24.151.504    TRAINEE LICENSURE – SUPERVISED TRAINING

(1) Hearing aid dispenser applicants must complete 1,000 hours of supervised training while licensed as hearing aid dispenser trainees. 

(2) Trainee licenses are valid for one year unless renewed and may be renewed only once without prior department approval. 

(3) Trainees must be supervised by qualified licensed hearing aid dispensers who are available for regular and prompt observation, instruction, consultation, and treatment.

(4) To supervise, hearing aid dispensers must:

(a) be currently licensed and actively practicing in Montana for at least one year; and

(b) have no final discipline in any state against the dispenser's license or a related license such as audiologist, in the two years preceding the request to supervise.

(5) The supervisor and trainee shall immediately notify the department and provide the reasoning for any pause in or termination of the training.

(6) Unsupervised trainees may not practice and must receive department approval before continuing in trainee status.

(7) Credit toward the training is only given when trainees have documented supervision.

(8) Trainees must maintain and submit to the department every 90 days, a dated log documenting their daily tasks and duties that is signed by the trainee and supervisor.

(9) Trainees must submit the final log upon conclusion of the supervised training to obtain approval to sit for the examination per ARM 24.151.501.

History: 37-16-402, MCA; IMP, 37-16-402, MCA; NEW, 2023 MAR p. 1558, Eff. 11/4/23.