LICENSURE AND PRESCRIPTIVE AUTHORITY

What do I Need to Practice in Ohio?

In order to apply for a license (Certificate to Practice) in Ohio a PA must have a Masters Degree or hold a valid license in another jurisdiction as of January 1, 2008.

In order to apply for a certificate to prescribe in Ohio a PA must have a Masters Degree in a subject that is clinically relevant to PA practice.  There is a required provisional period of 500 hours under onsite supervision and 500 hours under your normal supervision for a total of 1000 hours.  The 1000 hours  may not be completed in less than 6 months.

How do I Apply for a License?

Items you will be required to submit include, but are not limited to, an original transcript from your Masters program or verification of a current license in another jurisdiction, verification from NCCPA, a list of activities from graduation to present, a letter from your employer, a color picture and the required fee.

Once the application is submitted to the Medical Board it will take 10-12 weeks for approval.

You will not be notified by the Medical Board of your approval so you will need to check the Medical Board website for the status of your license on the Licensee Profile and Status page.

Renewal of your Certificate to Practice is every two years in even years regardless of when it was issued to you.

How Do I Get Prescriptive Authority (Certificate to Prescribe)?

There are three steps in getting prescriptive authority.  The first is applying for a provisional certificate to prescribe the second is completing a 1000 hour provisional period and the third is applying for a permanent certificate to prescribe.

Provisional Certificate to Prescribe

Before applying for the Provisional Certificate to Prescribe you will need:

  • Masters Degree that is clinically relevant to the PA profession
  • 30 pharmacology-specific CME hours. Live conferences or online CME is acceptable but all CME hours need to be accredited by either AAPA or ACCME.
  • 15 fiscal and ethical CME hours. Currently only available for purchase at www.ohiopa.com.
  • 20 clinical hours.  Guidelines for Clinical Hours

Once you have the requirements complete the Provisional Certificate to Prescribe Application or access it on the Medical Board website at http://www.med.ohio.gov.

Items you will be required to submit include, but are not limited to, an original transcript from your Masters program, certificates of completion for all CME, designation of a primary supervising physician verification of the 20 clinical hours and the required fee.

Once the application is submitted to the Medical Board it will take 10-12 weeks for approval.

You will not be notified by the Medical Board of your approval so you will need to check the Medical Board website for the status of your license on the Licensee Profile and Status page.

Once you are assigned a provisional number you may immediately begin writing prescriptions but only under onsite supervision during the first 500 hours and then under your normal supervision for the second 500 hours.  Include your name and provisional number on the prescription.  Your physician’s name is not listed.

During the provisional period your supervising physician must sign 100% of your charts during the first 500 hours and 50% of your charts during the second 500 hours.

Permanent Certificate to Prescribe

Once you have completed the required 1000 provisional hours, complete the Certificate to Prescribe.

You will need verification from your primary supervising physician that you have successfully completed the provisional period and the required fee.

Once the application is submitted to the Medical Board it will take 10-12 weeks for approval.

You will not be notified by the Medical Board of your approval so you will need to check the Medical Board website for the status of your license on the Licensee Profile and Status page.

Once you receive your permanent Certificate to Prescribe (CTP) you will need 12 additional pharmacology-specific CME hours over and above the 100 hours you need to renew your license.  You will need to renew your permanent CTP when you renew your license.

PA Formulary

Prescriptive Authority in another Jurisdiction (state):

You will need a masters degree to apply for prescriptive authority regardless of whether or not you have prescriptive authority in another jurisdiction.  There are no exceptions to this requirement.

If you have prescriptive authority in another jurisdiction you must complete the 30 hours of pharmacology-specific CME and the 15 hours of fiscal and ethical CME.  This needs to be done within 3 years of applying for your provisional certificate to prescribe.  The only exception is the 20 clinical hours.  You may have your out-of-state supervising physician attest to your completion of these hours within 3 years of application.

Once you receive your provisional certificate to prescribe, you must complete the first 500 hours under onsite supervision.  Attestation from your out-of-state supervising physician will waive the second 500 hours of the provisional period BUT Ohio state law specifies that the 1000 total hours cannot be completed in less than 6 months.  Chances are you will have already completed the 1000 hours when you reach the 6 month requirement and will not need the out-of-state attestation.

DEA Number

Ohio PAs may apply for their DEA number during their provisional period.

Application