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Administrative Code

Virginia Administrative Code
12/10/2024

Part III. Licensure: General and Educational Requirements

18VAC85-20-120. Prerequisites to licensure.

Every applicant for licensure shall:

1. Meet the educational requirements specified in 18VAC85-20-121 or 18VAC85-20-122 and the examination requirements as specified for each profession in 18VAC85-20-140;

2. File the complete application and appropriate fee as specified in 18VAC85-20-22 with the executive director of the board; and

3. File the required credentials with the executive director as specified below:

a. Graduates of an approved institution shall file:

(1) Documentary evidence that he received a degree from the institution; and

(2) A complete chronological record of all professional activities since graduation from professional school, giving location, dates, and types of services performed.

b. Graduates of an institution not approved by an accrediting agency recognized by the board shall file:

(1) Documentary evidence of education as required by 18VAC85-20-122;

(2) A translation made and endorsed by a consul or by a professional translating service of all such documents not in the English language; and

(3) A complete chronological record of all professional activities since graduation from professional school, giving location, dates, and types of services performed.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR465-02-1 § 2.2, eff. January 18, 1989; amended, Virginia Register Volume 6, Issue 4, eff. December 20, 1989; Volume 6, Issue 8, eff. February 14, 1990; Volume 6, Issue 26, eff. October 24, 1990; Volume 7, Issue 26, eff. October 23, 1991; Volume 10, Issue 9, eff. February 23, 1994; Volume 10, Issue 24, eff. September 21, 1994; Volume 11, Issue 25, eff. October 4, 1995; Volume 14, Issue 21, eff. August 5, 1998; Volume 20, Issue 10, eff. February 25, 2004; Volume 29, Issue 4, eff. November 21, 2012.

18VAC85-20-121. Educational requirements: graduates of approved institutions.

A. Such an applicant shall be a graduate of an institution that meets the criteria appropriate to the profession in which he seeks to be licensed, which are as follows:

1. For licensure in medicine. The institution shall be approved or accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education or other official accrediting body recognized by the American Medical Association, or by the Committee for the Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools or its appropriate subsidiary agencies or any other organization approved by the board.

2. For licensure in osteopathic medicine. The institution shall be approved or accredited by the American Osteopathic Association Committee on Osteopathic College Accreditation or any other organization approved by the board.

3. For licensure in podiatry. The institution shall be approved and recommended by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education of the American Podiatric Medical Association or any other organization approved by the board.

B. Such an applicant for licensure in medicine, osteopathic medicine, or podiatry shall provide evidence of having completed 12 months of satisfactory postgraduate training as an intern or resident in one program or institution when such a program or institution is approved by an accrediting agency recognized by the board for internship and residency training.

C. For licensure in chiropractic.

1. If the applicant matriculated in a chiropractic college prior to July 1, 1975, he shall be a graduate of a chiropractic college accredited by the American Chiropractic Association or the International Chiropractic Association or any other organization approved by the board.

2. If the applicant matriculated in a chiropractic college on or after July 1, 1975, he shall be a graduate of a chiropractic college accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council of Chiropractic Education or any other organization approved by the board.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 14, Issue 21, eff. August 5, 1998; amended, Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 10, eff. February 25, 2004; Volume 29, Issue 4, eff. November 21, 2012; Volume 32, Issue 1, eff. October 7, 2015; Volume 35, Issue 24, eff. September 16, 2019.

18VAC85-20-122. Educational requirements: graduates and former students of institutions not approved by an accrediting agency recognized by the board.

A. A graduate of an institution not approved by an accrediting agency recognized by the board shall present documentary evidence that he:

1. Was enrolled and physically in attendance at the institution's principal site for a minimum of two consecutive years and fulfilled at least half of the degree requirements while enrolled two consecutive academic years at the institution's principal site.

2. Has received a degree from the institution.

3. Has fulfilled the applicable requirements of § 54.1-2930 of the Code of Virginia.

4. Has obtained a certificate from the Educational Council of Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), or its equivalent. Proof of licensure by the board of another state or territory of the United States or a province of Canada may be accepted in lieu of ECFMG certification.

5. Has had supervised clinical training as a part of his curriculum in an approved hospital, institution, or school of medicine offering an approved residency program in the specialty area for the clinical training received or in a program acceptable to the board and deemed a substantially equivalent experience, if such training was received in the United States.

6. Has completed one year of satisfactory postgraduate training as an intern, resident, or clinical fellow. The one year shall include at least 12 months in one program or institution approved by an accrediting agency recognized by the board for internship or residency training or in a clinical fellowship acceptable to the board in the same or a related field.

The board may substitute continuous full-time practice of five years or more with a limited professorial license in Virginia and one year of postgraduate training in a foreign country in lieu of one year of postgraduate training.

B. A former student who has completed all degree requirements except social services and postgraduate internship at a school not approved by an accrediting agency recognized by the board shall be considered for licensure provided that he:

1. Has fulfilled the requirements of subdivisions A 1 and A 3 through A 6 of this section;

2. Has qualified for and completed an appropriate supervised clinical training program as established by the American Medical Association; and

3. Presents a document issued by the school certifying that he has met all the formal requirements of the institution for a degree except social services and postgraduate internship.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 14, Issue 21, eff. August 5, 1998; amended, Virginia Register Volume 19, Issue 21, eff. July 30, 2003; Volume 22, Issue 26, eff. October 4, 2006; Volume 32, Issue 1, eff. October 7, 2015; Volume 34, Issue 2, eff. October 18, 2017; Volume 35, Issue 24, eff. September 16, 2019.

18VAC85-20-130. (Repealed.)

Historical Notes

Derived from VR465-02-1 § 2.3, eff. January 18, 1989; amended, Virginia Register Volume 6, Issue 4, eff. December 20, 1989; Volume 6, Issue 8, eff. February 14, 1990; Volume 6, Issue 26, eff. October 24, 1990; Volume 7, Issue 26, eff. October 23, 1991; Volume 10, Issue 9, eff. February 23, 1994; Volume 10, Issue 24, eff. September 21, 1994; Volume 11, Issue 25, eff. October 4, 1995; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 3, eff. November 27, 1996.

18VAC85-20-131. Requirements to practice acupuncture.

A. To be qualified to practice acupuncture, licensed doctors of medicine, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, and chiropractic shall first have obtained at least 200 hours of instruction in general and basic aspects of the practice of acupuncture, specific uses and techniques of acupuncture, and indications and contraindications for acupuncture administration. At least 50 hours of the 200 hours of instruction shall be clinical experience supervised by a person legally authorized to practice acupuncture in any jurisdiction of the United States. Persons who held a license as a physician acupuncturist prior to July 1, 2000, shall not be required to obtain the 50 hours of clinical experience.

B. The use of acupuncture as a treatment modality shall be appropriate to the doctor's scope of practice as defined in § 54.1-2900 of the Code of Virginia.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 14, Issue 21, eff. August 5, 1998; amended, Virginia Register Volume 16, Issue 21, eff. August 2, 2000; Volume 18, Issue 4, eff. December 5, 2001; Volume 20, Issue 10, eff. February 25, 2004; Volume 29, Issue 4, eff. November 21, 2012.

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