Sec. 206.203. LICENSE ELIGIBILITY

(a) Except as provided by Section 206.206, to be eligible for a license, a person must:

(1) be of good moral character;

(2) have not been convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude;

(3) not use drugs or alcohol to an extent that affects the applicant's professional competency;

(4) not have had a license or certification revoked by a licensing agency or by a certifying professional organization; and

(5) not have engaged in fraud or deceit in applying for a license under this chapter.

(b) In addition to meeting the requirements of Subsection (a), a person must:

(1) pass the examination required by Section 206.204;

(2) hold at least an associate's degree based on completion of an educational program that is substantially equivalent to the education required for a registered nurse or physician assistant who specializes in surgical assisting;

(3) demonstrate to the satisfaction of the medical board the completion of full-time work experience performed in this country under the direct supervision of a physician licensed in this country and consisting of at least 2,000 hours of performance as an assistant in surgical procedures for the three years preceding the date of application; and

(4) possess a current certification by a national certifying body approved by the medical board.

(c) A degree program described by Subsection (b)(2) must contain a clinical component and must include courses in anatomy, physiology, basic pharmacology, aseptic techniques, operative procedures, chemistry, microbiology, and pathophysiology.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1014, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.