Sponsored by POCN+
It’s well known that physician assistants are lifelong learners. Our education is quick and rigorous, but the expectation to stay current with everything in healthcare continues far past graduation. I’m always looking for new resources and ways to make sure I’m current for my patients. In addition to the desire to learn, the CME requirements also encouraged continued learning, but the options can be expensive so I’m always on the lookout for free options, which is what I get to tell you about today!
POCN is the largest and most informed NP/PA network with more than 400,000 members. Some of the resources they provide include news on curated topics covering the latest news and blogs across various therapeutic areas. With CE/CME offerings and video content from peers and case based learning, there is a ton of information to explore and digest. I’m excited to tell you about their newest resource specifically for physician assistants and nurse practitioners, and it includes free CME!
POCN has recently launched POCN+, an application providing premium live and on-demand educational content for the PA & NP community. Think of POCN+ as the Netflix of PA education with the first over-the-top (OTT) streaming service for healthcare providers with peer-led content and education. You will be able to stream 24/7 content with free peer-led information through the one-stop resource to not only medical news, case studies, CDC COVID-19 updates, CME/CE videos and more, but also self-care resources to tackle mental health and burnout. You can find POCN+ on the Apple App Store or Google Play to access the service on your smart TV, computer, or mobile device. If you have an Apple TV, Amazon Firestick, or Chromecast, those will also work!
Since PAs must accrue 100 hours of continuing medical education (CME) every two years based on NCCPA requirements, we’re frequently looking for new sources and ways to find those hours. At least 50 of the hours have to be Category 1 CME credits, and that’s what POCN+ offers. The instructions for claiming CME from the videos is very straightforward and explained at the very beginning, making it super simple.
There are multiple therapeutic areas covered through POCN+, including primary care, cardiology, women’s health, endocrinology, dermatology, neurology and more. The purpose of this new platform is to support patients, practice and career development. By utilizing the top expert PAs and NPs with videos from reputable partners, such as the CDC, Board Vitals, ReelDx, TCOYD and others, you’ll gain access to up to date information in an engaging format.
So what type of content can you expect to find on POCN+? There’s a wide variety including weekly medical news highlights and interviews with health professionals on a variety of topics/therapeutic areas. To dive into details, case studies, an Expert Disease State series, and the Clinician’s Corner with discussions between NPs and PAs, provide clinical information for us to stay as up to date as possible. To make it even better, there are options for CME/CE videos to use for hours. A CDC COVID-19 series has been added to ensure PAs and NPs have the best access to the most current updates.
When you set up your account and sign in to POCN+, the information is presented in a very organized fashion. You can browse or search for any topic that may be interesting to you. I found some dermatology and skin related videos, but I’m more interested in the general updates outside of my specialty and news updates. On a computer, the top bar shows all of the options of different video types, including the CME options. Videos range from five minutes to an hour and a half, so there’s plenty of options to find something to fill your time.
Another benefit is the possibility of surveys that match provider skills and interests to earn additional income, as well as the ability to connect with peers and colleagues across the country. This type of collaboration is exactly what our professions need to continue to grow and support each other. As a brand new offering, POCN+ will continue to grow and add new videos and resources moving forward.
According to CEO Richard Zwickel, the purpose of POCN+ is to provide efficient, useful, and career-driving resources to the PA and NP community with the most comprehensive, one-stop resource that will be invaluable for the medical community to stay on top breakthrough medical news, learn from real case studies and get free CME credits.
It’s completely free to sign up! You’ll just need to fill out the form with your email, and you will need an NPI number to complete registration. Take advantage of the free CME and stay up to date with current medical developments for the benefit of your patients. Click this link to sign up for POCN+ now! I highly recommend checking it out and seeing how you can supplement your current learning style. Visit www.pocnplus.com for all of the info to start using this resource today!
