(1) An applicant applying for a license as an occupational therapist or as an occupational therapy assistant shall file a written application on forms provided by the board, showing to the satisfaction of the board that he meets the following requirements:

(a) Is of good moral character;

(b) Has been awarded a degree from an education program in occupational therapy recognized by the board, with a concentration of instruction in basic human sciences, the human development process, occupational tasks and activities, the health-illness-health continuum, and occupational therapy theory and practice:

(i) For an occupational therapist, such program shall be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association or the board-recognized accrediting body;

(ii) For an occupational therapy assistant, such a program shall be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association or the board-recognized accrediting body;

(c) Has successfully completed a period of supervised fieldwork experience at a recognized educational institution or a training program approved by the educational institution where he or she met the academic requirements:

(i) For an occupational therapist, the required supervised fieldwork experience shall meet current national standards that are published annually by the board;

(ii) For an occupational therapy assistant, the required supervised fieldwork experience shall meet national standards that are published annually by the board.

(2) The board shall approve an examination for occupational therapists and an examination for occupational therapy assistants that will be used as the examination for licensure.

(3) Any person applying for licensure shall, in addition to demonstrating his eligibility in accordance with the requirements of this section, make application to the board for review of proof of his eligibility for certification by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT), or its successor organization, on a form and in such a manner as the board shall prescribe. The application shall be accompanied by the fee fixed in accordance with the provisions of Section 73-24-29. The board shall establish standards for acceptable performance on the examination. A person who fails an examination may apply for reexamination upon payment of the prescribed fee.

(4) Applicants for licensure shall be examined at a time and place and under such supervision as the board may require. The board shall give reasonable public notice of these examinations in accordance with its rules and regulations.

(5) An applicant may be licensed as an occupational therapist if he or she: (a) has practiced as an occupational therapy assistant for four (4) years, (b) has completed the requirements of a period of six (6) months of supervised fieldwork experience at a recognized educational institution or a training program approved by a recognized accredited educational institution before January 1, 1988, and (c) has passed the examination for occupational therapists.

(6) Each application or filing made under this section shall include the social security number(s) of the applicant in accordance with Section 93-11-64, Mississippi Code of 1972.