LA-PMR

LA-PM&R 2021 Program Design Changes and Reminders

LA-PM&R 2021 is opening soon! We are so excited for our diplomates to use this learning tool for continual growth, and we hope you find it to be valuable and relevant in your practice.

With the start of the new year and the 2021 assessment, there are a few design changes that have been made to improve and upgrade the LA-PM&R platform. Please read on for updates and reminders before you begin this year’s assessment to ensure you’re caught up with what’s new and feel prepared to begin your 2021 questions!

Number of Assessment Questions

Each year of LA-PM&R is split into four quarters; the number of questions in each quarter varies depending on your performance from the previous quarter. If you answer a question incorrectly one quarter, you’ll see the same question (“reattempt”) in the next quarter. You will be awarded full credit for all correct reattempts on questions previously missed.

Here’s a breakdown of the number and type of questions to expect each quarter:

• Quarter 1: 20 questions

• Quarter 2: 15 new questions + any reattempts from Q1

• Quarter 3: 15 new questions + any reattempts from Q2

• Quarter 4: 10 article-based questions + any reattempts from Q3

As an example, say you answer 15 out of 20 questions correctly in Quarter 1. In Quarter 2, you’ll get 15 new questions plus 5 repeat questions—these repeat questions (reattempts) are the 5 you answered incorrectly in Quarter 1. These reattempts from Quarter 1 will count for full credit if you answer them correctly in Quarter 2.

You can use the Review Screen and Question History learning tool within the platform to keep track of how many questions you’ve answered in each content area, check your past performance on questions, and review rationales and references for individual questions.

Timing of the Assessment

As a reminder, the LA-PM&R assessment is a cycle of four years, or 16 total quarters (four quarters per year). At the end of this four-year period, your lowest four quarters will be dropped from the assessment. These can be either low-performing quarters, or those you elected not to take to allow for leaves of absence and time away from taking the assessment. Your fifth year of participation is optional for continued learning and SA-CME.

In year five there will be a summative decision based on your performance in years 1-4 (the total 16 quarters of the assessment). The summative decision determines if you met or didn’t meet the performance standard required for the assessment. If you didn’t meet the standard, you can apply to take the Re-Entry Examination in years 4 and 5 of your continuing certification cycle.

Please note: We are currently in the process of determining what the performance standard will be for LA-PM&R, which requires a few years of LA-PM&R data. Once the standard is set, this will be communicated to all participants in an assessment cycle, and you’ll be able to measure your performance against the standard at the end of each year.

Other Details

Your progress and performance in LA-PM&R is always available for you to keep track of and review, and we have designed the platform to put you in control of your learning. You’ll receive continual feedback on your assessment throughout the process with the ability to customize your assessment to fit your practice and knowledge.

After four years of the assessment, the summative decision in year five won’t be a surprise. If you’re on the borderline between meeting the performance standard and not meeting the standard, we will reach out with information and resources with remediation before the five-year mark. As always, you can contact us if you ever have any questions or concerns about your performance or the platform.

Visit our News Center for more LA-PM&R content and our LA-PM&R webpage to see a comprehensive overview of the platform, then next week you’ll be able to sign in to begin your 2021 assessment!


Originally Published: January 08, 2021