2023 Oklahoma Statutes › Title 59. Professions and Occupations › §59-493.5. Special volunteer license.

A. 1. There is established a special volunteer license for eligible volunteers from a medically related field who are retired from active practice or actively licensed in another state and practicing in that state and wish to donate their expertise for the care and treatment of indigent and needy persons of this state.
2. For purposes of this section:
a.
“eligible volunteer” means a physician, physician assistant, nurse, dentist, optometrist or pharmacist, and
b.
“nurse” means an advanced practice nurse, advanced registered nurse practitioner, registered nurse, or licensed practical nurse.
3. The special volunteer license shall be:
a.
issued by the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision to eligible physicians and physician assistants, by the Board of Osteopathic Examiners to eligible physicians, by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing to eligible nurses, the Board of Dentistry to eligible dentists, the Board of Examiners in Optometry to eligible optometrists, and by the Board of Pharmacy to eligible pharmacists,
b.
issued without the payment of an application fee, license fee or renewal fee,
c.
issued or renewed without any continuing education requirements in this state,
d.
issued for a period of time to be determined by the applicable board, and
e.
renewable upon approval of the applicable Board.
B. An eligible volunteer shall meet the following requirements before obtaining a special volunteer license:
1. Completion of a special volunteer license application, including, as applicable, documentation of:
a.
the medical school graduation of the physician,
b.
the completion of a physician assistant program by a physician assistant,
c.
the completion of the basic professional curricula of a school of nursing by the nurse,
d.
the dental school graduation of the dentist,
e.
the optometry school graduation of the optometrist, or
f.
the school or college of pharmacy graduation of a pharmacist, and
g.
the relevant practice history of the applicant;
2. Documentation or electronic verification that the eligible volunteer has been previously issued a full and unrestricted license to practice in Oklahoma or in another state of the United States and written acknowledgment that he or she has never been the subject of any professional disciplinary action in any jurisdiction;
3. Written acknowledgement that the practice of the eligible volunteer under the special volunteer license will be exclusively and totally devoted to providing care to needy and indigent persons in Oklahoma or to providing care under the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps; and
4. Written acknowledgement that the eligible volunteer shall not receive or have the expectation to receive any payment or compensation, either direct or indirect, for any services rendered in this state under the special volunteer license. The only exception to the indirect compensation provision is for those out-of-state physicians, physician assistants, nurses, dentists, optometrists or pharmacists that participate in the free care given by means of Telemedicine through the Shriners Hospitals for Children national network.
Added by Laws 2003, c. 138, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2003. Amended by Laws 2004, c. 313, § 17, emerg. eff. May 19, 2004; Laws 2004, c. 523, § 24, emerg. eff. June 9, 2004; Laws 2007, c. 133, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2007; Laws 2009, c. 255, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2009; Laws 2010, c. 247, § 2, emerg. eff. May 10, 2010.
NOTE: Laws 2009, c. 247, § 1 repealed by Laws 2010, c. 2, § 29, emerg. eff. March 3, 2010.