Other: 1. Successful completion of a full course of study which meets all academic requirements for a bachelor’s degree in medical technology from an accredited college or university; or
2. Successful completion of three years of academic study (a minimum of 135 quarter hours or equivalent) in an accredited college or university and the successful completion of a course of training of at least 12 months in a school of medical technology accredited by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education; or
3. Successful completion in an accredited college or university of a course of study which meets all academic requirements for a bachelor’s degree in one of the chemical, physical, or biological sciences, and have at least one year of pertinent laboratory experience or training accepted by the Department; or
4. Successful completion of 135 quarter hours in an accredited college or university, including 24 quarter hours of chemistry, 24 quarter hours of biology, and 5 quarter hours of mathematics, (thirty quarter hours of the total, with a minimum of fifteen in science, must be at the third or fourth year level), and have at least two years of pertinent laboratory experience; or
5. Successful completion of a full course of study which meets all academic requirements for an associate’s degree in medical technology from an accredited college or university, or successful completion of two years of academic study (a minimum of 90 quarter hours or equivalent) in an accredited college or university which included at least 20 quarter hours of lecture and laboratory courses in chemical, physical, or biological sciences acceptable toward a major in science, with at least three years of pertinent laboratory experience; or graduation from high school and successful completion of a formal technician training course which is accredited by an accrediting agency accepted by the Department with at least four years of pertinent laboratory experience; or
6. Employees who possess the technologist qualifications under provisions (b)1. through 6. above and have recently moved into the state or have recently completed the academic and training/experience requirements may be temporarily classified once as technologists for eighteen (18) months to afford the persons an opportunity to successfully complete an approved qualifying examination.
7. Employees who have been continuously engaged as technologists in Georgia since July 1, 1970, are exempt from the personnel qualifications listed above. Persons who initially qualified under this provision but become inactive for two consecutive years must meet current requirements. Provided further, that individuals and laboratories so concerned must meet all other standards of performance required by this law and applicable rules and regulations.