Association of PAs in Occupational Medicine

03/21/2023

Interested in learning about volunteer opportunities for helping with the NCCPA Occupational Medicine Certificate of Added Qualifications? There are still a variety of opportunities for you to be involved in this initiative. PAs are involved throughout the development process, and NCCPA will be recruiting PAs who work in Occupational Medicine to help with these activities. Some of the opportunities are limited to one or two events, and others (such as writing and reviewing test questions) require a more ongoing effort. If you are interested in learning more about these opportunities, please visit NCCPA’s website at https://www.nccpa.net/about-nccpa/volunteer/ to complete a volunteer information form, and one of their staff members will be in touch with you. Thanks so much for considering!

02/03/2023

Interested in learning more about our organization and/or how to join?
Check out our website!

APAOM,Association of PA,Association of PAs in Occupational Medicine,PAs,PA's,Occupational Medicine

02/02/2023

Check this out! Our very own President-Elect, Nicolette Davis, PA-C worked with AAPA to create a CAQ in Occupational Medicine.

NCCPA continues its commitment of striving to meet the credentialing needs for PAs. Leaders of the Association of PAs in Occupational Medicine [ https://nccpacc.us.newsweaver.com/nccpa-news-august-2018/1dix05o2kms/external ] [ https://nccpacc.us.newsweaver.com/nccpa-news-august-2018/1dix05o2kms/exte...

08/25/2022

🚨 We need your input! 🚨

Please take a few minutes to share your feedback by completing the following survey before September 21st.

Drop an emoji below 👇 when you’re done!

Dear APAOM (Association of PAs in Occupational Medicine) members, please complete the survey to help us gauge interest for future activities.

07/26/2022

Are you due to recert your NRCME?

The periodic training is available through your National Registry account and must be completed by no later than December 31, 2022.

Please log into your National Registry account and select Periodic Training Due from the menu options to access the periodic training.

Once on the periodic training screen, follow the instructions to download, complete, and certify that you have completed the periodic training.

To receive credit for completion of the periodic training, you must print the certification of completion, enter you name, sign and date, scan and save a copy on your computer for upload to your National Registry account.

You must then return to your National Registry account, select the periodic training menu item, upload your certificate of completion, and click “Certify Completion of Periodic Training.”

Please be sure to retain a copy of your certificate of completion for your records. If you fail to complete the periodic training as scheduled, you will no longer be certified to perform physical qualification examinations of CMV drivers, and you will no longer be listed as examiner certified Medical Examiner on the National Registry.

There is no Cat 1 CME offering for this.

06/24/2021

Exciting time for PAs!

“Changing our title from assistant to associate is going back to our PA roots. PAs have had many titles throughout the years, one of which is physician associate,” noted Melinda Moore Gottschalk, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, adjunct faculty at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor PA Program in Belton, Texas.
- The Clinical Advisor

PAs need to keep in mind that legislative and regulatory changes still need to be made to incorporate the new title.

The AAPA House of Delegates (HOD) today passed a resolution affirming “physician associate” as the official title for the PA profession by a majority vote of 198 to 68. The vote followed deliberation by the HOD and study by an international marketing and communications firm.

09/24/2020

Contrary to what you may have seen, there has been no change to the Medical Advisory Criteria regarding epilepsy/seizure. MEs are still free to choose whether to utilize this guidance as a basis for making a physical qualification determination.

Appendix A to Part 391—Medical Advisory Criteria

H. Epilepsy: §391.41(b)(8)
1. A person is physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle if that person: Has no established medical history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition which is likely to cause loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to control a motor vehicle.

2. Epilepsy is a chronic functional disease characterized by seizures or episodes that occur without warning, resulting in loss of voluntary control which may lead to loss of consciousness and/or seizures. Therefore, the following drivers cannot be qualified:

(i) A driver who has a medical history of epilepsy;

(ii) A driver who has a current clinical diagnosis of epilepsy; or

(ii) A driver who is taking antiseizure medication.

3. If an individual has had a sudden episode of a nonepileptic seizure or loss of consciousness of unknown cause which did not require antiseizure medication, the decision as to whether that person's condition will likely cause loss of consciousness or loss of ability to control a motor vehicle is made on an individual basis by the medical examiner in consultation with the treating physician. Before certification is considered, it is suggested that a 6 month waiting period elapse from the time of the episode. Following the waiting period, it is suggested that the individual have a complete neurological examination. If the results of the examination are negative and antiseizure medication is not required, then the driver may be qualified.

4. In those individual cases where a driver has a seizure or an episode of loss of consciousness that resulted from a known medical condition (e.g., drug reaction, high temperature, acute infectious disease, dehydration or acute metabolic disturbance), certification should be deferred until the driver has fully recovered from that condition and has no existing residual complications, and not taking antiseizure medication.

5. Drivers with a history of epilepsy/seizures off antiseizure medication and seizure-free for 10 years may be qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce. Interstate drivers with a history of a single unprovoked seizure may be qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce if seizure-free and off antiseizure medication for a 5-year period or more.

09/22/2020

FMCSA extends the waiver for CDL and other interstate drivers operating CMVs until December 31, 2020. See the links below for more information:

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/2020-09/FMCSA%20CDL%20Waiver%20-%20FINAL%20-%20Sep%2018.pdf

and

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/emergency/notice-enforcement-policy-regarding-expiring-drivers-licenses-and-medical-examiners-0

U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 NOTICE OF ENFORCEMENT POLICY REGARDING EXPIRING DRIVER’S LICENSES AND MEDICAL EXAMINER’S CERTIFICATES DURING COVID-19 NATIONAL EMERGENCY

07/01/2020

There is a new alternative to CPAP for sleep apnea called Inspire. This has potential impact on our CDL patients. See the link below for their website. A polysomnogram is done approximately 3 months after device implantation to document effectiveness. The device can be interrogated like CPAP to document usage.

Inspire sleep apnea innovation is the only FDA approved obstructive sleep apnea treatment that works inside your body. No mask. No hose. Just sleep.

07/01/2020

Have you been getting more and more questions about COVID-19 workplace protections?

Here is a link to ACOEMs Covid-19 resource center which discusses employee protection, Covid-19 positive employees, workplace contract tracing and other Covid-19 related questions:

06/23/2020

Can your employer mandate Covid-19 testing?
See the link below regarding Covid-19 and the ADA as it applies to the workspace:

Technical Assistance Questions and Answers - Updated on May 7, 2020

06/22/2020

The FMCSA has extended the expiration dates for Medical Examiner certificates. The Medical Examiner certificate is now valid through September 30, 2020.
Requirements for eligibility for this extension and more information can be obtained at the following link:

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 12 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Notice of Enforcement Policy Regarding Expiring Driver’s Licenses and Medical Examiner’s Certificates During COVID-19 National Emergency