The Board proposes the rule amendment to update the licensure and examination requirements, including to more closely match the implemented statutes.

 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Board of Optometry

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

64B13-4.001Examination Requirements

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The Board proposes the rule amendment to update the licensure and examination requirements, including to more closely match the implemented statutes.

SUMMARY: To update the licensure and examination requirements.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:

The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: During discussion of the economic impact of this rule at its Board meeting, the Board concluded that this rule change will not have any impact on licensees and their businesses or the businesses that employ them. The rule will not increase any fees, business costs, personnel costs, will not decrease profit opportunities, and will not require any specialized knowledge to comply. This change will not increase any direct or indirect regulatory costs. Hence, the Board determined that a Statement of Estimated Regulatory Costs (SERC) was not necessary and that the rule will not require ratification by the Legislature. No person or interested party submitted additional information regarding the economic impact at that time.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 456.017(1), 463.005, 463.006(2) FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 456.017(1), 463.006(2) FS.

IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED AND ANNOUNCED IN THE FAR.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Anthony B. Spivey, Executive Director, Board of Optometry, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin # C07, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3257.

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

64B13-4.001 Examination Requirements.

(1) Licensure Examination. The licensure examination authorized in Section 463.006(2), F.S., shall consist of the following parts:

(a) Part I – the Applied Basic Science (ABS) portion of the examination developed by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO);

(a)(b) Part II – Tthe Patient Assessment and Management (PAM) portion of the examination developed by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) as Part II of its examination which includes an embedded Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease (TMOD) examination.  An applicant for licensure in Florida must obtain a passing score on the TMOD section of the examination as well as an overall passing score on the examination.;

(b)(c) Part III – Tthe Clinical Skills (CSE) portion of the examination developed by the NBEO as Part III of its examination. In addition to an overall passing score on the CSE portion, an applicant for licensure in Florida must obtain a score of 75 percent (75%) or better on each of the Biomicroscopy, Binocular Indirect Ophthalmoscopy, and Dilated Biomicroscopy and Non-Contact Fundus Lens Evaluation skills individually; and

(c)(d) Part IV – Aa written examination on applicable Florida laws and rules governing the practice of optometry developed yearly by Florida Board of Optometry approved consultants in conjunction with NBEO, and administered by NBEO as Part IV of its examination. The Board shall review and approve the content of the laws and rules examination annually. A score of eighty-four percent (84%) or better must be obtained in order to achieve a passing score on Part IV of the NBEO examination. 

(d) The Florida Practical Examination. The Florida Practical Examination shall be developed by consultants approved by the Florida Board of Optometry in conjunction with the NBEO, and shall be administered by the NBEO as part of the NBEO National Clinical Skills examination.

1. Examiners for the Florida Practical Examination, and the grading criteria to be used by the examiners, shall be those selected by the NBEO to examine and grade the NBEO CSE.

2. The Florida Practical Examination shall consist of the following tested skills.  Because the Board requires passage of all three (3) skills on the same test attempt, the three (3) skills are weighted equally.

a. Biomicroscopy

b. Binocular Indirect Ophthalmoscopy

c. Dilated Biomicroscopy and Non-Contact Fundus Lens Evaluation

3. The passing score for each skill shall be seventy-five percent (75%) or better, and a passing score on each of the three (3) skills must be obtained on the same test attempt. 

(2) Passing Scores. An applicant for licensure must achieve a passing score on all four parts of the licensure examination in order to be licensed in Florida. Passing scores for Part I, Part II, and Part III of the Florida Practical Examination and Laws and Rules portion of the NBEO licensure examination are as set established by the Board in this rule NBEO. For Part III, an applicant must receive an overall passing score on the CSE, as well as the required score of 75 percent (75%) or better on each of the three (3) individually identified skills, on the same test attempt. A score of 84 percent (84%) or better must be obtained in order to achieve a passing score on Part IV of the licensure examination. Passing scores for the Patient Assessment and Management portion and the Clinical Skills portion of the NBEO licensure examination are established by the NBEO.

(3) Certification Examination. A licensee applying for certification must obtain a passing score on either the TMOD examination embedded in the Patient Assessment and Management portion of the examination developed and administered by the NBEO or a passing score on the stand alone TMOD examination developed and administered by the NBEO.

Rulemaking Authority 456.017(1), 463.005, 463.006(2) FS. Law Implemented 456.017(1), 463.006(2) FS. History–New 11-13-79, Amended 5-28-80, 7-10-80, 8-20-81, 2-14-82, 6-6-82, 10-3-82, 4-10-84, 5-29-85, Formerly 21Q-4.01, Amended 7-21-86, 11-20-86, 7-27-87, 7-11-88, 7-18-91, 4-14-92, Formerly 21Q-4.001, Amended 2-14-94, Formerly 61F8-4.001, Amended 8-8-94, 11-21-94, 4-21-96, Formerly 59V-4.001, Amended 7-27-99, 7-15-02, 3-8-04, 4-22-10, 10-13-10, 7-21-11, 6-5-12, 2-27-14, 11-5-14, 9-30-15, 9-7-17,                                    .

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Board of Optometry

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Board of Optometry

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: August 21, 2017

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: October 9, 2017