Rule 609-3-.04 - Paid Clinical Experience/Required Professional ExperienceIn order to meet the requirements for paid clinical experience/required professional experience, an individual must submit the required application, pay applicable fees and satisfy the following requirements:
(a)Paid Clinical Experience (PCE)/Required Professional Experience (RPE) Fellow. In order to be eligible to become a Paid Clinical Fellow Experience/Required Professional Experience Fellow, the applicant must have met the academic and clinical experience requirements set out in Board Rules. The applicant must have been issued an official transcript showing degree earned and date of issue.
1. Paid Clinical Experience/Required Professional Experience (RPE) Duration - Speech-Language Pathology or Masters Degree Audiology. The speech-language pathology or master's degree audiology applicant for licensure must submit evidence of satisfactory completion of no less than 36 weeks of full-time professional employment. A minimum of 30 hours of work per week constitutes full-time employment. At least 80% of the clinical fellowship work week must be in direct client contact (assessment, diagnosis, evaluation, screening, habilitation, or rehabilitation) related to the management process. Thus, in a 30-hour work week, at least 24 hours must be devoted to direct clinical activities. The PCE/RPE must be completed no more than 12 months after the initial application. The PCE/RPE requirement can also be met by less than full-time employment, but must be completed no more than 24 months after initial application. For example, if the PCE/RPE Fellow works:(i) 25-29 hours per week, the length of the PCE/RPE must be at least 48 weeks.(ii) 20-24 hours per week, the length of the PCE/RPE must be at least 60 weeks.(iii) 15-19 hours per week, the length of the PCE/RPE must be at least 72 weeks. Professional employment of less than 15 hours per week may not be used to fulfill any part of the PCE/RPE.2. Paid Clinical Experience (PCE)/Required Professional Experience (RPE) Duration -Doctoral Degree Audiology. (i) The applicant who has completed a clinical externship as outlined in the Board Rule 609-3-.03 has satisfied the Required Professional Experience.(ii) The applicant who did not complete the clinical externship as outlined in Board Rule 609-3-.03 shall follow the required professional experience as outlined for the master's degree audiology applicant.(b)Required Supervision During the PCE/RPE.1. At all times during the period of PCE/RPE, the PCE/RPE Fellow shall be under the direction of one or more supervisors.2. Supervision of the PCE/RPE Fellow must entail the personal and direct monitoring of the Fellow's work.3. Personal and direct monitoring activities shall include but not be limited to observations, evaluations of written reports, evaluation by professional colleagues and discussions of clinical work.4. Personal and direct monitoring activities shall be conducted at a minimum of one per month in order to evaluate the progress of the PCE/RPE Fellow.(c)Qualifications and Responsibilities of the PCE/RPE Supervisor.1. The PCE/RPE must be obtained under a supervisor who is either:(i) a Georgia licensed Speech-Language Pathologist or Audiologist who is licensed in the area(s) for which the PCE/RPE Fellow seeks clinical professional experience and who is ultimately liable for the quality of services provided;(ii) The supervisor shall supervise no more than two (2) PCE/RPE Fellows under the provisions of this rule; and(iii) A family member or individual related in any way to the PCE/RPE Fellow may not serve as a PCE/RPE supervisor. (d)Application for PCE/RPE Fellow Provisional License.1. The PCE/RPE Fellow applicant and supervisor must submit to the Board an application and all required information for provisional license. The Board must receive official undergraduate and graduate transcripts indicating degree(s) earned and date of issue.2. The PCE/RPE applicant may not begin the PCE/RPE until Board approval is received and provisional license number issued. The Board may, at its discretion, approve the plan for PCE/RPE and grant a provisional license to the application as a PCE/RPE Fellow for the purpose of practicing during the PCE/RPE.3. The provisional license shall be valid for a period of one year from the beginning date of the PCE/RPE period. (i) The provisional license may be renewed for one additional year if the approved PCE/RPE period is for part time experience and the period extends beyond one year, but may not be renewed solely for the purposes of the applicant's completion of other license requirements.(ii) If the PCE/RPE Fellow has been approved for permanent license, the provisional license shall be superceded. If the PCE/RPE Fellow is not approved for permanent license, the provisional license may be voided or continued through the remaining period of validity of the license.(e)Grounds for denial/suspension/revocation of PCE/RPE.The Board shall have the authority to refuse to grant a provisional license to, suspend or revoke a provisional license pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 43-1-19.
(f)Documentation of Completion of the PCE/RPE.1. After completing the approved PCE/RPE period, the PCE/RPE Fellow and supervisor shall complete and provide to the Board the appropriate notarized forms to document completion of the PCE/RPE.2. The documentation shall provide information on the approximate hours per calendar week engaged in diagnostic evaluations, therapy, recordkeeping, staff meetings and in-service training.3. Any calendar week in which the PCE/RPE Fellow has not worked a minimum of 30 hours for full-time or 15 hours for part-time shall not be counted toward the PCE/RPE.4. The supervisor and PCE/RPE Fellow shall provide the documentation of the monitoring activities as provided for in Board Rules.5. The documentation shall include a statement on the supervisor's assessment of the PCE/RPE Fellow's clinical competency as demonstrated by performance during the PCE/RPE.(g)Change(s) to the PCE/RPE.1. The PCE/RPE Fellow shall notify the Board within 14 calendar days of any changes in the PCE/RPE during the approved period, including but not limited to: (i) the dates and duration of any breaks in service,(ii) change in PCE/RPE supervisor,(iii) change in the place of employment, or2. The Board may approve the changes in its discretion, and specify allowable adjustments in the PCE/RPE.(h)Failure to Obtain a Provisional License for the PCE/RPE.1. A person who practices speech-language pathology and/or Audiology and who fails to apply for and be approved for a provisional license shall be considered practicing without a license and may be subject to sanction of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.2. A supervisor who allows a person to practice without a provisional license for the PCE/RPE may be subject to sanction of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 609-3-.04
O.C.G.A. Secs. 43-1-19, 43-33-8, 43-44-3, 43-44-6, 43-44-8, 43-44-11, 43-44-13, 43-44-16.
Original Rule entitled "Renewal" adopted. F. Sept. 3, 1976; eff. Sept. 23, 1976.Repealed: New Rule entitled "Late Renewal Penalty" adopted. F. Oct. 17, 1978; eff. Nov. 6, 1978.Repealed: New Rule entitled "Reinstatement Fee" adopted. F. Dec. 22, 1982; eff. Jan. 11, 1983.Repealed: New Rule entitled "Biennal Renewal" adopted. F. Oct. 30, 1986; eff. Nov. 19, 1986.Repealed: New Rule entitled "Examination" adopted. F. June 22, 1989; eff. July 12, 1989.Amended: F. Dec. 21, 1993; eff. Jan. 10, 1994.Amended: F. Feb. 28, 1994; eff. Mar. 20, 1994.Amended: F. Mar. 9, 1994; eff. Mar. 29, 1994.Amended: F. May 30, 1996; eff. June 19, 1996.Amended: F. Apr. 3, 2000; eff. Apr. 23, 2000.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Mar. 23, 2005; eff. Apr. 12, 2005.Repealed: New Rule entitled "Paid Clinical Experience/Required Professional Experience" adopted. F. Mar. 15, 2007; eff. Apr. 4, 2007.Amended: F. June 11, 2007; eff. July 1, 2007.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Apr. 10, 2008; eff. Apr. 30, 2008.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Mar. 19, 2009; eff. Apr. 8, 2009.Amended: F. Sept. 3, 2010; eff. Sept. 23, 2010.