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How to Get Your PA license, DEA license and other Certifications and How Much They Cost

A Recent PA Student Graduate Shares His Experience Getting Started as a PA

Today we have a guest post from a recent PA school graduate, Kyle Johnson. He discusses the cost of obtaining certification and license for a new PA. 

The experiences shared are for obtaining a PA license in California. Every state has different rules and processes for applying for a license. It is always best to check with your state PA license organization to find out what is required.

Near the end of PA school, you’re stressed about everything. You have to apply for jobs, finish your assignments, study for tests, do OSCEs, take the PANCE, apply for your PA license, obtain your DEA license, and get other certifications.

The requirements can seem endless. I created a list of what you’ll need to get done to become a fully licensed PA. I made the mistake of applying for my PA license after school. This took an additional month to do and delayed my credentialing process to the hospital I work at. I highly recommend students apply for their license before they graduate if their state allows. In some states, you must be certified before applying for your license; if you have not passed the PANCE, you might not qualify.

How to get your state PA License

There are a lot of steps that you need to complete to obtain your license. First, I googled my state’s PA license forms, as the process in each state is different. If you need a passport photo, find the closest place near you. It shouldn’t cost more than $15. Next, I needed to do a live scan. I did my live scan at UPS for about $40 and it took about 15-20 minutes to do. Be sure to bring your state’s PA license forms to the live scan.

I filled out the CA PA license forms and included any previous healthcare licenses. For example, I had a phlebotomy and EMT license before PA school. I had to fill out a separate form for each agency to authorize the release of information to my state’s PA license board.

If you do a quick search, you’ll find the release of information form. It’s a one-page form that you need to mail for each agency you had a license.

Next, I did a self-query with the National Practitioner Data Base (NPDB). I filled it out online and mailed it to my address. It cost $4 to do. You can find the form here. Once I received the self-query report, I sent it to my state’s PA board.

Lastly, I took the PANCE and sent the score to the PA board. If you can send everything mentioned above to the PA board without the PANCE score I would recommend doing it ahead of time. It’ll save you a lot of time and frustration later if your state allows you to send the other stuff in advance. This is where I made my mistake. The PANCE will cost $500 to take.

Once your state board has all of your information it should take a few weeks to get your license in the mail if they have all the required documents. Feel free to contact the PA or medical board on the status of your application. There will be an employee who is assigned to your application.

Applying for a PA license cost me $200, but fees vary by state.

Applying for your DEA License

After you get your PA license you can apply for a DEA license. You can find the application here.

Click on the Mid-level practitioner hyperlink and select the MLP-Physician Assistant option in the drop-down menu.

Fill out the form and make sure you have all the correct information. The website makes it abundantly clear that your application fee is non-refundable.

I have to warn you that it’s a whopping $731 to apply for your DEA license. This is going to hurt, but it lasts 3 years.

The website also states it can take 4-6 weeks to get your DEA license. Another reason to apply as early as possible.

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Controlled Substance Course

Once you have your DEA license you can sign up for the controlled substance course. This is an onetime course that will allow you to prescribe schedule II drugs. You’ll have to look up courses in your state.

Your state’s PA chapter, such as the California Association of Physician Assistants (CAPA), should have a list of courses. Sign up as soon as possible because there are only a few classes offered throughout the year.

There are other programs outside of your state PA chapter that does this course, but make sure they will satisfy your requirements.

The cost of this ranges from $200-$445.

Other Licenses/Certifications

I recently accepted a position in the ED and my employer would like me to have ACLS, PALS, and ATLS certifications.

The ACLS online course through AHA is $132, but they charge you an additional $140 for the hands-on test.

PALS is the same way. I did mine through AHA online for $290. This includes the PALS online course and hands-on testing.

You can choose to take the courses in person but they’re more expensive and take more time, feel free to do either.

I signed up for an ATLS course. This is a bit more expensive and ranges from $650-$1000. It’s a two-day course that you do in person.

When you look for ATLS courses you’ll find a list throughout your state. The classes get booked months in advance, so sign up as soon as you have to. You’ll want to look up locations in your state. Not all emergency department employers require the ATLS certification, so find out if your employer requires it.

Credentialing at a Hospital

Credentialing at a hospital can be a nightmare. Being a new graduate is a benefit when it comes to credentials. This process can take anywhere from 3-6 months to be fully credentialed. The length depends on how long you have been practicing and if you have all of your licenses and information available.

I accepted a job in February of 2020 and won’t be starting my first shift until May of 2020. There’s a lot of paperwork that needs to be done. Finish all the paperwork that your employer sends you. Any delays will result in a delay in your start date.

Be prepared not to work for 6+ months after you graduate. I feel like this is an area that schools fail to mention right before you graduate. I would strongly suggest taking out extra loans and live frugally during this time. The time searching for your first job can be stressful.

Even though it might be stressful, I can’t emphasize enough that you should find a job that’s a good fit. Don’t just find a job to start working. I found it especially hard to not be in school or working, but I encourage you to be patient and find that great job that fosters a learning environment.

This whole process can cost anywhere from $1,675-$2,300 depending on other certifications you’ll need. 

Many employers pay these fees once you are employed. However, as a new graduate, you might need to pay them before getting a job. Keep this in mind as you negotiate a job offer and ask if they are willing to reimburse for any of these fees.

Try to apply for your PA license, DEA license, and do your controlled substance course as soon as you can. These three things are the last few hurdles before you can practice. You’ve made it this far, so I know you can plan and get these done.

I wish you the best of luck and welcome to the PA profession!

Author Bio

I recently graduated from PA school in the Bay Area and just began working my first job out of school in the Emergency Department.

Being a student in the 2008 recession like so many others, I was saddled with increasing tuition, worse borrowing terms and a fear that I wouldn’t graduate on time because of finances. By living frugally, working and some luck, I graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz with only 16k in debt. However, my PA schooling quickly trumped that amount.

During PA school, I was told about The White Coat Investor’s initial book about personal finance and quickly dove deep into personal finance afterwards. I researched and read multiple websites, books and forums. In my readings I saw very few websites geared specifically toward PAs so I decided to create The PA Investor website. I truly believe that if people have their finances in order, they can live happier, more fulfilled lives and provide better patient care.

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