Clinical Fellowships, Clinical Externships, And Supervision

(1) Clinical Fellows must hold a provisional license and must work under the supervision of a Tennessee Licensed or ASHA Certified Speech Language Pathologist (“Supervising Licensee”). The Clinical Fellow, working under the provisional license during the Clinical Fellowship, is authorized to perform all functions specified in T.C.A. § 63-17-103 for Speech Language Pathologists. (a) The Clinical Fellowship experience shall include no less than thirty-six (36) supervisory activities in the following combination: 1. Eighteen (18) direct supervision observations, with one (1) hour equaling one (1) observation. 2. Eighteen (18) indirect supervision activities which may, for example, include telephone conferences, tape reviews, and record reviews. (b) Each month of the Clinical Fellowship shall include two (2) direct supervision observations and two (2) other indirect supervision activities. (c) Nothing within this paragraph shall require the Supervising Licensee to be on site at all times while supervising a Clinical Fellow. (2) Clinical Fellowship Procedures for Provisional Licensure (a) An applicant for a provisional license as a Clinical Fellow shall cause a graduate transcript to be submitted directly from the educational institution to the Board’s Administrative Office. The transcript must show that graduation with at least a master’s or doctorate level degree has been completed and must carry the official seal of the institution. (b) An applicant for a provisional license as a Clinical Fellow shall have successfully completed a minimum of four hundred (400) clock hours of supervised clinical experience (practicum) with individuals having a variety of communications disorders, as required by ASHA. The experience shall have been obtained through an accredited institution. The applicant shall have a letter transmitted directly from the authorized individual at the accredited institution to the Board’s Administrative Office attesting to the standards of the practicum and the applicant’s successful completion. (c) An applicant shall complete a current application, respond truthfully and completely to every question or request for information contained in the application form, and submit it, along with all documentation and fees required, to the Board’s Administrative Office. It is the intent of this rule that all steps necessary to accomplish the filing of the required documentation be completed prior to filing an application and that all materials be filed simultaneously. (d) An applicant shall submit with the application a certified birth certificate or a notarized photocopy of a certified birth certificate. (e) An applicant shall submit with the application a “passport” style photograph taken within the preceding twelve (12) months and attach it to the appropriate page of the application. RULES FOR SPEECH PATHOLOGY AND AUDIOLOGY CHAPTER 1370-01 (f) An applicant shall disclose the circumstances surrounding any of the following: 1. Conviction of a crime in any country, state, or municipality, except minor traffic violations. 2. The denial of certification or licensure application by any other state or country, or the discipline of the certificate holder or licensee in any state or country. 3. Loss or restriction of certification or licensure privileges. 4. Any judgment or settlement in a civil suit in which the applicant was a party defendant, including malpractice, unethical conduct, breach of contract, or any other civil action remedy recognized by the country’s or state’s statutory, common law, or case law. (g) An applicant shall cause to be submitted to the Board’s Administrative Office directly from the vendor identified in the Board’s licensure application materials, the result of a criminal background check. (h) An applicant shall submit evidence of good moral character. Such evidence shall include at least one (1) recent (dated within the preceding twelve (12) months) original letter from a professional attesting to the applicant’s personal character and fitness for provisional licensure. (i) A Clinical Fellow must register the Clinical Fellow’s Supervising Licensee with the Board on a registration form provided in the application. Registration must be made before or within ten (10) days of retaining the supervisor. (3) Clinical Fellowship Period of Effectiveness: The Board adopts the ASHA standard for the speech language pathology clinical fellowship period of provisional effectiveness, published by the ASHA 2020 Standards and Implementation Procedures for the Certification of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology, as revised effective January 1, 2023. (4) Supervision Limitations (a) Supervising Licensees shall serve as primary supervisors for no more than three (3) individuals concurrently. Supervising Licensees may also serve as an alternate supervisor for one (1) additional SLPA. 1. Supervising Licensees shall supervise no more than two (2) Speech Language Pathology Assistants concurrently. 2. Supervising Licensees shall supervise no more than three (3) Clinical Fellows concurrently. (b) Supervising Licensees shall be at least two (2) years removed from the completion of their Clinical Fellowship work. (5) Clinical Externs must work under the supervision of a licensed, ASHA certified or ABA certified Audiologist (Supervising Licensee). (6) Clinical Externs: Procedures for Registration (a) An applicant for registration as a Clinical Extern shall have a letter transmitted directly from the authorized individual at the accredited institution to the Board administrator RULES FOR SPEECH PATHOLOGY AND AUDIOLOGY CHAPTER 1370-01 verifying that he or she has successfully completed sufficient academic course work to engage in outside supervised clinical practice. (b) An applicant for registration as a Clinical Extern shall have successfully completed a minimum of four hundred (400) clock hours of supervised clinical experience (practicum) with individuals having a variety of communications disorders. The experience shall have been obtained through an accredited institution. The applicant shall have a letter transmitted directly from the authorized individual at the accredited institution to the Board’s Administrative Office attesting to the standards of the practicum and the applicant’s successful completion. (c) All Supervising Licensees must register any and all Clinical Externs working under their supervision with the Board on a registration form to be provided by the Board at the request of the Supervising Licensee. Registration must be made by the Supervising Licensee prior to the start of the externship. (7) Clinical Externship: Period of Effectiveness (a) Registration of a Clinical Extern is effective for a period of fifteen (15) continuous months, beginning with the month after the month in which the registration is made. (b) The length of the externship is set by the accredited institution. (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (a), the clinical externship’s period of effectiveness may be extended for a period not to exceed four (4) additional months for applicants for licensure who are awaiting national certification and subsequent Board review of their application. Such extension will cease to be effective if national certification or Board licensure is denied. At all times while awaiting national certification results and until licensure is received, Clinical Externs shall practice only under supervision as set forth in this rule. (d) In the case of extenuating circumstances, a Supervising Licensee may request an extension of the Clinical Externship registration. The Board or its designee will determine if an extension will be granted. (e) In order to request an extension, a Supervising Licensee must submit an Audiology Clinical Externship (ACE) Change Form (found on the Board’s website at https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/healthprofboards/ACE_Change_Form.pdf). (8) Clinical Externs: Supervision Limitations. Supervising Licensees shall concurrently supervise no more than two (2) Clinical Externs.