A. A license to practice as an audiologist shall be issued to any person who:

1. (1) files a completed application, accompanied by the required fees and documentation;
2. (2) certifies that the applicant is not guilty of any of the activities listed in Section 61-14B-21 NMSA 1978; and

3. (3) submits satisfactory evidence that the applicant:

   1. (a) holds a doctor of audiology degree or an equivalent degree regardless of degree name and meets the academic requirements for certification by a national professional association, as determined by the board by rule;
   2. (b) has passed a nationally recognized standard examination in audiology, if required by rule; and

   3. (c) has earned certification by a national professional association as evidence that the applicant meets the clinical experience and examination requirements of the Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensing Practices Act.

      B. A license to practice as an audiologist shall be issued to a person who:

4. (1) files a completed application, accompanied by the required fees and documentation;
5. (2) certifies that the applicant is not guilty of any of the activities listed in Section 61-14B-21 NMSA 1978;

6. (3) submits satisfactory evidence that the applicant:

   1. (a) holds a master's degree in audiology or communication disorders or an equivalent degree in audiology or communication disorders or an equivalent degree awarded prior to January 1, 2007; has met the academic requirements for certification by a national professional association; and has earned certification by a national professional association in the area in which the applicant is seeking licensure; or
   2. (b) has completed the current academic, practicum and employment experience requirements for certification by a national professional association and has passed a nationally recognized standard examination in audiology; and
7. (4) provides evidence satisfactory to the board of at least six months' experience in the dispensing of hearing aids through practical examination or other methods as determined by the board in either a graduate training program or in a work or training experience.

History: Laws 2005, ch. 250, § 3; 2013, ch. 110, § 8; 2015, ch. 110, § 3.

ANNOTATIONS

Delayed repeals. — For delayed repeal of this section, see 61-14B-25 NMSA 1978.

The 2015 amendment, effective June 19, 2015, amended the licensure requirements for audiologists by replacing the required certification from a nationally recognized hearing association with a certification by a national professional association; in Subparagraph A(3)(a), after "requirements for certification by a", deleted "nationally recognized hearing" and added "national professional", after "board by rule;", deleted "and"; in Subparagraph A(3)(b), after "by rule", added "and"; added Subparagraph A(3)(c); in Paragraph (4) of Subsection A, deleted "provides official documentation from a nationally recognized hearing association, as determined by the board by rule", redesignated the remaining language from Paragraph (4) of Subsection A as Subparagraph A(3)(c), added "has earned certification by a national professional association", and after "Hearing Aid Dispensing Practices Act", deleted "and"; deleted Paragraph (5) of Subsection A; in Paragraph (2) of Subsection B, after "NMSA 1978", deleted "and"; in Subparagraph B(3)(a), after "2007", deleted "meets" and added "has met", after "requirements for certification by a", deleted "nationally recognized hearing" and added "national professional", after "has earned a", deleted "a certificate of clinical competence from a nationally recognized hearing" and added "certification by a national professional"; in Subparagraph B(3)(b), after "experience requirements for", deleted "a certificate of competence in audiology from a nationally recognized hearing" and added "certification by a national professional"; redesignated Subparagraph B(3)(c) as Paragraph (4) of Subsection B, and after "training experience", deleted "and"; and deleted Subparagraph B(3)(d).

The 2013 amendment, effective June 14, 2013, changed the qualifications for licensure of audiologists; in Subsection A, Paragraph (3), Subparagraph (a), at the beginning of the sentence, after "holds a", deleted "master’s degree in" and added "doctor of", after "doctor of audiology", added "degree", after "audiology degree or", deleted "communication disorders; or", after "equivalent degree", deleted "awarded prior to January 1, 2007" and added "regardless of degree name and", after "nationally recognized", deleted "speech-language or", after "hearing association", added "as determine by the board by rule", and after "board by rule; and", deleted "currently holds a certificate of clinical competence from a nationally recognized speech-language or hearing association in the area that the applicant is seeking licensure; or", in Subparagraph (b), at the beginning of the sentence, after "has", deleted "completed the current academic, practicum and employment experience requirements for a certificate of clinical competence in audiology from a nationally recognized speech-language or hearing association and has" and after "recognized standard examination", deleted "or" and added "in audiology, if required by rule"; added Paragraphs (4) and (5); and in Subsection B, added the introductory sentence, in Paragraph (3), in Subparagraph (a), after "holds a", deleted "doctoral" and added "master’s", after "degree in audiology or", added "communication disorders or an", after "equivalent degree", deleted "regardless of degree name and" and added "in audiology or communication disorders or an equivalent degree awarded prior to January 1, 2007", after "nationally recognized", deleted "speech-language or", and after "hearing association; and", added the remainder of the sentence; in Subparagraph (b), after "practicum and employment", added "experience", after "experience requirements", added "for a certificate of competency in audiology from", and after "nationally recognized", deleted "speech-language or", and added Subparagraphs (c) and (d).