Tennessee § 63-19-105 - Qualifications and licensure.

§ 63-19-105. Qualifications and licensure.

No person shall represent to be or function as a physician assistant under this part unless such person holds a valid physician assistant license or temporary license issued by the board. The board shall license no person as a physician assistant unless: The person is a graduate of a physician assistant training program accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association or its successor accrediting agency; and The person has successfully completed the examination of the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants. A graduate of a physician assistant training program accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association or its successor accrediting agency may receive a temporary license from the board allowing such individual to function as a physician assistant under this part: For a period of fifteen (15) months immediately following graduation to allow the person an opportunity to attempt the examination; and For a period of one (1) additional year thereafter in which to attempt and successfully complete the examination if the person is not successful on the first attempt; or Alternatively to subdivisions (a)(1) and (2), the person qualified as a physician assistant prior to April 26, 1983, and thereafter continued to represent to be or functioned as a physician assistant; and Notwithstanding subdivision (a)(3), the board shall not license any person as a physician assistant after July 1, 1991, unless such person meets the requirements of subdivisions (a)(1) and (2); provided, that the board may continue to issue license renewals to any person who was licensed as a physician assistant pursuant to subdivision (a)(3) prior to July 1, 1991. An individual licensed, registered or certified as a physician assistant in another jurisdiction may be licensed as a physician assistant by the board if such individual meets the requirements and standards of this part. Notwithstanding the requirements of subdivisions (a)(1)-(4), the board shall license an individual licensed, registered or certified as a physician assistant in another jurisdiction if such individual is a graduate of a physician assistant training program that was accredited by the accrediting committee of the American Medical Association at the time such individual graduated from the program, and such individual has practiced in that jurisdiction for a period of ten (10) consecutive years immediately prior to seeking certification in this state. Any reasonable expense incurred by the committee or the board in verifying the licensure, registration or certification by another jurisdiction of an applicant for licensure hereunder shall be charged to and paid by the applicant. While an individual's application is pending, the board may issue a temporary license to that individual if the individual is licensed, registered or certified as a physician assistant in another jurisdiction; provided, that the board finds that the application is complete. The temporary license will allow the individual to function as a physician assistant under this chapter. A temporary license issued under this subdivision (b)(2) shall be valid for a period of six (6) months and is not renewable. The board or the committee may require that an applicant for licensure as a physician assistant appear before the board or the committee to answer any questions regarding the applicant's fitness for licensure. The committee on physician assistants may authorize any of its members or its consultant to conduct a review of the qualifications of an applicant for a license to practice as a physician assistant in this state and to make an initial determination as to whether the applicant has met all the requirements for licensure. If the committee member or committee consultant determines that the applicant has met all the requirements for licensure, the applicant is then authorized to practice as a physician assistant in this state until the committee and the board of medical examiners make a final decision on the application for licensure. The committee may authorize the use of this procedure with respect to applicants for license renewal or reinstatement as well. In no event shall the temporary authorization issued pursuant to a determination made by the committee member or committee consultant be effective for longer than a six-month period measured from the date of issuance. This process shall not be utilized by the applicant more than once. If temporary authorization pursuant to subdivision (d)(1) is issued to an applicant for a license to practice as a physician assistant in this state and if the subsequent decision of the committee on physician assistants and the board of medical examiners is to deny the application based upon a good faith determination that the applicant has not, in fact, complied with all the requirements for licensure, then the doctrine of estoppel shall not apply against the state based upon its issuance of temporary authorization and its subsequent denial of licensure. Any person who possesses a certificate or temporary certificate issued by the board shall be deemed to possess a license or temporary license, respectively. At the time of renewal, a certificate holder who is approved for renewal shall receive a license from the board rather than a renewal of the certificate. Acts 1985, ch. 376, § 1; T.C.A., § 63-19-205 ; Acts 1989, ch. 194, § 2; 1991, ch. 122, §§ 1-3, 6; 1993, ch. 247, § 1; 1995, ch. 16, §§ 4, 5; 1996, ch. 738, § 2; 1997, ch. 207, §§ 5, 6.