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Professional Licensure

BACKGROUND

• Pursuant to the Federal Program Integrity Rules (34 CFR (B)(VI)(668)(F) and NC-SARA (Rule 5.2), the following information is provided about programs leading to professional licensure:
  • Licensure is a state-specific determination made by state professional licensing boards based on state-determined criteria.
  • The rules applicable to a licensure application are the rules and regulations that are in place at the time the student applies for licensure.
  • When a student speaks to the state professional licensing board, the professional licensing board may require the student to inform them of whether or not the program leads to licensure in the state of Mississippi.
  • The University of Mississippi Medical Center is working to determine whether or not programs in licensed professions lead to licensure in the states in which they have students and in state in which prospective students inquire about matriculating in said programs.

PROFESSIONAL LICENSING BOARDS

• Requirements for licensure vary from one profession to another and from state to state.
• Each state has professional licensing boards in place to regulate the criteria that need to be met to qualify for licensure within a state.
• Many careers require you to meet specific licensing, training as well as other requirements.
• Additional education may be required, including but not limited to, state-specific content such as additional coursework or additional supervised field experience hours.
• Boards may also require background checks.
• Some boards require an individual to be a resident in order to obtain a license in certain professions.
• Some states require that an individual obtain a drivers’ license in the state thereby confirming residency in the state prior to considering a licensure application.
• Licensure requires are governed by the states, not by the Federal government, and the criteria for licensure vary significantly from state to state.
• Rules in place at the time the individual applies for licensure determine what the licensing requirements apply. The Board determines how the rules and regulations in place are interpreted and applied at the time the licensure application is processed.

CLINICAL PRATICUMS/ FIELD EXPERIENCES

Although the University will make reasonable efforts to place admitted students in clinical practicums, field experiences and internships, it will be up to the host facility to determine whether a student will be allowed to work at that facility. Students should further be aware that a criminal record may jeopardize licensure by the state certification body. Students may consult the certification body corresponding to their intended occupation for more details. Successful completion of a program of study at the University of Mississippi Medical Center does not guarantee licensure, certification or employment in the relevant occupation.

LICENSURE INFORMATION

Typically, state licensing boards will have added requirements including generally a criminal background check, added fees, and specifically the following types of requirements based on the type of license:

• Medical Laboratory Science- ASCP certification is required by the states (see list-California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, West Virginia) that require licensure.
• Nursing- Mississippi is part of the enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact (e-NLC) along with the following states:  Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming. For additional information about the e-NLC see the following website:e-NLC Implementation

ADVERSE ACTIONS

As of June 1, 2020, no adverse actions related to our online degree programs have been initiated by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) or the National Council of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) against The University of Mississippi Medical Center for the past five years.

POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF CHANGING STATE OF RESIDENCE

The University of Mississippi Medical Center is able to offer distance education (online and supervised field experiences) in states that are NC-SARA member states through our membership in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA).  Should you relocate while taking a distance program, please review the list below which indicates the states in which we can offer distance education.  If the state that you intend to relocate to is not listed, negative consequences may occur including, but not limited to, the loss of eligibility for certain forms of financial aid and/or in the inability to complete the academic program.  Additionally, each state professional licensing board has distinct standards.  Therefore, relocation may adversely affect your ability to become licensed.  Should you have any questions regarding state authorization, please email kheard2@umc.edu.  If you have any questions regarding professional licensure for a particular program, please email the designated program contact found on their respective webpage(s).

The University of Mississippi Medical Center does not guarantee nor can it confirm that programs that fulfill Mississippi licensure requirements will satisfy the criteria of professional licensure boards in other states or territories. If you are a student from outside the State of Mississippi, who is considering a program of study that may lead to professional licensure, please contact the appropriate licensing agency in your state of residence before beginning a course of study.

 

Professional licensure contact information
Profession	National Body	Details
Dental Hygiene	American Association of Dental Boards
Medical Laboratory Sciences	American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science	States which currently license medical laboratory practitioners are: California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Tennessee, West Virginia, Puerto Rico
Nursing	National Council of State Boards of Nursing
Occupational Therapy	National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy	American Physical Therapy Association
Radiologic Sciences	Radiological Society of North America

ACCURACY OF INFORMATION ON PAGE

Although UMMC has attempted to ensure that the information contained on this website is accurate and complete at the time of posting, the contents are subject to change at any time. UMMC will update information as obtained.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Additionally, refer to the University of Mississippi Medical Center's program website and contact the program coordinator for specific program requirements. The University of Mississippi Medical Center relies on the Program Directors and Subject Matter Experts to determine whether their Professional Licensure or Certificate programs meet or does not meet the educational requirements in the different states and territories. If they are unable to make that determination or have not had sufficient contact with a particular state to warrant the resources required to make such a determination, it will be noted on UMMC’s general and personalized disclosures. Eligibility for licensure and/or certification may involve more than successful degree completion.

School of Dentistry
Dentistry (DMD)
Dental Hygiene (RDH)

School of Health Related Professions
Histotechnology (BS HTL)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MS MRI)
Medical Laboratory Sciences (BS MLS)
Nuclear Medicine Technology (MS NMT)
Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Physical Therapy (DPT)
Radiologic Sciences (BS RS)

School of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine (MD)

School of Nursing
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)