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License by Reciprocity
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HOW TO APPLY FOR A NEW LICENSE BY RECIPROCITY
Information About Reciprocity
An optometrist validly licensed in another state may be licensed by reciprocity in Delaware if the licensure standards of that other state are at least equal to those of Delaware and he/she has practiced at least five years in that state. It is possible that the basic licensure standards of the state(s) where an optometrist is licensed are equivalent to those of Delaware but the standards of therapeutic practice are not. If that is the case, he/she will be required to successfully pass the Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease (TMOD) examination and may be required to do a six month internship.
Information About Internship
Applicants already licensed in another state(s) may be required to serve a six-month internship. The Board may waive the internship requirement only if the applicant has practiced at least five years in a state where the standards of licensure are equal to or greater than Delaware's requirements.
If an internship is required, the internship must consist of a minimum of 35 hours per week for at least six months under the supervision of a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist. The Board of Examiners in Optometry must pre-approve internships.
It is the applicant's responsibility to select a supervising doctor. If the supervisor is neither an ophthalmologist nor therapeutically certified optometrist, the applicant must complete 100 additional hours of clinical internship with a therapeutically certified optometrist, medical doctor or osteopathic physician. In addition, if an applicant selects a therapeutically-certified optometrist not licensed in Delaware, the supervising doctor must be licensed in a state where the standards of therapeutic practice are comparable to those in Delaware.
The doctor with whom an internship is completed must supervise the intern "one-on-one" during the internship. The doctor must be on the same premises and immediately available for supervision at all times and must review the patient evaluations before the patient leaves the office.
These are examples of situations which are not direct supervision:
- The supervising doctor has two offices. He/she works in office 1, and the intern works in office 2.
- Three doctors work in the supervising doctor's office. The intern's supervisor leaves and assigns another doctor to supervise. This is acceptable only if the doctor supervising the intern is approved by the Board and is not supervising another intern.
Before beginning the internship, the supervising doctor must submit a signed, notarized statement about the circumstances of the applicant's internship. If more than one doctor will supervise, each must submit a separate statement.
When an internship is complete, each supervising doctor must submit a letter to verify the completion.
How to File an Application By Reciprocity
To process an applicant's application, the Delaware Board of Examiners in Optometry requires a/an:
- Completed application form which has been signed and notarized
- Non-refundable pro-rated fee in the form of a check or money order made payable to "State of Delaware"
- Transcript from college of optometry
- National board examination scores (Parts I-III and TMOD)
- Up-to-date certification to perform CPR for adults and children
- Report from the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank (see below)
- Certified letters of good standing from every jurisdiction in which
he/she has been (or have ever been) licensed to practice optometry (refer
to Certification of Licensure)
- If the six-month internship applies, each doctor who supervises the
internship must complete a Statement of Supervising
Doctor form
- If the applicant practiced optometry at least five years, letters
verifying the work history from persons in a position to know, such as
employer, colleague or accountant.
Applicants for a Delaware Therapeutic Optometrist license must submit a report from the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank. The report provides a history of disciplinary actions, medical malpractice and changes in privileges and other information. To obtain a self-query application, applicants may call the Data Bank at 800-767-6732 or access the Data Bank website at www.npdb-hipdb.com. The Data Bank will send the report to the applicant and the original report must be sent to the Board office.
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Last Updated: Thursday, 14-Feb-2008 14:36:30 EST
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