Section 1150-01-.04 - QUALIFICATIONS FOR LICENSURE(1) To qualify for licensure by examination, a Physical Therapist or a Physical Therapist Assistant must:(a) Be of good moral character; and(b) If sitting for the physical therapist examination, be a graduate of a school of physical therapy accredited by CAPTE; or, if sitting for the physical therapist assistant examination, be a graduate of a school for physical therapist assistants accredited by CAPTE; and(c) Pass to the satisfaction of the Board an examination conducted by it to determine fitness for practice as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant.(2) To qualify for licensure by reciprocity a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant must possess a current and unrestricted license from another U.S. jurisdiction and comply with either (a), (b) or (c) below.(a) Credentials required for individuals who attained certification, registration or licensure in another state or country from July, 1995, to date:1. Be of good moral character;2. Graduate from a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant program accredited by CAPTE and approved by the Board of Physical Therapy;3. Pursuant to Rule 1150-01-.07, obtain verification of licensure status from all states in which he holds or has held a license; and4. Candidates qualifying for licensure by reciprocity must have passed the licensing examination with a criterion referenced passing point.(b) Credentials required for applicants who attained certification, registration, or licensure in another state or country from December 29, 1981 to July, 1995.1. Be of good moral character;2. Graduate from a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant program accredited by CAPTE and approved by the Board of Physical Therapy;3. Pursuant to Rule 1150-01-.07, obtain verification of licensure status from all states in which he holds or has held a license; and4. Candidates qualifying for licensure by reciprocity must have passed the licensing examination with a minimum converted score of seventy-five (75), based on one point five (1.5) sigma below the national mean for the examination. This applies to the score of each individual part as well as the total score.(c) Credentials required for applicants who attained certification, registration or licensure in another state or country from July 1, 1976 to December 28, 1981: 1. Be of good moral character;2. Graduate from a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant program accredited by CAPTE or a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant program approved by the American Medical Association;3. Pursuant to Rule 1150-01-.07, obtain verification of licensure status from all states in which he holds or has held a license; and4. Candidates qualifying for licensure by reciprocity must have passed the licensing examination with a minimum converted score of seventy-five (75), based on one point five (1.5) sigma below the national mean for the examination. This applies to the score of each individual part as well as the total score.(d) Credentials required for applicants who were registered, certified or licensed as a PT or PTA in another state or country prior to July 1, 1976, must comply with the applicable provisions of T.C.A. § 63-13-307(c).(3) Internationally Educated. In addition to meeting the requirements outlined either in Rule 1150-01-.04(1) except 1150-01-.04(1)(b), or 1150-01-.04(2) except 1150-01-.04(2)(b)2, international graduates must:(a) Have submitted directly to the Board's administrative office a validly issued and error-free "Comprehensive Credential Evaluation Certificate for the Physical Therapist" (Type 1 Certificate) from the Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) for the purpose of evaluating and verifying that the applicant's education is substantially equivalent to a curriculum approved by CAPTE.1. Submitting the "Visa Credential Verification Certificate," also issued by the FCCPT, will not constitute meeting this requirement.2. Applicants who cannot obtain a Type 1 Certificate from the FCCPT based on their ineligibility to sit for the Test of English as a Foreign Language internet Based Test (TOEFL iBT) must submit all other components of the Type 1 Certificate directly to the Board's administrative office, for the purpose of evaluating and verifying that the applicant's education is substantially equivalent to a curriculum approved by CAPTE; or(b) Have submitted directly to the Board's administrative office a validly issued and error-free certification from any agency verifying that the applicant's education is substantially equivalent to a curriculum approved by CAPTE.1. The agency must evaluate the curriculum in a manner similar to the FCCPT educational credentials review.2. The result or outcome of the evaluation is the issuance of certification that the Board considers to be equivalent to the "Comprehensive Credential Evaluation Certificate for the Physical Therapist" (Type 1 Certificate) from the FCCPT.(c) Submit proof of United States or Canada citizenship or evidence of being legally entitled to live and work in the United States. Such evidence may include notarized copies of birth certificates, naturalization papers or current visa status.(d) Have credentials that comply with the applicable provisions of T.C.A. § 63-13-307(d) if the applicant was registered, certified, or licensed as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant in another state or country prior to July 1, 1976.(e) After receiving written approval from the Board regarding the credentials in subparagraph (a), have participated in and successfully completed a Board-approved supervised clinical practice period to provide a broad exposure to general physical therapy skills, pursuant to guidelines approved and issued by the Board. 1. The supervised clinical practice period shall be four hundred and eighty (480) hours and shall be accomplished at a rate of no more than forty (40) hours or no less than ten (10) hours per week.2. The supervising licensed physical therapist shall submit the evaluation form contained in the guidelines supplied by the Board to the Board's administrative office upon completion of the supervisory period.3. If the Board determines the supervised clinical period has not been successfully completed, the Board may require additional time in supervised clinical practice, additional coursework, and/or and oral examination.4. Supervision provided by the applicant's parents, spouse, former spouse, siblings, children, cousins, in-laws (present or former), aunts, uncles, grandparents, grandchildren, stepchildren, employees, present or former physical therapist, present or former romantic partner, or anyone sharing the same household shall not be acceptable toward fulfillment of licensure requirements. For the purposes of this rule, a supervisor shall not be considered an employee of the applicant, if the only compensation received by the supervisor consists of payments for the actual supervisory hours.(4) Electrophysiologic studies (a) Applicants for licensure as a Physical Therapist who seek to conduct diagnostic electromyography (invasive needle study of multiple muscles for diagnosis of muscle and nerve disease), pursuant to rule 1150-01-.02 (See Practice of Physical Therapy), while practicing must submit to the Board's administrative office documented evidence of possessing current ECS certification from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.(b) Applicants for licensure as a Physical Therapist who seek to conduct surface electrophysiological studies (motor and sensory conduction, and somatosensory evoked potentials), and kinesiologic studies (invasive needle study of the muscles to determine the degree and character of a muscle during certain movements) pursuant to rule 1150-01-.02 (See Practice of Physical Therapy), while practicing must submit to the Board's administrative office documented evidence of possessing the theoretical background and technical skills for safe and competent performance of such studies.(c) Supervision - The supervision of applicants who seek to conduct diagnostic electromyography, surface electrophysiological studies, and kinesiologic studies shall be consistent with sound medical practice.(5) In determining the qualifications of applicants for licensure as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant, only a majority vote of the Board of Physical Therapy shall be required.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1150-01-.04
Original rule filed September 29, 1981; effective December 29, 1981. Repeal and new rule filed September 30, 1987; effective November 14, 1987. Repeal and new rule filed February 21, 1996; effective May 6, 1996. Amendment filed September 24, 1998; effective December 8, 1998. Amendment filed January 31, 2000; effective April 15, 2000. Repeal and new rule filed March 16, 2000; effective May 30, 2000. Amendment filed April 10, 2002; effective June 24, 2002. Amendment filed June 3, 2004; effective August 17, 2004. Amendment filed December 29, 2004; effective March 14, 2005. Amendment filed September 22, 2005; effective December 6, 2005. Amendment filed February 2, 2007; effective April 18, 2007. Amendment filed May 18, 2007; effective August 1, 2007. Amendment filed September 24, 2009; effective December 23, 2009. Amendments filed August 19, 2010; effective November 17, 2010. Amendment filed December 2, 2014; effective 3/2/2015.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202, 4-5-204, 63-13-103, 63-13-108, 63-13-304, 63-13-306, and 63-13-307.