certified as he/she submits it. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant, the candidate, and the AA-C to inform NCCAA in writing of any change of address, including the effective date for the change of address. NCCAA will not make changes of address based on letterheads, return addresses on envelopes, checks, et cetera. Change of address, including the effective date for the change of address, must be mailed to NCCAA (NCCAA, 1500 Sunday Drive, Suite 102 Raleigh, NC 27607) or emailed to NCCAA (business.office@aa-nccaa.org).
NCCAA will not be responsible for lost or missed communications due to failure by the applicant, the candidate, or the AA-C to notify NCCAA of a change of address or the effective date for the change of address.
Change of Name
NCCAA maintains on file the name of each applicant, each examination candidate, and each Anesthesiologist Assistant-Certified as he/she submits it. The name on file is used for communications, printing of certificates, and verification of certification. It is the responsibility of the applicant, the candidate, and the AA-C to inform NCCAA in writing of any change of name. Change of name, including the effective date for the change of name, must be mailed to NCCAA (NCCAA, 1500 Sunday Drive, Suite 102 Raleigh, NC 27607) or emailed to NCCAA (business.office@aa-nccaa.org).
Correspondence with NCCAA
The NCCAA Business Office replies to correspondence within 10 business days of receipt of correspondence. Since email, fax transmission, and the US Postal Service are not 100 percent reliable, if you have not received a reply to your email, fax, or letter within two weeks of its transmission, please contact NCCAA about your original communication.
Lapsed Certification
Any practitioner who has permitted his/her certification to lapse may re-enter the certification process by applying for and successfully completing a Certifying Examination for Anesthesiologist Assistants.
Mailing Addresses for Practitioners and Examination Candidates
NCCAA uses the US mail to keep practitioners informed about their certification, CME registration, CDQ Examinations, and other important matters. NCCAA also uses the US mail for all communications with Certifying Examination applicants. NCCAA maintains one mailing address on file for each practitioner and each examination applicant.NCCAA rules and regulations require that certified anesthesiologist assistant practitioners and candidates for examination notify NCCAA of any change in their mailing address. This requirement is the sole responsibility of the examination candidates and AA-C practitioners.
Uniform Certification Date
The National Commission uses a uniform certification date of June 1st for all practitioners. This date for certification will appear in all verifications of certification, in all communications and publications, and on the NCCAA web site