Summary

The AAPA CME Calendar promotes Continuing Medical Education (CME) events for Physician Assistants (PAs). To be eligible for a calendar listing, your event must hold AAPA CME Accreditation. This article explains eligibility requirements, how to apply for accreditation, what to include in your application, and what to expect after your activity concludes.

Before You Begin

• Confirm that your event has — or is in the process of obtaining — AAPA CME Accreditation. Events without accreditation are not eligible for a calendar listing.
• Have a free account at the AAPA Accreditation Portal: cmeapproval.aapa.org.
• Budget for the calendar listing fee of $250 per month, per listing.
• Plan to submit your application at least 6–8 weeks before your event to allow sufficient time for review.

Steps to Apply

Step 1: Review Eligibility Requirements

Before applying, review the eligibility requirements and application guidelines for AAPA CME accreditation. 

Step 2: Create Your Account and Start Your Application

1. Create a free account at cmeapproval.aapa.org.
2. Select Begin New Application.
3. Review AAPA's CME accreditation criteria and eligibility requirements within the portal.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application

Your application will be reviewed by the AAPA CME Review Panel. Make sure to include the following components:

• PA Perspective: Identify the PAs involved in planning, review, or faculty roles and describe their contributions.
• PA Gap: Define the difference between current and best practice, and explain why this education is needed. Examples include:
  • Knowledge gaps — lack of awareness of current best practices
  • Performance gaps — knowing what to do but not doing it consistently
  • Systems gaps — barriers that prevent best practices
• Educational Need: Describe the educational needs that stem from the identified gap.
• Goals/Objectives: State what PA learners should achieve. Align goals with the identified gap and focus on measurable improvements.
• Activity Description: Briefly outline the format, focus, and purpose of the activity.
• PA Competencies: Reference the AAPA PA Competencies to show how your activity supports PA professional growth.
• Course Information: Include the requested credit amount, faculty list with credentials, disclosures and mitigation (if applicable), session objectives and timeframes, and any supplemental materials such as slide decks, recordings, or post-tests.
• Content Validity: Explain how you ensure the material is evidence-based and balanced — for example, through peer review or reference checks.
• Session Details: Each session should have its own entry and include:
  • Session title
  • Learning objectives and/or goals
  • Speaker name and credentials
  • Disclosure (with mitigation if applicable)
  • Timeframe
  • Requested CME credit
• Evaluation: Upload or describe your session-specific evaluation form.
• Promotional Materials: Use AAPA's required accreditation pending language in all promotional materials until your CME is officially approved. You can find the required language here. 

Confirmation / Expected Result

Once your application is submitted and approved by the AAPA CME Review Panel, your event will be eligible for listing on the AAPA CME Calendar. You will receive confirmation through the AAPA Accreditation Portal.

After the Activity

After your event concludes, you are required to submit a Post-Activity Report within 90 days of your accreditation end date. The report must include:

• Attendance data
• Total credits awarded
• A summary of evaluations

Troubleshooting

If you have questions about the application process, eligibility, or calendar listings, contact the AAPA CME Approval team:

• Email: cmeapproval@aapa.org
• Portal: cmeapproval.aapa.org

Important Notes

• Your event must have AAPA CME Accreditation to be eligible for a calendar listing.
• Calendar listings are $250 per month, per listing.
• Applications cannot be submitted within 7 days of the event start date.
• A rush fee applies to any application submitted within 21 days of the event start date.
• Submit your application 6–8 weeks in advance when possible to allow adequate time for review.
• Use AAPA's required accreditation pending language in all promotional materials until your CME is officially approved.
• The Post-Activity Report is due within 90 days of your accreditation end date.

Related Articles or Links

• AAPA Accreditation Portal
• Eligibility Requirements and Application Guide
• Accreditation Pending Promotional Language
• Current Accreditation Fees