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| Q: | What are the laws and rules regulating physician assistants (PAs) in Florida? |
| A: | The laws and rules regulating PAs are listed on our website. Please review s.458.347, F.S., and 64B8-30,F.A.C., (MDs) and s.459.022, F.S., and 64B15-6,F.A.C., (DOs) for more details. |
| Q: | What is a physician assistant's (PA) scope of practice? |
| A: | A PA may be delegated tasks within his/her supervising physician's scope of practice. Please review Rules 64B8-30.012, F.A.C. or 64B15-6.010, F.A.C. for further details. |
| Q: | Can a podiatrist or chiropractor supervise a physician assistant (PA)? |
| A: | No. A PA can only be supervised by a licensed medical doctor or an osteopathic physician. |
| Q: | Is a physician assistant (PA) required to obtain malpractice insurance? |
| A: | No. The PA is covered under the insurance of his/her supervising physician. |
| Q: | Is it possible to become licensed as a physician assistant if convicted of a felony? |
| A: | Eligibility determination is based on statute, rule and The Council on Physician Assistants. |
| Q: | Can I practice off base if I am a military physician assistant (PA)? |
| A: | Unless you are licensed as a PA in Florida, you may only practice on the military base. |
| Q: | I am a foreign doctor; can I practice as a physician assistant (PA)? |
| A: | A foreign doctor can ONLY practice as a PA if he/she has completed an accredited two year PA program and has obtained licensure as a PA in Florida. |
| Q: | Is there a state exam that foreign physicians may take to become licensed as a physician assistant (PA)? |
| A: | No. Foreign physicians must complete an accredited two year PA program to be eligible for licensure in Florida. |
| Q: | Where do I send my application? |
| A: | Please mail your application to Department of Health, Council on Physician Assistants, P. O. Box 6320, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-6320. |
| Q: | Can I send letters of recommendation with my application? |
| A: | Yes. You may send letters of recommendation with your application. |
| Q: | Where should I send my required supporting documents? |
| A: | Please mail all required supporting documents to Department of Health, Council on Physician Assistants, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, BIN C03, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-3253. |
| Q: | Do I have to send all of my documents to the Council on Physician Assistants at the same time? |
| A: | No. You are not required to send in all of your documents at the same time. However, we encourage you to send as much information as possible to help expedite the licensure process. |
| Q: | What happens to my documents if you receive them before I submit my application? |
| A: | Your documents will be placed in our A Z filling system until we receive your application. |
| Q: | How long does it take to process an application? |
| A: | Applications are processed within 30 days of receipt by the department. |
| Q: | What forms may be duplicated (copy machine)? |
| A: | The application, the supervision data form, the licensure verification form, the NCCPA form, and the PA program verification form may be duplicated. |
| Q: | May a copy of my license from another state be used as verification of licensure? |
| A: | No. Verification of licensure must come directly to the board office from the source. |
| Q: | What if I am unable to find my original diploma or documents? |
| A: | Obtain a duplicate from the source and submit a statement explaining why you are unable to comply with this request. |
| Q: | Is a fax acceptable? |
| A: | Yes, a fax copy is acceptable but an original copy must follow. Our fax number is (850) 412-1268. |
| Q: | You ask for a certificate from my P.A. program. Do you mean the diploma? |
| A: | Yes. |
| Q: | How long will it take to receive my license? |
| A: | When all required documentation has been received by the Council on Physician Assistants, we will issue your license in approximately 15-30 days, provided there are no issues requiring individual consideration or personal appearance before the Council. |
| Q: | Do I have to wait until the Council on Physician Assistants meets before I receive my license? |
| A: | You will only need to wait until the Council meets to receive your license if there are issues requiring individual consideration or personal appearance before the Council. |
| Q: | How often does the Florida Council on Physician Assistants meet? |
| A: | The council meets at the same time as the Board of Medicine. You may view the meeting schedule on our website. |
| Q: | What are the eligibility requirements for a temporary license? |
| A: | To be eligible for temporary licensure as a physician assistant (PA), you must be a recent graduate of an accredited PA program and be registered to take the first available National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) examination. See Licensure Requirements |
| Q: | May I obtain a temporary physician assistant license if I have passed the NCCPA exam? |
| A: | No, temporary licensure is confined to those applicants who have not yet taken or passed the NCCPA exam. See Licensure Requirements |
| Q: | How long does the "one time extension" period last for a temporary license? |
| A: | The one time extension expires upon the receipt of your National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) examination scores. If you fail the examination, the temporary license is no longer valid and you will not receive another license until you have successfully passed the examination. |
| Q: | What requirements must be met for a physician assistant (PA) to prescribe non-controlled substances? |
| A: | A PA must complete a 3 hour course approved by the Board in prescriptive practice and a minimum of 3 months of clinical experience in the specialty area of the supervising physician. |
| Q: | Where can I take the required three hour prescribing course? |
| A: | Prescribing courses are offered at the University of Florida, Nova Southeastern University, Barry University, and the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants. |
| Q: | Am I required to have a separate prescribing application for each specialty area? |
| A: | Licensed prescribing physician assistants (PA) are required to submit a separate application for each specialty; however, initial prescribing applicants are not. |
| Q: | After I receive my license, am I required to show proof of clinical experience in each of my specialty areas to obtain prescriptive privileges? |
| A: | Yes. You are required to show three months of experience for each specialty area. |
| Q: | Is a physician assistant (PA) allowed to write a prescription for a controlled substance? |
| A: | No. PAs are not allowed to prescribe controlled substances under any circumstances. |
| Q: | What information is required on a pre-printed prescription pad? |
| A: | The names and addresses of the physician(s) and the prescribing number of the Physician Assistant. |
| Q: | How many physician assistants (PAs) can a medical doctor (MD) or osteopathic physician (DO) supervise? |
| A: | An MD or DO may oversee up to four PAs. However, there are limitations on the number of remote locations at which they can supervise PAs. Please review s. 458.347, F.S., and s. 458.348, F.S., (MDs), and s. 459.022, F.S., and s. 459.025, F.S., (DOs) for more details. |
| Q: | Can a physician supervise a physician assistant (PA) at a different location? |
| A: | Yes, a PA can be supervised indirectly without his/her supervising physician onsite as long as the supervising physician is easily available to communicate with the PA and meets the requirement of s. 458.347, F.S., s. 458.348, F.S., or s. 459.025, F.S., |
| Q: | What constitutes a separate employment location? |
| A: | (Example-One): A medical group name "pediatric consultants" with ten offices would be considered one employment setting with ten satellite offices; (Example-two) Two medical groups with five offices each would be considered two separate employment locations. |
| Q: | Do I have to notify the department of any supervising physician changes? |
| A: | Yes. A PA must notify the department in writing within 30 days of any changes in his/her supervising physicians, using the Supervision Data Form (pdf - 58kb). |
| Q: | How can I find out if the department has my correct supervising physician on record? |
| A: | The supervising physicians on record are listed on your on-line licensure information screen. You can look up your license information using our License Verification page. |
| Q: | What continuing medical education (CME) am I required to complete? |
| A: | For initial licensure, a PA must complete 2 hours of CME relating to prevention of medical errors which includes a study of root cause analysis, error reduction and prevention, and patient safety, and which is approved by any state or federal government agency, or nationally affiliated professional association, or any provider of Category I or II American Medical Association (AMA) CME. At the first renewal, the following coursework is required:
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| Q: | Can I have an extension on my continuing medical education (CME) audit? |
| A: | No. Florida law does not allow extensions for CME audits. |
| MISSION: | To protect and promote the health of all residents and visitors in the state through organized state |
| and community efforts, including cooperative agreements with counties. | |
| VISION: | A healthier future for the people of Florida. |
| PURPOSE: | To protect the public through health care licensure, enforcement and information. |
| FOCUS: | To be the nation's leader in quality health care regulation. |
| VALUES: | Integrity, Commitment, Respect, Excellence, Accountability, Teamwork, & Empowerment. |
