Quick answer
- What changed: In September 2025, the Physician Associate National Exam (PANE) was officially renamed the Physician Associate Registration Assessment (PARA).
- Who runs it: It is still delivered by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) on behalf of the GMC.
- What didn’t change: The format remains identical. It is a two-part assessment consisting of a Knowledge Based Assessment (KBA) and an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). You must pass both to register.
What is PARA (and why it replaced “PANE”)?
The shift from PANE to PARA is more than just a rebrand; it marks the final step in the regulation of the profession. With the GMC now fully established as the regulator for Physician Associates, the exam has been aligned with the nomenclature of other statutory registration assessments. While the name is new, the standard remains the consistent "generalist medical practitioner" level that PAs have always been examined against (GMC UK).
PARA vs PANE — what changed (and what didn’t)
| Feature | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Changed | Now the Physician Associate Registration Assessment (PARA). |
| Governance | Changed | Oversight is now fully statutory under the GMC. |
| Curriculum | Aligned | Mapped to the updated GMC PA Registration Assessment Content Map. |
| Delivery | Unchanged | Still delivered by the RCP assessment unit. |
| Structure | Unchanged | KBA (200 SBAs) + OSCE (14 stations). |
| Standard | Unchanged | "Day-one" generalist competence. |
Exam anatomy (how the PARA is built)
Knowledge-Based Assessment (KBA)
The KBA is designed to test your ability to apply clinical knowledge to patient care scenarios. It is not a test of fact recall; it is a test of clinical reasoning.
- The Blueprint: The exam is mapped to the GMC PARA Content Map. This covers the full breadth of general medicine, from "Cardiovascular Health" to "Reproductive Health."
- Revision Strategy: Do not just read textbooks. You must practise Single Best Answer (SBA) questions under timed conditions to learn how to spot the "key features" that differentiate one diagnosis from another.
OSCE
The OSCE is a performance exam. It consists of 14 stations, usually 8 minutes each.
- The Trap: Many candidates fail not because they lack knowledge, but because they lack structure.
- The Fix: Success is a performance skill. You need to drill your structure (introduction, agenda setting, history, closure) and your safety-netting until they are automatic.
The efficient PARA revision plan (8-week template)
| Week | Phase | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Blueprint & Baseline | Download the PARA Content Map. This is your checklist. Start doing daily questions in Adaptive Mode (using iatroX) to identify your weak domains immediately. Build an error log: note why you missed a question (Knowledge vs. Misread). |
| 3–5 | Weakness Conversion | 70/30 Split: Spend 70% of your time on your weak areas and 30% on mixed practice. Aim for 70–100 SBAs/day. Complete 2 full timed blocks per week to build stamina. Use Spaced Repetition to resurface the concepts you got wrong. |
| 6–8 | OSCE Integration | Start daily "micro-stations." Spend 8 minutes practising a specific skill (e.g., "Cardio Exam" or "Breaking Bad News"). Run a full 14-station OSCE circuit with peers every weekend. |
Where iatroX fits
iatroX is designed to be the engine for this revision plan.
- Adaptive Learning: Our Quiz algorithm learns what you don't know. If you are weak on "Paediatric fevers," it will serve you more questions on that topic until you improve.
- Spaced Repetition: It automatically schedules reviews of the questions you answered incorrectly, ensuring you retain the information for exam day.
- Free: iatroX is free to use, with no ads, making it an accessible, high-quality alternative to expensive subscription banks.
Mini-workflow: how to use iatroX for PARA
- Adaptive Mode (Days 1-10): Run wide, mixed blocks to let the AI find your gaps.
- Spaced Repetition (Maintenance): Every day, clear your "due" reviews to lock in yesterday's learning.
- Standard Timed Blocks (Final Phase): Simulate the pressure of the real KBA.
FAQs
When did PANE become PARA? The official name change took effect in September 2025, aligning with the GMC's full regulation of the profession.
Is the PARA format different from PANE? No. The GMC has confirmed that the format remains identical: a 200-question KBA and a 14-station OSCE.
Where can I find the PARA content map? The definitive syllabus is available on the GMC website under the Physician Associate registration section.