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Yes, CFR 1306.12 prohibits the refilling of schedule II controlled susbstances. PA rule 21 NCAC 32S .0212(4) mandates that a PA can only prescribe a 30 day supply for schedules II, IIN, III, and IIIN.
The federal government may employ a PA to work in a federal facility in North Carolina without requiring the PA to hold a NC license. However, many PAs employed by the federal government and working in federal facilities do hold an active NC license.
Federally employed PAs are governed by federal rules and regulations in regard to how they practice while working within federal facilities. However, a federally employed PA who holds a NC license and wants to maintain the license must comply with NC rules that pertain to maintaining an active license (i.e. annual renewal, CME and payment of fees). Also, any PA who carries a NC license is expected to practice competently, act professionally and be of requisite good character no matter where, or for whom, he or she works.
The Board sends information to the address you provide on your application. It is important to maintain a current address in order to receive correspondence from the Board. You can easily change your address online.
The Board’s website is considered primary source verification. You must see “active” under your name and the primary supervising physician’s name along with the date on the website in order to begin practicing. A letter will be mailed to you and the primary supervising physician within two business days. You and your supervising physician(s) must keep a copy of this Intent to Practice Acknowledgement Letter at all practice sites.
Intent to Practice forms are processed on the Board’s website. As soon as you complete the form you will be able to view the information on the website under your name. If the primary supervising physician is not displayed as “active” but rather says “pending,“ this may be because the PA, physician or both have a public file/other issues. These types of Intent to Practice forms may take longer to process.
Be sure to use correct grammer and punctuation and include the full site address when completing this form. Failure to do so may delay processing.
You may send your completed PA application, two fingerprint cards and Authority to Release Information form to the Board before sending other items, such as reference letters, etc.
There are appoximately 3,900 PAs licensed to practice in North Carolina.
No. NCMB cannot share applicant information with anyone except the applicant.
No.A physician in a resident training program must be supervised by a fully licensed physician.
No, this is not required under state law or by the NCMB. However, PA entries into inpatient charts (hospital, long-term care facilities) must comply with the institution’s rules and regulations. This means that any given supervising physician, medical practice, hospital or medical facility is free to impose its own guidelines, including co-signing of patient charts, and the physician assistant is expected to comply with that physician’s or institution’s rules and regulations.
First six months of new supervisory arrangement: The primary supervising physician and the PA in a new practice arrangement must meet monthly for first six months to discuss relevant clinical problems and quality improvement measures.
After first six months: The primary supervising physician and PA must meet at least every six months to discuss relevant clinical problems and quality improvement measures.
A record of all of these meetings must be signed and dated by both primary supervising physician and PA and be available for NCMB representative inspection.
Yes, the primary supervising physician retains professional responsibility for the care rendered by the PA within the scope of his or her individualized supervisory arrangement.
The PA is an agent of his or her primary supervising physicians in the performance of all medical practice related activities, including ordering of diagnostic, therapeutic and other medical services within the scope of his or her individualized supervisory arrangement.
The back-up supervising physician is responsible for the medical acts performed by the physician assistant only when the back-up supervising physician is actively supervising the PA.
No. However, PAs may not practice without a primary supervising physician in place. Physician and PA teams must ensure that the PA’s scope of practice is identified, that the delegation of medical tasks is appropriate to the skills of the supervising physician as well as the PA’s competence level, and that the relationship of, and access to, each supervising physician is defined, and that the PA’s performance evaluation process is established.
A PA is only required to have one primary supervising physician. The primary supervising physician is the physician who accepts full responsibility and liability for the PA’s medical activities and professional conduct at all times, whether the physician personally is providing supervision or supervision is being provided by a back-up supervising physician.
A physician assistant is not required to have a back-up supervising physician but is encouraged to have one during those times a primary supervising physician may not be readily available. The back-up supervising physician is the physician who accepts responsibility for supervision of PA’s activities in absence of primary supervising physician. The back-up supervising physician is responsible and liable for PA’s activities ONLY when providing supervision.
All supervising physicians must be licensed by NCMB and not prohibited from supervising PAs. Primary and back-up supervising physicians must ensure PA has adequate back-up for any procedure performed by PA in any practice location (office, home, hospital, etc.).
A supervisory arrangement is a written statement that describes medical acts, tasks and functions (including prescriptive authority instructions) delegated to the PA by the primary supervising physician appropriate to the PA’s qualification, training, skill and competence. The primary supervising physician and the PA must sign and date the supervisory arrangement, keep it on file at all practice sites and make it available to the Board if requested.
If there is a back-up supervising physician, they are required to complete the back-up supervising physician form. This form must be signed and dated by the back-up supervising physician, primary supervising physician and the PA. This form must be kept onsite as a part of the supervisory arrangement.
A PA’s scope of practice includes those medical acts, tasks or functions, including prescribing and dispensing of drugs and medical devices, that are delegated by the supervising physician in his or her individualized supervisory arrangement.
All active licensees in NC must register their license no later than 30 days after their birthday. After 30 days, if you have not registered, then you will be sent a certified return receipt letter stating that you have 30 days from the date of receipt to register (as evidenced by the return receipt). It is during the second 30 days you must pay the late fee. If your registration is not received within this period your license will be placed on inactive status.
Yes. All active PA licensees must renew annually within 30 days of their birthdays.
There is no specific limit. However, the supervising physician is expected to provide adequate supervision and comply with all applicable laws and rules.
Reactivation Application: PAs whose licenses have been inactive one year or less due to failure to register and have no issues may complete the online reactivation application.
Reinstatement Application: PAs with licenses that have been inactive for more than one year due to failure to register, or whose licenses have been suspended or revoked, should complete the online reinstatement application.
Yes. North Carolina law requires that physician assistants register with and pay a fee to the NCMB within thirty days of their birthday each year, no matter when the PA license is issued.
When engaged in professional activities, PAs must wear a name tag consistent with N.C.G.S. 90-640. It is acceptable for physician assistants to use the abbreviation “PA” on their badges.
Applicants who graduated from a PA program two or more years ago must submit documentation of at least 100 hours of CME earned in the last two years. If it has been less than two years since your graduation, you are not required to submit CME.
No. The primary supervising physician must ensure that the PA’s scope of practice is clearly identified and that the delegation of the medical tasks is appropriate to the skills and competencies of both the supervising physician and the PA.
No, you need not place your license on inactive status; however, you are required to find a new primary supervising physician in order to practice, generally within 30 days. You will be required to successfully submit a new Intent to Practice form with the new supervising physician’s information in order to resume practice as a PA in NC.
No, but you are required to keep a backup supervising physician list at all practice sites of all backup supervising physicians. The lists must be signed and dated by each backup supervising physician, the primary supervising physician, and the PA.
The NCMB Website is considered primary source verification. If you look up your name on the Website and can see your name as active with the primary supervising physician’s name as active along with the date, you can begin practicing. Letters are processed and mailed out within two business days. The Intent to Practice Acknowledgement letter is sent to the physician assistant and the primary supervising physician. PAs and their primary supervising physician(s) should keep a copy of the Intent to Practice Acknowledgment letter at all practice sites.
As of January 2007, Intent to Practice forms are processed via the Board’s Website. Paper forms are no longer accepted. Processing via the website occurs in real time. As soon as the process has been completed you should be able to view the information on the website under your name. If your primary supervising physician is not showing as “active” but rather as “pending” this is because either the PA, the physician (or both) may have a public file or other issues. These types of Intent to Practice forms will take longer to review and process.
The three reference forms included with the PA application are required. One must be from a physician and two must be from peers. References cannot be from relatives or fellow students.
Failure to submit a complete application is a major reason for delays. Please do not use nicknames and include all names used (i.e. first, middle, last, maiden, married, etc.). Make sure the application is signed/dated/notarized correctly. Please send original forms. Processing will NOT begin without a completed original application and paid fee.
If you answer any of the screening questions with an affirmative answer, please send all original supporting documentation and request that the court(s) send their documentation/transcripts directly to the NCMB. Please send the completed fingerprint cards (2) and the completed original Authority for Release of Information form as soon as possible.
While each case is different, due to the volume of applicants, it is usually a three to four month process from the time of receipt by the NCMB for applications with no “yes” answers to the “red flag” questions on the application. Applications that have affirmative answers may or may not take longer based on the information received.
The PA completes the online application, pays the fee and sends the original, completed application with all the attachments. NCMB staff reviews the application and updates its database daily as information about credentials and education is received. It is the PA’s responsibility to check the status of their application online using the “Check Status” tool on this website to determine whether documents have been received by the Board. The completed application is reviewed by a Board Member and the license may be issued, or an interview may be necessary, or the file may be added to the next Board Meeting schedule to be voted on. Due to the amount of applications received, it may take three to four months to process your application.
Helpful tips when completing your PA application:
We can not begin to process your application without receiving the completed application and fee. Be sure the application is signed, dated and notarized correctly and that you send all original forms. Please include all names used (i.e. maiden, married, etc.), but do not include nicknames.
If you answer any of the questions with an affirmative answer, send all original supporting documentation and request the court(s) send any documentation or transcripts directly.
Please send your two fingerprint cards and the completed original Authority for Release of Information form as soon as possible.
Finally, it is best to check the website to see if your license has been issued.
No; however, you may not commence practice until you receive notification that your Intent to Practice form has been processed by the Board.
No. PAs are required to have an active license and primary supervising physician acknowledgment (NCMB must have processed the Intent to Practice form) to practice as a PA in NC.