Section 9I. All persons serving as physician assistants in the commonwealth shall register with the board by March first, nineteen hundred and ninety-one and every two years thereafter. Applications for registration shall be submitted in accordance with procedures established by the board.

Each applicant shall furnish the board with satisfactory proof of graduation from a training program approved by the board, having received a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university or an equivalent approved by the board, and having passed the certifying examination of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants or other such certifying examination as specified or administered by the board. Persons practicing as physician assistants on January first, nineteen hundred and ninety shall be exempt from the requirement of a bachelor's degree. Subject to such rules and regulations as the board may prescribe, an applicant who otherwise meets the qualifications for registration may, while awaiting the results of the certification examination, practice as a physician assistant. An applicant failing such examination shall be entitled to a re-examination within two years of graduation and to practice as a physician assistant until notified of the results of said examination. Thereafter, an applicant may not practice as a physician assistant without having passed the certification examination.

Each application shall be accompanied by payment of a license fee to be determined by the commissioner of administration under the provisions of section three B of chapter seven. An applicant shall submit such proof as required by the board as to the applicant's good moral character. Each applicant shall provide the board with a current office address and the name and address of any supervising physician.

Every physician assistant shall register biennially with the board. A physician assistant seeking to re-register shall satisfy those requirements of continuing education established by the board by rule and regulation. A registered physician assistant shall promptly notify the board of any change in employment, change of supervising physician or departure from the commonwealth.