The Florida Senate

459.0055  General licensure requirements.--

(1)  Except as otherwise provided herein, any person desiring to be licensed or certified as an osteopathic physician pursuant to this chapter shall:

(a)  Complete an application form and submit the appropriate fee to the department;

(b)  Be at least 21 years of age;

(c)  Be of good moral character;

(d)  Have completed at least 3 years of preprofessional postsecondary education;

(e)  Have not previously committed any act which would constitute a violation of this chapter, unless the board determines that such act does not adversely affect the applicant's present ability and fitness to practice osteopathic medicine;

(f)  Not be under investigation in any jurisdiction for an act which would constitute a violation of this chapter. If, upon completion of such investigation, it is determined that the applicant has committed an act which would constitute a violation of this chapter, the applicant shall be ineligible for licensure unless the board determines that such act does not adversely affect the applicant's present ability and fitness to practice osteopathic medicine;

(g)  Have not had an application for a license to practice osteopathic medicine denied or a license to practice osteopathic medicine revoked, suspended, or otherwise acted against by the licensing authority of any jurisdiction unless the board determines that the grounds on which such action was taken do not adversely affect the applicant's present ability and fitness to practice osteopathic medicine. A licensing authority's acceptance of a physician's relinquishment of license, stipulation, consent order, or other settlement, offered in response to or in anticipation of the filing of administrative charges against the osteopathic physician, shall be considered action against the osteopathic physician's license;

(h)  Have met the criteria set forth in s. 459.006, s. 459.007, s. 459.0075, s. 459.0077, or s. 459.021, whichever is applicable;

(i)  Submit to the department a set of fingerprints on a form and under procedures specified by the department, along with a payment in an amount equal to the costs incurred by the Department of Health for the criminal background check of the applicant.

(2)  The board may require a personal appearance of any applicant for licensure or certification under the provisions of this chapter. Any applicant of whom a personal appearance is required must be given adequate notice of the appearance as to time and place of the appearance, as well as a statement of the purpose for the appearance and the reasons requiring such appearance.

(3)  If an applicant has committed an act which would constitute a violation of this chapter or has had an application for a license to practice osteopathic medicine revoked, suspended, or otherwise acted against by the licensing authority of any jurisdiction, notwithstanding the board's determination that the applicant's present ability and fitness to practice osteopathic medicine have not been adversely affected, the board may certify the application to the department with restrictions.

(4)  The department and the board shall assure that applicants for licensure meet applicable criteria in this chapter through an investigative process. When the investigative process is not completed within the time set out in s. 120.60(1) and the department or board has reason to believe that the applicant does not meet the criteria, the secretary or the secretary's designee may issue a 90-day licensure delay which shall be in writing and sufficient to notify the applicant of the reason for the delay. The provisions of this subsection shall control over any conflicting provisions of s. 120.60(1).

History.--ss. 4, 29, ch. 86-290; s. 30, ch. 88-1; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 219, ch. 96-410; s. 1095, ch. 97-103; s. 136, ch. 97-237; s. 12, ch. 97-273.