Memphis, TN 04/17/07 - Memphis-based education and training firm, Challenger Corporation, announced the outcome of a year-long testing and training curriculum for increasing standardized test scores for physician assistants (PAs) in training. The program, conducted at the Trevecca Nazarene University PA Training Program in Nashville, reported a 14% increase in the first-time pass rate in the National Certification Exam based primarily on use of the Challenger Program for PA Training (CPPAT). According to Becca Metzger, Director of Business Development, the successful application of CPPAT is the first and so far only reported class-wide training application for PA test improvement with a valid statistical effect. In essence, the only major change in training for the enrolled students in the Trevecca Nazarene Program was the requirement that students use Challenger training content selected by the Program's clinical leadership.

Under the direction of Larry Gerdom, MD, Director of Clinical Education, Trevecca Nazarene modified the clinical rotation syllabi to require completion by each enrolled student of 34 hours of Challenger training and testing materials for each rotation. As a result, the first-time pass rate in 2006 was an astonishing 97% with only one student out of 33 failing the test. Based on past outcomes, the faculty had expected at least 12 failures. The results showed a measurable benefit from Challenger training at a confidence level of over 99%, exceeding by a substantial margin the most demanding performance requirements of adult and standardized learning criteria.

Challenger owns the world's largest collection of approved electronic CME media, comprising over 3,800 approved hours of credit. Thousands of physicians, PAs, and other clinicians rely upon Challenger materials to prepare for specialty board exams, recertification, maintenance of certification, and lifelong learning. Challenger serves the educational and training needs of over 400,000 practicing American primary care and hospital-based physicians and nearly 70,000 PAs. Challenger products are approved for physician and PA CME credit through joint sponsorships with nine medical schools and specialty societies. They are also used for institutional training in seventy-five major residency and physician assistant training programs across the United States.