Requirements for license to practice physical therapy

A license to practice physical therapy shall be issued to any person who: (1) Is a graduate of an educational program that prepares physical therapists and which is accredited by a recognized accrediting agency and approved by the board or, in the case of an applicant who has graduated from an educational program which prepares physical therapists conducted in a foreign country, has submitted, in a manner prescribed by the board, credentials approved by the board and who has further demonstrated the ability to speak, write, and understand the English language and has satisfactorily completed a three-month board approved traineeship under the supervision of a physical therapist licensed under this article; (2) Has satisfactorily passed an examination prepared or approved by the board and has acquired any additional education and training required by the board; (3) Is not disqualified to receive a license under the provisions of Code Section 43-33-18 or subsection (a) or (c) of Code Section 43-1-19; and (4) Has satisfactory results from a fingerprint record check report conducted by the Georgia Crime Information Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as determined by the board. Application for the issuance of a license under this Code section shall constitute express consent and authorization for the board or its representative to perform a criminal background check. Each applicant who submits an application to the board for licensure agrees to provide the board with any and all information necessary to run a criminal background check, including, but not limited to, classifiable sets of fingerprints. Such applicant shall be responsible for all fees associated with the performance of such background check. History. — Ga. L. 1951, p. 175, § 8; Ga. L. 1972, p. 388, § 14; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1416, §§ 4, 12; Ga. L. 1983, p. 3, § 32; Ga. L. 1986, p. 812, § 5; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2434, § 6; Ga. L. 1997, p. 715, § 1; Ga. L. 2008, p. 1112, § 18/HB 1055; Ga. L. 2015, p. 288, § 4/HB 505; Ga. L. 2019, p. 126, §§ 3, 4/HB 39; Ga. L. 2020, p. 575, § 2/HB 752. The 2019 amendment, effective July 1, 2019, substituted ‘‘this article’’ for ‘‘this chapter’’ at the end of paragraph (1), deleted ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph (2), added ‘‘; and’’ at the end of paragraph (3), and added paragraph (4). The 2020 amendment, effective January 1, 2021, rewrote paragraph (4), which read: ‘‘Has successfully passed a criminal history records check as determined by the board.’’ 15 43-33-13