.04 Qualifications for Licensure as a Physician Assistant.

A. Application. Applicants shall:

(1) Complete an application on a form approved by the Board;

(2) Pay an application fee as defined in Regulation .16 of this chapter;

(3) Be at least 18 years old;

(4) Be of good moral character; and

(5) Demonstrate oral and written competency in English by one or more of the following:

(a) Graduation from a recognized English-speaking high school or undergraduate school after at least 3 years of enrollment;

(b) Graduation from a recognized English-speaking professional school; or

(c) Receiving a grade of:

(i) At least 26 on the Speaking Section of the Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language; and

(ii) At least 79 on the Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language.

B. Education.

(1) An applicant who passed the physician assistant certifying examination administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants before 1986 is not required to meet the education requirements specified in §B(2) or (3) of this regulation if both of the following are true:

(a) The applicant has met the continuing education requirements and recertification requirements of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants on a continuous basis since passing the examination; and

(b) The applicant has been employed and practicing as a physician assistant on a continuous basis since passing the examination.

(2) Except as specified in §B(1) of this regulation, an applicant shall graduate from a physician assistant educational program that was accredited at the time of graduation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, the Accreditation Review Commission on the Education for the Physician Assistant, or their successors.

(3) In addition to the requirement specified in §B(2) of this regulation, an applicant who graduates from a physician assistant training program after October 1, 2003, shall have one of the following:

(a) A bachelor’s degree; or

(b) At least 120 credit hours of education at the college or university level.

C. Examination. An applicant shall pass the national certifying examination for physician assistants given by the NCCPA or its successor.

D. Primary Source Verification. The Board may accept the Federation Credential Verification Service for primary source verification of a physician assistant's education and examination.