Ariz. Admin. Code § R4-17-401 - Application for Certification of Clinical Practice Hours; Waiver of Documentation

A. As required under A.R.S. § 32-2536(A), a physician assistant who is licensed by the Board and in good standing may apply to the Board for certification of the clinical practice hours required to practice collaboratively with a physician or entity. A physician assistant is in good standing if the physician assistant is not:

1. Under investigation by a regulatory authority, or

2. Subject to a public or confidential probation order.

B. To be eligible to practice collaboratively with a physician or entity, a physician assistant shall have at least 8,000 hours of clinical practice, as described in subsection (E), obtained:

1. In the five years before the date of the application submitted under subsection (C), or

2. In the 10 years before the date of the application submitted under subsection (C) if:

a. At least 2,000 hours of clinical practice were obtained in the three years before the date of application submitted under subsection (C); and

b. The physician assistant is currently certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

C. To apply for certification of clinical practice hours, a physician assistant shall submit to the Board an application form, which is available on the Board's website.

D. In addition to complying with subsection (C), a physician assistant applying for certification of clinical practice hours shall have submitted directly to the Board by the document custodian or an individual with direct knowledge, documentation of hours of clinical practice performed by the physician assistant. Documentation may be submitted by multiple persons.

E. Clinical practice includes:

1. Performing medical services related directly to patient care;

2. Providing instruction to physician assistants at an institution accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant. Time spent preparing to provide instruction or preforming administrative tasks related to providing instruction is not clinical practice.

F. The Board may waive the documentation requirement specified under subsection (D). To obtain a waiver of the documentation requirement, the physician assistant shall submit to the Board a written request that includes the following information:

1. The physician assistant's name and license number;

2. Date on the request for waiver;

3. Identification and an estimate of the number of clinical hours for which documentation has not been submitted under subsection (D);

4. Description of the physician assistant's efforts to have the documentation submitted as required under subsection (D);

5. Explanation of why the documentation cannot be submitted;

6. If applicable, evidence that supports the request for waiver; and

7. The physician assistant's affirmation that the physician assistant has performed the required hours of clinical practice even though documentation has not been submitted.

G. The Board shall waive the documentation requirement if the Board determines the documentation is unavailable for a reason beyond the control of the physician assistant requesting the waiver. In making this determination, the Board shall consider:

1. The sufficiency of the physician assistant's effort to have the documentation submitted;

2. Evidence it is not possible to have the documentation submitted because:

a. The required document does not exist;

b. The individual or entity responsible for maintaining and submitting the documentation is unable to do so; or

c. Another reason beyond the control of the physician assistant; and

3. Whether the Board is able to obtain the required documentation from another source.

H. The Board shall document the Board's decision regarding a request for waiver submitted under subsection (F) in the official record regarding the application submitted under subsection (C). The Board's decision regarding a request for waiver is not subject to review or appeal.

I. The Board shall maintain on the Board's website a list of physician assistants who have at least 8,000 hours of clinical practice certified by the Board and are eligible to practice in collaboration with a physician, physician group practice, or health care institution.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R4-17-401

Adopted effective July 8, 1986 (Supp. 86-4). Section R4-17-401 renumbered to R4-17-402; new Section R4-17-401 adopted effective April 22, 1998 (Supp. 98-2). Section expired under A.R.S. § 41-1056(E) at 11 A.A.R. 1569, effective March 31, 2005 (Supp. 05-2). New Section made by final exempt rulemaking at 30 A.A.R. 63, effective 12/31/2023.