Healthy Communities

ABPM - Licensing

License Required -- Penalty for Unlawful Practice

It's unlawful for any person to claim to be a podiatrist or to practice unless licensed by the Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine. Upon conviction, the person shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500) or imprisoned for not less than three (3) months nor more than one (1) year, or both. The fine and imprisonment are to be at the discretion of the court or jury. Each separate day on which any person practices or attempts to practice or holds out to practice, or does both, without the registration and certificate as provided in the rules and regulations shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.

 

Application

Any person who wishes to practice podiatric medicine in this state should submit an application (click here for the renewal application) to the Secretary of the Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine for a license.

The license renewal date is June 30th each year. You may obtain a renewal form from the forms and publications section of this site.

An applicant wishing to take the Arkansas Licensing Exam, in lieu of the American Podiatric Medical Licensing Exam Part III, should contact the secretary for exam dates and deadlines.

All applicants shall submit their application with a fee of ten dollars ($10).

 

Qualifications of Applicants

1. Official application forms are available on the Board’s website. No application for examination will be considered unless fully and completely filled out on this form and properly attested.

2. An applicant must have official documentation sent to the Secretary of the Board from the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners that a passing score was achieved by the applicant on the American Podiatric Medical Licensing Examination (APMLE) Part I and Part II of the National Board Examination.

3. An applicant may take the state examination or submit official documentation from the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners of a passing score on the Part III Examination.

4. No applicant will be admitted to the state examination except on presentation of a valid driver’s license or other form of government-issued photo identification.

5. Applications should be sent to the address provided on the Board’s website.

6. The fee for examination, as set by the Board shall accompany the application. The fee shall be sent in the form of a cashier’s check, personal check or money order.

7. The applicant will furnish the application transcripts under the seal of the college or colleges of podiatric medicine attended.

8. Applicants shall provide themselves with a pen and ink to be used in writing the state examination. Paper and other materials will be furnished by the Board.

9. All applications must be completed and submitted to the Board at least sixty (60) days prior to the state Board examination, unless otherwise provided by law.

10. The application is subject to Arkansas law at the time of consideration of the application by the Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine.

11. The state examination shall be conducted in English.

12. All state examinations shall be conducted in the presence of at least one member of the Board.

13. If an applicant fails to pass the state examination, the applicant may appear before the Board for not more than two examinations, all of which must be taken within a period of six months from the date of the first examination of the applicant.

14. An applicant who can demonstrate that he meets the following criteria may have his license reinstated upon payment of the application fee:

 

Temporary License

A temporary license to practice podiatric medicine in this state may be issued to a person who meets all the qualifications for licensure with the exception of the residency requirement while participating in a full-time podiatric residency program. This program must be approved by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education of the American Podiatric Medical Association. This person shall practice under the supervision of a licensed and qualified podiatrist of this state. The Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine must be notified in writing of this supervisory status by the residency director of the program. The board shall also receive in writing the name of the podiatrist who will act as the supervisor and an agreement to act in the capacity of a supervisor.

The temporary license will be in effect for a period of one (1) year after the date of issue. The board shall not issue a certificate to practice podiatric medicine if the applicant does not present proof of the successful completion of the residency program.

A podiatrist practicing podiatric medicine with a temporary license may be suspended or may have the temporary license revoked under the same provisions for the revocation of licensure or suspension of a fully licensed podiatrist.

The board shall not issue a certificate to practice podiatric medicine if the applicant does not present proof of the successful completion of the residency program. The proof of residency completion accompanied by the licensing renewal fee must be presented to the board within thirty (30) days of completion of the residency program or the applicant shall be required to submit a new application for licensure.

 

Emergency Provisional License

  1. In addition to the provisional license the Board may grant under Article VIII.2., the Board may grant an emergency provisional license in case of emergency and to prevent hardship after receiving evidence that the applicant:
    • Has all qualifications and meets all requirements of Ark. Code Ann. §§ 17- 96-303; and
    • Holds a current license, in good standing, to practice podiatric medicine in another state; and
    • Is not holding a revoked, suspended, or probationary license in any state; and
    • Has paid the application fee.
  2. An emergency provisional license issued pursuant to this Article automatically expires ninety (90) days from the date of issuance.
  3. An emergency provision license may be renewed once under the same requirements described in Article III(1).

 

Exam Info

Examination dates are set each year in June. There are no deadlines for requests to take the examination.

The Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine may make rules and regulations governing the conduct of the examinations as it deems necessary, and violation of the rules and regulations will subject the applicant to the loss of the examination fee.

An applicant who fails to pass an examination and is refused registration by the board may be entitled to a reexamination within six (6) months after the refusal.

 

Continuing Education Requirements - Renewal

  1. As part of the application for annual license renewal, licensees must submit to the Board proof that they completed twenty hours of approved continuing medical education within the year prior to the license renewal date.
  2. To satisfy the requirements of paragraph 1 of this Rule, a continuing medical education hour shall be considered “approved” if:
    • (A) The hour has been approved by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education of the American Podiatric Medical Association;
    • (B) The hour was obtained when attending official meetings presented by any State Podiatric Medical Association;
    • (C) The hour was obtained from meetings approved by the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association or approved by the Council on Osteopathic Medical Education of the American Osteopathic Association as long as the hours pertain to the practice of Podiatric Medicine;
    • (D) The hour was obtained from hospital lectures, as long as the hour pertains to the practice of Podiatric Medicine.
  3. The Board will accept any “approved” hours, as that term is defined in paragraph 2 above, regardless of whether those hours are from meetings, the internet, or periodicals.
  4. In addition to the methods of approval for continuing medical education hours provided in paragraph 2 of this Rule, the Board may consider prior approval of meetings. Such prior approval shall be obtained from the Secretary of the Board or, if the Secretary is unavailable to consider hours for approval, a designee of the Board appointed by the President of the Board.

Note: ALL copies of Continuing Medical Education Credits, renewal application, and payment must be in the office of the Board no later than June 30th of the expiration year or there will be a $25 late fee charged.

Public Health Accrediation Board
Arkansas Department of Health
© 2017 Arkansas Department of Health. All Rights Reserved. www.healthy.arkansas.gov
4815 W. Markham, Little Rock, AR 72205-3867
1-800-462-0599