(a) An applicant for a license to practice podiatry in this state must:      
        (1) be at least 21 years of age;       
        (2) successfully complete at least 90 semester hours of undergraduate college courses acceptable at the time of completion for credit toward a bachelor's degree at an institution of higher education determined by the department to have acceptable standards;       
        (3) successfully graduate from a reputable college of podiatry approved by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education of the American Podiatric Medical Association, and the college must have been so approved during the entire period of the applicant's course of instruction;       
        (4) successfully pass all required sections of the American Podiatric Medical Licensing Examination;       
        (5) successfully pass the jurisprudence examination, except as provided in subsection (b);       
        (6) successfully complete at least one year of GPME in a program approved by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education of the American Podiatric Medical Association with a hospital, clinic, or institution acceptable to the department (successful completion means the GPME program which was actually begun/matriculated is completed; the applicant must have successfully completed the entire program; partial program attendance is not acceptable);       
        (7) pay all applicable fees;       
        (8) submit a completed application on a department-approved form;       
        (9) submit all transcripts of relevant college coursework, acceptable to the department;       
        (10) successfully pass a criminal history background check performed by the department;       
        (11) provide proof of successful completion of a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); and       
        (12) successfully pass a National Practitioner Data Bank query check performed by the department.       
      (b) The department may issue a limited faculty license to practice podiatry only for purposes of instruction in an educational institution to a podiatrist who has not completed the jurisprudence examination required in subsection (a)(5), if the applicant:      
        (1) at the time of applying for a limited faculty license has accepted an appointment or is serving as a full-time member of the faculty of an educational institution in this state offering an approved or accredited course of study or training leading to a degree in podiatry;       
        (2) holds a license to practice podiatry from another state with licensing requirements that are substantially equivalent to the requirements established by this subchapter; and       
        (3) otherwise satisfies the requirements of this section.       
      (c) At the discretion of the executive director, the GPME requirement may be waived if the applicant has been in active podiatric practice for at least five continuous years in another state under license of that state, and upon application to the department demonstrates an acceptable record from that state and from all other states under which the applicant has ever been licensed. The GPME requirement became effective in Texas on July 1, 1995.     
      (d) At the discretion of the executive director, the executive director may excuse an applicant for a license from the National Board Part III (formerly known as PM Lexis) requirement if the executive director determines that an applicant with substantially equivalent experience was not required to pass a part of an examination related to the testing of clinical skills when the applicant was licensed in this or another state with an acceptable record, provided that the applicant has been in active licensed practice for at least five continuous years and has successfully completed any other course of training reasonably required by the executive director relating to the safe care and treatment of patients. The National Board Part III/PM Lexis came into existence in June 1987. Texas began the National Board Part III/PM Lexis requirement for licensure on January 29, 1992.     
      (e) A showing of an acceptable record under this section is defined to include, but is not limited to:      
        (1) a showing that the applicant has not had entered against them a judgment, civil or criminal, in state or federal court or other judicial forum, on a podiatric medical-related cause of action; no conviction of or deferred adjudication for a felony; no disciplinary action recorded from any medical institution or agency or organization, including, but not limited to, any licensing board, hospital, surgery center, clinic, professional organization, governmental health organization, or extended-care facility; and no dishonorable discharge from military service.       
        (2) If any judgment or disciplinary determination under this subsection, has been on appeal, reversed, reversed and rendered, or remanded and later dismissed, or in any other way concluded in favor of the applicant, it shall be the applicant's responsibility to bring such result to the notice of the department by way of certified letter along with any such explanation of the circumstances as the applicant deems pertinent to the determination of admittance to licensure in this state.       
        (3) The applicant shall obtain and submit to the department a letter directly from all state boards under which they have ever been previously licensed stating that the applicant is a licensee in good standing with each said board or that said prior license or licenses were terminated or expired with the licensee in good standing.       
      (f) The department approves and adopts by reference the Standards and Requirements for Approval of Residencies in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery and Procedures for Approval of Residencies in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery adopted by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education of the American Podiatric Medical Association.     
      (g) The department approves and adopts by reference the Standards and Requirements for Accrediting Colleges of Podiatric Medicine and Procedures for Accrediting Colleges of Podiatric Medicine adopted by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education of the American Podiatric Medical Association.     
      (h) The department may require additional information from an applicant who has been out of practice for more than two years and require the applicant to complete additional education, examinations, or training before issuing a license to ensure the podiatrist possesses reasonable knowledge, skill and competence for the safe care and treatment of patients.     
      (i) The applicant shall submit evidence sufficient for the department to determine that the applicant has met all the requirements and any other information reasonably required by the department. Any application, diploma or certification, or other document required to be submitted to the department that is not in the English language must be accompanied by a certified translation into English.     
     Source Note:        The provisions of this §130.40 adopted to be effective November 1, 2018, 43 TexReg 6953; amended to be effective September 1, 2019, 44 TexReg 4725; amended to be effective March 1, 2022, 47 TexReg 913