An applicant must satisfy specified education, exam, certificate, and rule-based requirements to be eligible for a license, and the board may consider certain discipline or suspension history when deciding whether to issue the license.
Sec. 204.153. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. (a) To be eligible for a license under this chapter, an applicant must: (1) successfully complete an educational program for physician assistants or surgeon assistants accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation or by that committee's predecessor or successor entities; (2) pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants; (3) hold a certificate issued by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants; (4) meet any other requirement established by physician assistant board rule; and (5) pass a jurisprudence examination approved by the physician assistant board as provided by Subsection (a-1). (a-1) The jurisprudence examination shall be conducted on the licensing requirements and other laws, rules, or regulations applicable to the physician assistant profession in this state. The physician assistant board shall establish rules for the jurisprudence examination under Subsection (a)(6) regarding: (1) the development of the examination; (2) applicable fees; (3) administration of the examination; (4) reexamination procedures; (5) grading procedures; and (6) notice of results. (b) In addition to the requirements of Subsection (a), an applicant is not eligible for a license, unless the physician assistant board takes the fact into consideration in determining whether to issue the license, if the applicant: (1) has been issued a license, certificate, or registration as a physician assistant in this state or from a licensing authority in another state that is revoked or suspended; or (2) is subject to probation or other disciplinary action for cause resulting from the applicant's acts as a physician assistant. Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 269 (S.B. 419), Sec. 2.17, eff. September 1, 2005. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 928 (S.B. 1625), Sec. 5, eff. September 1, 2017.