3513.  The committee shall recognize the approval of training
programs for physician assistants approved by a national accrediting
organization.  Physician assistant training programs accredited by a
national accrediting agency approved by the committee shall be deemed
approved by the committee under this section. If no national
accrediting organization is approved by the committee, the committee
may examine and pass upon the qualification of, and may issue
certificates of approval for, programs for the education and training
of physician assistants that meet committee standards.



3514.1.  (a) The committee shall formulate by regulation guidelines
for the consideration of applications for licensure as a physician's
assistant.
   (b) The committee shall formulate by regulation guidelines for the
approval of physician's assistant training programs.
   (c) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2001.




3516.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any physician
assistant licensed by the committee shall be eligible for employment
or supervision by any physician approved by the board to supervise
physician assistants, except that:
   (a) No physician shall supervise more than two physician
assistants at any one time, except as provided in Sections 3502.5 and
3516.5.
   (b) The board may restrict physicians to supervising specific
types of physician assistants including, but not limited to,
restricting physicians from supervising physician assistants outside
of the physician's field of specialty.



3516.5.  (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law and in
accordance with regulations established by the board, the director of
emergency care services in a hospital with an approved program for
the training of emergency care physician assistants, may apply to the
board for authorization under which such director may grant approval
for emergency care physicians on the staff of such hospital to
supervise emergency care physician assistants.
   (b) The application shall encompass all supervising physicians
employed in such service.
   (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize any
one emergency care physician while on duty to supervise more than two
physician assistants at any one time.
   (d) A violation of this section by the director of emergency care
services in a hospital with an approved program for the training of
emergency care physician assistants constitutes unprofessional
conduct within the meaning of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section
2000) of Division 2.
   (e) Any violation of this section shall be grounds for suspension
of the approval of the director or disciplinary action against the
director or suspension of the approved program under Section 3527.




3517.  The committee shall require a written examination of
physician assistants in the manner and under the rules and
regulations as it shall prescribe, but the examination shall be
conducted in that manner as to ensure that the identity of each
applicant taking the examination will be unknown to all of the
examiners until all examination papers have been graded.  Except as
otherwise provided in this chapter, or by regulation, no physician
assistant applicant shall receive approval under this chapter without
first successfully passing an examination given under the direction
of the committee.
   Examinations for licensure as a physician assistant may be
required by the committee under a uniform examination system, and for
that purpose the committee may make those arrangements with
organizations furnishing examination material as may, in its
discretion, be desirable.  The committee shall, however, establish a
passing score for each examination.  The licensure examination for
physician assistants shall be held by the committee at least once a
year with such additional examinations as the committee deems
necessary.  The time and place of examination shall be fixed by the
committee.
   The committee may grant interim approval to an applicant for
licensure as a physician assistant.
   Every applicant who has complied with Section 3519, subdivision
(a), who has filed an application with the committee may, between the
date of receipt of notice that the application is on file and the
date of receipt of his or her license, practice as a physician
assistant on interim approval under the supervision of an approved
physician.  Applicants shall notify the committee in writing of any
and all supervising physicians under whom they will be performing
services prior to practicing under interim approval.  If the
applicant shall fail to take the next succeeding licensure
examination or fails to pass the examination or fails to receive a
license, all privileges under this section shall automatically cease
upon written notification sent to the applicant by the committee.
   In the event the licensure examination required by the committee
is under a uniform examination system, the applicant shall provide
evidence satisfactory to the committee (a) that an application has
been filed and accepted for the examination and (b) that the
organization administering the examination has been requested to
transmit the applicant's scores to the committee in order for the
applicant to maintain interim approval.  The applicant shall be
deemed to have failed the examination unless the applicant provides
evidence to the committee within 30 days after scores have been
released that he or she has passed the examination.



3518.  The committee shall keep current, two separate registers, one
for approved supervising physicians and one for licensed physician's
assistants, by specialty if applicable.  These registers shall show
the name of each licensee, his or her last known address of record,
and the date of his or her licensure or approval, including those
persons practicing under interim approval under Section 3517.  Any
interested person is entitled to obtain a copy of the register in
accordance with the Information Practices Act of 1977 (Chapter 1
(commencing with Section 1798) of Title 1.8 of Part 4 of Division 3
of the Civil Code) upon application to the committee together with a
sum as may be fixed by the committee, which amount shall not exceed
the cost of this list so furnished.



3519.  The committee shall issue under the name of the Medical Board
of California a license to all physician assistant applicants who
meet all of the following requirements:
   (a) Provide evidence of one of the following:
   (1) Successful completion of an approved program.
   (2) Successful completion in a medical school approved by the
Division of Licensing of a resident course of professional
instruction which meets the requirements of Sections 2088 and 2089.
   (b) Pass any examination required under Section 3517.
   (c) Not be subject to denial of licensure under Division 1.5
(commencing with Section 475) or Section 3527.
   (d) Pay all fees required under Section 3521.1.