How to get 100 CME Credits as a Broke Physician Assistant

OK, so I am not exactly broke but I once was, and I am always treading a fine line. I have two children in braces, a wife working part-time, a struggling retirement account, a car payment, a mortgage payment, and, to top it off, I don't receive a CME stipend from my employer! The only good news is I don't have any PA school loans. So, I am always looking to save money where I can.Especially, when it comes to CME, which can be very expensive. Also, maybe like yourself, I had to pay for my DEA license, renew my California PA license, and fork over some money to the NCCPA for the privilege of maintaining my accreditation. This has brought my total PA related bill to well over $1,200 for the year.... yikes! I hated to do it, but I have had to opt-out of an annual AAPA membership and my state PA chapter because I just couldn't afford it. CME on The Cheap (AndDown-Low) So, I am going to let you in on two + resources that will allow you to get all your CME for less than $245 per year. Saving you time, frustration, and most of all, money! 1. The PRIMED MedicalConference Web Site:www.pri-med.com A colleague of mine introduced me to PRIMED years ago and I have never looked back. It is an excellent source of top-notch information and is good for about 35 category 1 CME credits. What's the best part? The cost to attend the Primed Conference is about $90 (early registration) for the entire four-day event! It is subsidized by pharmaceutical companies, and this is obvious from the start. But I find the CME to be timely and (although at times biased) very good, the event is enormous, and the food, services, and people are wonderful. They have fivelarge conferences every yearcovering the entirety of the United States along with several smaller "regional" meetings. In my opinion, it is the only conference to go to if you have to pay for CME out-of-pocket. And if you don't? Well then enjoy the best conference you can attend (preferably someplace warm and exotic) and stay at the Marriott. I will be thinking of you while I am at the Motel 6. Go to Primed 2. American Family Physician (AFP) Journal Web Site:www.aafp.org With an AFP journal subscription, you can accrue all the CME you need every two years without exception. A digital-only membership is $140 per year, allows you to stay up to date with all general health topics, and is just an all-around fantastic resource. I started reading The AFP Journal in PA school with a $40 student membership because I loved the clinical information. Now I read it for both the CME and the articles. It is a great medical journal and is big on CME. It's the best deal in town! AFP Digital-only Subscription One year digital accessAFPJournal AppMore than 130 CME/CE creditsAFPby Topic and Podcasts Subscribe to AFP 3. Prescriber's Letter Web Site:www.prescribersletter.com If you stopped at the above two recommendations, you will be good for all your CME needs. But, I include The Prescribers Letter, because it offers an incredible wealth of information and provides a lot of high-quality CME. I choose to subscribe to the digital edition. It keeps me up to date and has an excellent, searchable database that will make you a top-notch, better informed PA. I can't recommend The Prescriber's Letter enough, for unbiased research and great clinical pearls! **Update for 2019-2020: the price for Prescribers Letter Gold 1-year subscription is $139 (still a good deal) Prescribers Letter So there you have it, my short and easy list of CME on the cheap. If you have any other recommendations please let me know in the comments section. You may also like -How Much do PAs Make? Physician Assistant Salary and Compensation2019 PA Salary and Compensation How much money does a physician assistant make? In 2019, the median annual salary for PAs working full-time in the United States, independent of years of experience is $104,000 - $110,567 per []The 10 Best Websites for Physician Assistant Job Search Where is the best place to begin your next physician assistant job search? I have put each website to the test! Here is a comparison of the biggest and the best job search websites and apps for physician assistants based on their []Free PANRE and PANCE Practice Tests and Exam QuestionsI am happy to announce that the free PANCE and PANRE practice exams are finally up and running! There were a few technical hurdles to overcome, but I have worked out most of the kinks with the exam professor software. I want to []