(1) The department shall require an individual granted a license under this article as an audiologist to meet either of the following requirements:

    (a) Possess a master’s degree in audiology from a regionally accredited college or university approved by the board; have completed at least 9 months of supervised clinical experience in audiology; and have successfully completed an examination in audiology as described in subsection (2) or (3).

    (b) Possess a doctoral degree in audiology from a regionally accredited college or university approved by the board; have completed at least 9 months of supervised clinical experience in audiology; and have successfully completed an examination in audiology as described in subsection (2) or (3).

    (2) The department, in consultation with the board, shall provide that applicants pass an examination dealing with all aspects of the practice of audiology before issuance of a license under this part. The department, in consultation with the board, may develop its own examination and may promulgate rules to establish standards for that examination or for the adoption by reference of an examination, or parts of an examination, developed by an outside entity that it determines offers an appropriate examination. If the department adopts all or part of an examination developed by an outside entity, the department may promulgate rules to adopt by reference any supplement or update to the examination.

    (3) Beginning on the effective date of this part and until 1 or more examinations are developed or adopted under subsection (2), the PRAXIS examination in audiology, developed by educational testing services, in existence on the effective date of this part is adopted by reference and considered acceptable for qualification of applicants under this part. Not later than June 30, 2005, the department, in consultation with the board, shall make a recommendation on whether to develop its own exam, adopt an examination developed by an outside entity, or continue to accept the PRAXIS examination and any update pursuant to rule as further described in subsection (2). The department shall notify the house and senate standing committees on health policy matters of its recommendation.

    (4) Notwithstanding subsections (2) and (3), the department shall grant a license to a person who, on the effective date of this part, has been engaged in the practice of audiology, who meets the requirements of subsection (1), who applies for licensure under this part, and who presents to the department proof of passing any past or present version of the PRAXIS examination in audiology or any past or present version of its predecessor, the national teachers examination on speech and language pathology and audiology, both of which were developed by educational testing services. Passage of those examinations is considered fulfillment of the examination requirement of this subsection. The past and present versions of the PRAXIS examination in audiology and all versions of its predecessor, the national teachers examination on speech and language pathology and audiology, both of which were developed by educational testing services, are adopted by reference for purposes of this subsection.

    (5) Beginning the license year after the effective date of the rules promulgated under this subsection, an individual shall meet the continuing education requirements of this subsection. The department, in consultation with the board, shall promulgate rules to require licensees seeking renewal to furnish evidence acceptable to the department and board of the successful completion, during the preceding license year, of at least 10 clock hours of continuing education courses or programs related to the practice of audiology and designed to further educate licensees.

    (6) The department shall ensure that all approved continuing education courses described in subsection (5) include defined measurements of preknowledge and postknowledge or skill improvements, or both, as a result of the continuing education program.