The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants is the only certifying organization for physician assistants in the United States. Established as a not-for-profit organization in 1974, NCCPA is dedicated to assuring the public that certified PAs meet established standards of clinical knowledge and cognitive skills upon entry into practice and throughout their careers. All U.S. states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories have decided to rely on NCCPA certification as one of the criteria for licensure or regulation of PAs. As of Dec. 31, 2019, there were approximately 139,000 certified PAs.  Learn more about the NCCPA.

The nccPA Health Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit organization that designs solutions for improving the capacity of certified PAs to impact quality and accessibility of health care delivery.  Created by the NCCPA in December 2005, the nccPA Health Foundation is a supporting organization to the NCCPA.  The generous support of NCCPA and donors enables the Foundation to empower PAs and patients to improve health.