Georgia § 43-33-12 - Requirements for license to practice physical therapy.

§ 43-33-12. Requirements for license to practice physical therapy.

A license to practice physical therapy shall be issued to any person who: Is a graduate of an educational program that prepares physical therapists and which is accredited by a recognized accrediting agency and approved by the board or, in the case of an applicant who has graduated from an educational program which prepares physical therapists conducted in a foreign country, has submitted, in a manner prescribed by the board, credentials approved by the board and who has further demonstrated the ability to speak, write, and understand the English language and has satisfactorily completed a three-month board approved traineeship under the supervision of a physical therapist licensed under this article; Has satisfactorily passed an examination prepared or approved by the board and has acquired any additional education and training required by the board; Is not disqualified to receive a license under the provisions of Code Section 43-33-18 or subsection (a) or (c) of Code Section 43-1-19; and Has satisfactory results from a fingerprint record check report conducted by the Georgia Crime Information Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as determined by the board. Application for the issuance of a license under this Code section shall constitute express consent and authorization for the board or its representative to perform a criminal background check. Each applicant who submits an application to the board for licensure agrees to provide the board with any and all information necessary to run a criminal background check, including, but not limited to, classifiable sets of fingerprints. Such applicant shall be responsible for all fees associated with the performance of such background check. (Ga. L. 1951, p. 175, § 8; Ga. L. 1972, p. 388, § 14; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1416, §§ 4, 12; Ga. L. 1983, p. 3, § 32; Ga. L. 1986, p. 812, § 5; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2434, § 6; Ga. L. 1997, p. 715, § 1; Ga. L. 2008, p. 1112, § 18/HB 1055; Ga. L. 2015, p. 288, § 4/HB 505; Ga. L. 2019, p. 126, §§ 3, 4/HB 39; Ga. L. 2020, p. 575, § 2/HB 752.) The 2019 amendment, effective July 1, 2019, substituted "this article" for "this chapter" at the end of paragraph (1), deleted "and" at the end of paragraph (2), added "; and" at the end of paragraph (3), and added paragraph (4). The 2020 amendment, effective January 1, 2021, rewrote paragraph (4), which read: "Has successfully passed a criminal history records check as determined by the board."