LICENSE ELIGIBILITY.

(a) Except as provided by Section 206.206, to be eligible for a license, a person must:

(1) have not been convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude;

(2) not use drugs or alcohol to an extent that affects the applicant's professional competency;

(3) not have had a license or certification revoked by a licensing agency or by a certifying professional organization; and

(4) not have engaged in fraud or deceit in applying for a license under this chapter.

(b) In addition to meeting the requirements of Subsection (a), a person must:

(1) pass the examination required by Section 206.204;

(2) hold at least an associate's degree based on completion of an educational program that is substantially equivalent to the education required for a registered nurse or physician assistant who specializes in surgical assisting;

(3) demonstrate to the satisfaction of the medical board the completion of full-time work experience performed in this country under the direct supervision of a physician licensed in this country and consisting of at least 2,000 hours of performance as an assistant in surgical procedures for the three years preceding the date of application; and

(4) possess a current certification by a national certifying body approved by the medical board.

(c) A degree program described by Subsection (b)(2) must contain a clinical component and must include courses in anatomy, physiology, basic pharmacology, aseptic techniques, operative procedures, chemistry, microbiology, and pathophysiology.