Section 338.258. Limited licenses.

(1) The board may issue an educational limited license, as provided under section 16182(2)(a) of the act, to an individual who has graduated from a board-approved professional optometric degree program, or who will graduate from the program not more than 3 months after applying  for   an  educational limited license, and who is enrolled in a postgraduate course of study  or participates in a residency program that is  offered by the  United  States department of veterans affairs or a board-approved institution.

(2)  The board may issue a clinical academic limited license, as provided under section 16182(2)(c) of the act, to an individual who is a graduate of a board-approved professional optometric degree program and who is employed as a faculty member at a board-approved professional optometric degree program. An optometrist who is licensed under this subrule may perform procedures upon patients while employed as a faculty

member at a board-approved professional optometric degree program, if these procedures are  performed  under  the general supervision  of   a  faculty  member  who is fully licensed as an optometrist. An individual who is licensed under this subrule shall  not  do either of the following:

(a)   Hold himself or herself out to the public as being engaged in the practice of optometry other than as a faculty member.

(b)   Provide optometric services outside of his or her employment as a faculty member.

(3)  An individual who applies for a limited license under section 16182(2)(a) or (c) of the act shall meet all of the following requirements:

(a)  ) Comply with section 16174 of the act.

(b)    Submit proof of graduation from an accredited professional optometric degree program that is approved by the board or from a non-accredited professional optometric degree program that is  approved  by the  board,  as provided in R 338.254.

(c)   ) Submit proof of appointment to either of the following, as applicable:

(i)   A postgraduate course of study or a residency program, as provided in subrule (1) of this rule.

(ii)   A faculty position at a board-approved professional optometric degree program, as provided in subrule (2) of this rule.

(4)   Limited licenses, as described in subrules (1) and (2) of this rule, shall be renewed annually at the discretion of the board.

(5)    Applicants for renewal of a clinical academic limited license shall submit evidence of having completed 10 hours of board-approved continuing education in pharmacological management of ocular conditions required for the year.

History: 1944 AC; 1954 AC; 1979 AC; 1983 AACS; 2010 AACS.