1. (1) The Board may, in its discretion, issue a temporary license to an applicant who meets the qualifications for licensure as an anesthesiologist assistant, except for having successfully completed the National Certifying Examination for Anesthesiologist Assistants as administered by the NCCAA.

   1. (a) An applicant shall obtain an application form from the Board Administrative Office or from the Board’s website, respond truthfully and completely to every question or request for information contained in the form, and submit it along with all documentation and fees required by the form and this rule to the Board’s Administrative Office.
   2. (b) An applicant shall cause to be submitted the equivalent of a Tennessee Certificate of Endorsement (verification of licensure/certification/registration) from each licensing board of each state or county in which the applicant holds or has ever held a license/certificate/registration to practice any profession that indicates the applicant holds or held an active license/certificate/registration and whether it is in good standing presently or was at the time it became inactive. It is the applicant’s responsibility to request this information be sent directly from each such licensing board to the Board’s Administrative Office.
   3. (c) An applicant shall submit proof of United States citizenship or of being lawfully present in the United States pursuant to T.C.A. § 4-58-103.
   4. (d) An applicant shall submit a clear and recognizable, recently taken, bust photograph which shows the full head, face forward from at least the top of the shoulders up.
   5. (e) An applicant shall submit sufficient evidence of successful completion of an anesthesiologist assistant program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs or its predecessor or successor organization. A copy of the applicant’s diploma shall be submitted as evidence of satisfactory completion. ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANTS
   6. (f) An applicant shall submit sufficient evidence of ACLS certification.
   7. (g) An applicant shall submit the application fee and state regulatory fee as provided by Rule 0880-02-.02.
   8. (h) An applicant shall cause the results of a criminal background check to be submitted to the Board’s Administrative Office directly from the vendor identified in the Board’s licensure application materials.
   9. (i) An applicant shall submit two letters of reference from the applicant’s supervising anesthesiologists or for recent graduates, from the director of the applicant’s training program or faculty anesthesiologist addressing the applicant’s clinical skills and ability. Each letter must be addressed to the Board and must have been written no more than six months prior to the filing of the application for licensure.
   10. (j) Application decisions shall be governed by Rule 0880-15-.02.

   11. (k) If a temporary license is issued:

       1. 1. The temporary licensee shall take the next available certification examination.
       2. 2. The temporary license is valid for up to one year from the date issued.
       3. 3. There shall be no independent unsupervised practice by an anesthesiologist assistant who is issued a temporary license. The supervision of anesthesiologist assistants is governed by Rule 0880-15-.07.

   12. (l) The temporary license may be converted to a full license by:

       1. 1. Submitting an application to the Board’s Administrative Office and paying the license conversion fee and state regulatory fee;
       2. 2. Causing verification of passage of the certifying examination and active certification submitted to the Board directly from the NCCAA;
       3. 3. Causing the results of a criminal background check to be submitted to the Board’s Administrative Office directly from the vendor identified in the Board’s licensure application materials if the last criminal background check is older than six months;
       4. 4. Submitting proof of United States citizenship or of being lawfully present in the United States pursuant to T.C.A. § 4-58-103; and
       5. 5. Sufficient proof that the temporary licensee is in good standing at the time of application for a full license. Good standing means having no formal discipline or open investigations on the temporary license.
   13. (m) The temporary license shall automatically expire upon the issuance of a full license.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 63-21-103 and 63-21-107. Administrative History: Emergency rules filed May 20, 2026; effective through November 16, 2026. ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANTS