What does a PA need to complete if their primary supervising physician is an MD?

What does a PA need to complete if their primary supervising physician is an MD?

• A. Must be licensed under the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine before the MD's written agreement is submitted to SBM
• B. Can have an MD or DO as an alternate supervising physician
• C. Must be licensed under the State Board of Medicine before the MD's written agreement is submitted to SBM
• D. No licensure requirement is needed

Answer: (C)

The essential idea is that a PA must be licensed by the appropriate medical licensing board before the supervising arrangement can be formalized. Since the primary supervising physician is an MD, the PA must be licensed under the State Board of Medicine. This license must be in place before the MD’s written supervisory agreement is submitted to the Board for approval, ensuring the PA is authorized to practice under supervision and that the arrangement is vetted by the same regulatory body that licenses physicians. Licensing under the Osteopathic Board would apply only if the supervising physician or the state’s rules specifically required osteopathic licensure for the arrangement, which isn’t the case here. The possibility of an alternate supervising physician does not change the need for the PA to hold licensure with the State Board of Medicine before the agreement is filed. And obviously, proceeding without any licensure isn’t permissible.

The essential idea is that a PA must be licensed by the appropriate medical licensing board before the supervising arrangement can be formalized. Since the primary supervising physician is an MD, the PA must be licensed under the State Board of Medicine. This license must be in place before the MD’s written supervisory agreement is submitted to the Board for approval, ensuring the PA is authorized to practice under supervision and that the arrangement is vetted by the same regulatory body that licenses physicians.

Licensing under the Osteopathic Board would apply only if the supervising physician or the state’s rules specifically required osteopathic licensure for the arrangement, which isn’t the case here. The possibility of an alternate supervising physician does not change the need for the PA to hold licensure with the State Board of Medicine before the agreement is filed. And obviously, proceeding without any licensure isn’t permissible.