Resources & Information

Most physician assistants are aware that they must submit an Intent to Practice form indicating their choice of primary supervising physician before beginning clinical practice in NC. It is important for PAs to remember that keeping the Board informed of changes, by removing former supervisors and adding new ones, is an ongoing obligation as long as they remain licensed in the state.

Administrative rule 21 NCAC 32S .0203 requires PAs to notify the Board every time there is a change in primary supervising physicians. This information is communicated to the Board using the online Intent to Practice form on NCMB’s website. Forms may be submitted 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

However, NCMB staff members regularly receive requests from licensees to remove inactive supervisees, typically because the supervisee failed to properly notify the Board that the supervisory relationship was terminated. Please review NCMB’s process for adding and changing supervising physicians and make sure your practice information is up to date. Here’s what you need to know:

Q: Under what circumstances must the PA notify the Board of a change in primary supervising physician?
A: PAs must submit a new Intent to Practice form any and every time the PA adds a primary supervising physician. This includes PAs who will practice with multiple primary supervising physicians and PAs who transfer from one supervisor to a different primary supervisor.

Q: How soon must the PA notify the Board after a change in supervisor occurs?
A: Administrative rules require the PA to submit a new Intent to Practice form notifying the Board of the change within 15 days.

Q: How does a PA notify the Board that a supervisory relationship has ended?
A: Visit ncmedboard.org and select “Add/change my supervising physician (submit Intent to Practice)” under Resources, from the bottom left corner of the Home Page. Log in to the Intent to Practice form. After confirming your personal and practice information, check the box next to “Make an existing active supervisor inactive.” Complete all remaining steps and submit the form.

Q: What happens if the PA does not submit an ITP form to remove a former primary supervising physician?
A: The Board’s records will continue to reflect that the former primary supervising physician is an active supervisor, even if this is not the case. The PA’s name will continue to display as a supervisee on Keeping the Board apprised of changes to the PA-physician team the former primary supervising physician’s licensee information page.

Q: Will the PA receive a letter confirming the addition or removal of a primary supervising physician?
A: The Board no longer mails letters to confirm receipt of Intent to Practice form using regular mail. You will receive an electronic confirmation of receipt via email. Another means of confirming receipt of the ITP is to use the Board’s online licensee search to look up the PA or supervisor. Current supervisees and supervisors are listed.

Q: May a physician remove him- or herself as a primary supervising physician?
A: The supervising physician may not complete the ITP form – this is the PA’s responsibility. Physicians may contact the Board for assistance in having a former supervisee removed if the physician is unable to have the PA do it.

Q: Can NCMB help me have a former nurse practitioner supervisee removed from my licensee information page?
A: No. Collaborative relationships between physicians and NPs are managed by the NC Board of Nursing, which provides NCMB with this information. If a NP is incorrectly listed as a current supervisee, please direct the NP to go to www.ncbon.org and complete the online process to remove a physician supervisor, or contact the nursing Board at 919-782-3211.