1. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, an individual applying for licensure must:

   1. (1) submit an application on forms approved by the board;
   2. (2) pay the appropriate application fee;
   3. (3) certify that the applicant is mentally and physically able to function safely as a surgical assistant;
   4. (4) not have a license, certification, or registration in this state or from any other licensing authority or certifying professional organization that is currently revoked, suspended, or subject to probation or other disciplinary action for cause;
   5. (5) have no proceedings that have been instituted against the applicant for the restriction, cancellation, suspension, or revocation of certificate, license, or authority to practice surgical assisting in the state, Canadian province, or uniformed service of the United States in which it was issued;
   6. (6) have no prosecution pending against the applicant in any state, federal, or Canadian court for any offense that under the laws of this state is a felony;
   7. (7) be of good moral character;
   8. (8) not have been convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude;
   9. (9) not use drugs or alcohol to an extent that affects the applicant's professional competency;
   10. (10) not have engaged in fraud or deceit in applying for a license;
   11. (11) pass an independently evaluated surgical or first assistant examination approved by the board;
   12. (12) have been awarded at least an associate's degree at a two or four year institution of higher education;

   13. (13) have successfully completed an educational program in surgical assisting or a substantially equivalent educational program as outlined in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph;

       1. (A) A surgical assistant program or a substantially equivalent program is limited to the following:

          1. (i) a surgical assistant program that is in compliance with the guidelines for program accreditation established by Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP);
          2. (ii) a medical school whereby the applicant can verify completion of basic and clinical sciences coursework;
          3. (iii) a registered nurse first assistant program acceptable to the board; and
          4. (iv) an accredited surgical physician assistant program acceptable to the board.

       2. (B) The curriculum of a surgical assisting educational program must include at a minimum, either as a part of that curriculum or as a required prerequisite, successful completion of college level instruction in the following courses, with the exception that clauses (iv) and (v) of this subparagraph are not required to be college level instruction:

          1. (i) anatomy;
          2. (ii) physiology;
          3. (iii) basic pharmacology;
          4. (iv) aseptic techniques;
          5. (v) operative procedures;
          6. (vi) chemistry;
          7. (vii) microbiology;
          8. (viii) pathophysiology;

          9. (ix) clinical service rotations, that either:

             1. (I) are each at least 80 hours in length, in the following areas:

                (-a-) cardiovascular surgery;

                (-b-) trauma surgery;

                (-c-) general surgery;

                (-d-) obstetrics and gynecology;

                (-e-) orthopedics;

                (-f-) pediatrics or an elective if the applicant affirms that he or she has no intent to work as a surgical assistant for pediatric surgery; or

             2. (II) meet the CAAHEP's supervised clinical preceptorship guidelines.
   14. (14) demonstrate to the satisfaction of the board the completion of full-time work experience performed in the United States under the direct supervision of a physician licensed in the United States consisting of at least 2,000 hours of performance as an assistant in surgical procedures for the three years preceding the date of the application;
   15. (15) be currently certified by a national certifying board approved by the board; and
   16. (16) submit to the board any other information the board considers necessary to evaluate the applicant's qualifications.

2. (b) An applicant must provide documentation that the applicant has passed a surgical or first assistant examination required for certification by one of the following certifying boards:

   1. (1) American Board of Surgical Assistants;
   2. (2) Liaison Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist (LCC-ST); or
   3. (3) the National Surgical Assistant Association provided that the exam was administered on or after March 29, 2003.

Source Note:The provisions of this §184.4 adopted to be effective September 19, 2002, 27 TexReg 8771; amended to be effective March 6, 2003, 28 TexReg 1884; amended to be effective January 8, 2004, 29 TexReg 97; amended to be effective July 3, 2007, 32 TexReg 3994.