Which statement about physician assistants is accurate?

• A. They are unregulated in most states
• B. They are nationally certified and state-licensed
• C. They cannot prescribe medications
• D. They operate independently without physician supervision

Answer: (B)

PAs practice under a system of national credentialing paired with state licensure. They must earn national certification by passing the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam and then obtain licensure from the state medical board where they practice. This combination ensures a consistent standard of knowledge and clinical competency while aligning practice with state rules on supervision, scope of work, and prescriptive authority. That structure makes the statement accurate. In contrast, they are not unregulated in most states, they commonly have the ability to prescribe medications under proper authority and supervision, and they generally do not practice completely independently without physician oversight, though supervision requirements can vary by state.