The use of the CCPA designation is a recognized symbol of superior training and commitment to lifelong learning. To support all CCPAs in continuing their learning, all CCPAs are automatically registered as a CAPA Mainport ePortfolio user with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (Royal College).
Below you will find some important information with regards to the MAINPORT ePortfolio and the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program, the system designed by the Royal College to support health care professionals in meeting their continuing professional development (CPD) needs.
Participation in CPD is a requisite for:
- Use of the CCPA designation, and
- Listing in the online public Directory of CCPAs.
MOC Cycles
Cycles always start on January 1 of the year after you have successfully written the Physician Assistant Certification Council of Canada (PACCC) PA Cert Exam. Please note that the time between the day of the PA Cert Exam in October and December 31 is a bonus period. For example, if you challenged the PA Cert Exam on October 24, 2019, your first 5-year cycle will be 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2024 and the bonus period will be 24 October 2019 to 31 December 2019. CCPAs are not required to use the MAINPORT ePortfolio or MOC Program during their bonus period, however it is encouraged because any learning activities completed and recorded during this time count towards meeting the requirements of this first year of the 5-year cycle.
MOC requirements
All CCPAs and those tracking their MOC requirements must annually renew their CAPA Membership and earn and report at least:
- 250 credits over the course of your five-year cycle by participating in educational activities that meet the identified needs of your professional practice.
- A minimum of 25 credit hours must be reported annually (any type)
- There is no minimum credit requirement for Section 1 and Section 2 at the end of the five-year cycle.
- At least 25 credit hours MUST be reported in Section 3 at the end of the five-year cycle and includes one Feedback Received activity focusing on meaningful learning and continuous practice improvement.
Credits are documented using the MAINPORT ePortfolio, the CPD reporting tool for the MOC Program. The deadline to report activities for the previous year is always January 31st of the following year. For example, the CPD activities completed in 2023 must be submitted via the MAINPORT ePortfolio program by January 31, 2024.
Document as you go
We encourage all CCPAs to report CPD activities on-the-go as you learn instead of waiting until the January deadline to enter them all at once. Using the MAINPORT ePortfolio app for iPhone or Android is a smart way to increase the frequency with which you record activities throughout the year.
Non-compliance
The non-compliance process took effect on 1 July 2016. A timeline for the non-compliance process can be found here.
Annual Minimum Requirement
Two months prior to the end of each year of a 5-year CPD cycle, CCPA’s who are deficient in accumulating the minimum requirement of 25 CPD credit hours in Section 3 will be contacted as a courtesy to remind them of their requirements. If CPD status is not rectified by the CPD year end, the CCPA will be formally put "On Notice" and the public list of CCPAs will reflect this status.
Five-year CPD Cycle
Six months prior to the end of every 5-year CPD cycle, CCPA’s who are deficient in accumulating 250 CPD credit hours will be contacted as a courtesy to remind them of their requirements. If CPD status is not rectified by the 5-year CPD cycle end date, the CCPA will be formally put "On Notice" and the public list of CCPAs will reflect this status.
Certification status - On Notice
CCPAs whose certification status is placed "On Notice" continue to be listed on the published list of CCPAs however will be flagged as “On Notice” for CPD non-compliance. If their CPD status is not rectified within 6 months after the CPD due date, their certification status will be changed to "Under Suspension".
Certification status – Under Suspension
CCPAs whose certification status is placed “Under Suspension” will not be included on the published list of CCPAs. If their CPD status is not rectified within 6 months after the date of suspension, i.e., within 1 year of the CPD due date, their certification status will be changed from "Under Suspension" to “Non-Compliant”.
Certification status – Non-Compliant/Regaining the Privilege to use the CCPA certification designation
Individuals whose certification status is “Non-Compliant” will be sent a notification letter by PACCC advising that:
- they have not met the MOC requirements despite being advised over a 12-month period that their certification status was placed "On Notice" and "Under Suspension";
- they have consequently lost the privilege to use the CCPA certification designation; and
- to regain the privilege to use the CCPA certification designation, they must submit, within 90 days of the date of the letter of notification, a CPD plan that a) corrects the deficiency of CPD credits to date, and b) identifies corrective action, acceptable to PACCC, that should ensure MOC compliance in the future.
Certification status - Non-Compliant/Re-certification process
Individuals who have been advised that their certification status is “Non-Compliant” and who have not corrected their CPD deficiency within 90 days of the letter of notification of non-compliance from PACCC will be sent another letter by PACCC advising that:
- they have not met the MOC requirements despite being given an additional 90 days following the notice of non-compliance;
- to regain the privilege to use the CCPA certification designation, they must undergo a re-certification process, i.e., they must re-write the PACCC Physician Assistant Entry to Practice Certification Examination (PACCC PA Cert Exam).
In order to be eligible to re-write the PACCC PA Cert Exam, all individuals whose certification status is deemed “Non-Compliant” must pay any outstanding CAPA membership dues as well as the usual registration fee for the PACCC PA Cert Exam.
In re-writing the PACCC PA Cert Exam for purposes of re-certification:
- the first attempt must be taken within the 1st year of notification of non-compliance;
- two additional attempts may be taken within the next 2 years
After three attempts (i.e., 3 years after the notice of non-compliance) the individual loses the eligibility to take the PACCC PA Cert Exam.
In exceptional circumstances, PACCC has the discretion to waive the requirement for re-certification.
Reinstatement of Certification Designation
Once the privilege to use the CCPA certification designation has been reinstated, a new 5-year CPD cycle will be assigned with the usual MOC requirements as outlined in the PACCC MOC Policy.
Lapsed CAPA membership
CCPAs with a lapsed CAPA membership will be advised of their INACTIVE CAPA membership status after the membership renewal period (1 Jan to 31 May). At that time, CCPAs will be referred to the PACCC CPD Policy and reminded that all CCPAs must adhere to the requirements of the maintenance of certification.
For your reference