La. Admin. Code tit. 46 § LIV-137

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 12, December 20, 2024

Section LIV-137 - Qualification for License, Provisional License for Foreign Graduates [Formerly Section 115]

A. The burden of satisfying the boards requirements and qualifications for licensure as a foreign-educated physical therapist (FEPT) in accordance with R.S. 37:2410, a foreign-educated physical therapist assistant (FEPTA) in accordance with R.S. 37:2411.1, and a military-trained physical therapist assistant (MTPTA) in accordance with R.S. 37:2411.2 is upon the applicant. An applicant shall not be deemed to possess required qualifications unless the applicant demonstrates and evidences such qualifications in the manner satisfactory to the board.

B. Credentials Evaluation. A FEPT, FEPTA and MTPTA applicant must submit to the board a credentials evaluation prepared no more than 18 months prior to the date of the application for licensure. The credentials evaluation report shall be submitted to the board directly by the credential evaluation agency evaluating the professional education and training. The approved credentials evaluation shall determine substantial equivalence of the applicants education. Such education shall include no less than 150 total semester-hour credits including no less than 90 semester-hours credits of physical therapy education and no less than 60 semester-hour credits of general education. The applicant is responsible for any expense associated with the credentials evaluation.

1. The credentials evaluation must provide documentation that the applicants education from outside a state or territory of the U.S. is substantially equivalent to the education of a PT who has graduated from a physical therapy education program accredited by CAPTE. The evaluation must also establish that the institution at which the applicant received his physical therapy education is recognized by the ministry of education or an equivalent agency in that country.

2. To determine substantial equivalency, the credentialing evaluation entity shall use a course work tool (CWT) adopted by the FSBPT and approved by the board.

3. To determine substantial equivalency for individuals seeking initial licensure, the credentialing agency shall use the current CWT.

4. To be considered substantially equivalent to the requirements established in this rule, the applicants foreign education must contain evidence of the content and distribution of coursework identified in the appropriate CWT identified in Paragraph B.3 of this Section.

5. An evaluation prepared by a credentialing agency reflects only the findings and conclusion of that agency, and shall not bind the board. If the board determines that the applicants education is not substantially equivalent to an entry-level physical therapy program accredited by CAPTE, the board will notify the applicant in writing, identifying the deficiencies.

C. Exam Score. The applicant must achieve a passing score on the national physical therapy examination (NPTE).

D. Authorization to Work in the U.S. The applicant must be a citizen of a jurisdiction of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or an alien otherwise authorized to work lawfully in the United States.

E. The board will issue a provisional license to a FEPT or FEPTA only after the applicant is physically present in the U.S. and has met all requirements for licensure except the completion of a supervised clinical practice as required by R.S. 37:2410(5) and R.S. 37:2411.1(5).

F. If a document required by this Title is in a language other than English, the applicant shall arrange for its translation into English by a translation service acceptable to the board and shall submit a translation signed by the translator attesting to its accuracy.

G. Designated Representative Letter

1. An applicant may designate a person as a representative by providing a written authorization to the board which includes the name, telephone number, and address of the person stating that the person will be the designated representative for the applicant.

2. This authorization must be notarized by a notary of the country in which the applicant resides and sent directly to the board. A copy of the notarized authorization shall be sent to the designated representative by the applicant.

3. A designated representative may obtain confidential information regarding the application.

4. The authorization to represent an applicant will be valid until the applicant receives his provisional license or the board is notified in writing by the applicant that the designated representative has been terminated or replaced. An applicant may have only one designated representative at any time.

5. The designated representative is not required by the board to have power of attorney for the applicant. A designated representative or power of attorney for an applicant may not sign for the applicant any document requiring the notarized signature of the applicant. Documents submitted by a designated representative or power of attorney for the applicant must be submitted in accordance with the requirements set by the Practice Act and rules. Any falsification of, or misrepresentation in, documents required for licensing submitted by a designated representative or a person with power of attorney for the applicant may result in denial of license or other penalties to the applicant.

H. Supervised Clinical Practice. To be eligible for an FEPT and FEPTA provisional license to engage in supervised clinical practice as required in §331, a FEPT or FEPTA applicant shall meet all of the substantive qualifications for license as specified by R.S. 37:2010 or R.S. 37:2411.1 respectively. The FEPT or FEPTA applicant and the board-approved supervisor for the period of supervised clinical practice shall participate in a personal meeting with a member of the board, or a designee of the board, by appointment prior to being issued a provisional license to engage in supervised clinical practice.

La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § LIV-137

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Human Resources, Board of Physical Therapy Examiners, LR 13:744 (December 1987), amended by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Physical Therapy Examiners, LR 17:662 (July 1991), LR 18:962 (September 1992), LR 19:208 (February 1993), LR 22:284 (April 1996), LR 24:39 (January 1998), LR 26:1444 (July 2000), LR 28:1979 (September 2002), amended by the Physical Therapy Board, LR 37:3037 (October 2011), Amended by the Department of Health, Physical Therapy Board, LR 442173 (12/1/2018).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:2410 and Act 535 of 2009.