§30-20-6 Qualifications of applicants for license; application fee. - West Virginia Statutes

§30-20-6. Qualifications of applicants for license; application fee.
(a) To be eligible for a license to engage in the practice of physical therapy, the applicant must:

(1) Be at least eighteen years of age;

(2) Be of good moral character;

(3) Not be addicted to the intemperate use of alcohol or narcotic drugs or other controlled substances;

(4) Not have been convicted of a felony in any state or federal court in this or any other state within ten years preceding the date of application for license, which conviction remains unreversed; and not have been convicted of a felony in any state or federal court in this or any other state at any time if the offense for which he or she was convicted related to the practice of physical therapy, which conviction remains unreversed;

(5) Present evidence that the applicant is a graduate of an accredited school of physical therapy approved by the commission on accreditation in physical therapy education and the board: Provided, That any person who received his or her education in physical therapy outside of the United States may qualify for a license by fulfilling the requirements specified by the commission on accreditation in physical therapy education and the board, including successful completion of a period of supervised clinical experience; and

(6) Either have passed the examination prescribed by the board for a license to engage in the practice of physical therapy, or be entitled to be licensed without examination as provided in subsection (d) of this section.

(b) To be eligible for a license to act as a physical therapy assistant, the applicant must:

(1) Satisfy the requirements of subdivisions (1) through (4), subsection (a) of this section;

(2) Present evidence that he or she is a graduate of a two-year college level education program for physical therapy assistants which meets the standards established by the commission on accreditation in physical therapy education and the board; and

(3) Either have passed the examination prescribed by the board for a license to act as a physical therapy assistant, or be entitled to be licensed without examination as provided in subsection (d) of this section.

(c) Although an applicant does not meet the educational requirement specified in subdivision (2), subsection (b) of this section, the board may, nevertheless, issue a license to act as a physical therapy assistant to such applicant if such applicant: (i) Presents evidence that he or she has a high school diploma or its equivalent; (ii) meets the requirements of subdivision (1), subsection (b) of this section; (iii) presents sufficient and satisfactory written evidence to the board on or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-nine, that such applicant has been employed as a physical therapy aide under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist in this state on a full-time basis for a continuous period of at least two years, or for cumulative periods of time either full-time or part-time which equal two years full-time employment, between the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred seventy-one, and the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-nine; and (iv) successfully passes the examination required for a license to act as a physical therapy assistant: Provided, That such applicant shall be afforded only two opportunities to pass such examination.

(d) The board may issue a license to practice physical therapy or a license to act as a physical therapy assistant, without examination, to any applicant who holds a valid license or is registered to engage in the practice of physical therapy or to act as a physical therapy assistant, as the case may be, issued to him or her under the laws of another state or territory or possession of the United States: Provided, That the applicant's qualifications are in the opinion of the board equal to or greater than the requirements of this article and the rules promulgated by the board.

(e) Any applicant for a license under the provisions of subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) of this section shall submit an application therefor at such time, in such manner, on such forms and containing such information as the board shall from time to time by reasonable rule prescribe, and pay to the board a nonrefundable application fee which shall be established by the board by legislative rule.