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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>85169</law_id><section_number>54.1-3483</section_number><catch_line>Unprofessional conduct</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="54.1">Professions and Occupations</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="34.1">Physical Therapy</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any physical therapist or <span class="dictionary">physical therapist assistant</span> licensed by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> or practicing pursuant to a compact <span class="dictionary">privilege</span>, as defined in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/54.1-3486/">54.1-3486</a>, approved by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall be considered guilty of unprofessional conduct if he:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Engages in the <span class="dictionary">practice of physical therapy</span> under a false or assumed name or impersonates another practitioner of a like, similar or different name; <a id="paragraph-305188" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3483/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Knowingly and willfully commits any act which is a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> under the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of this Commonwealth or the United States, or any act which is a <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> under such <span class="dictionary">laws</span> and involves <span class="dictionary">moral turpitude</span>; <a id="paragraph-305189" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3483/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Aids or abets, has professional contact with, or lends his name to any person known to him to be practicing physical therapy illegally; <a id="paragraph-305190" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3483/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Conducts his practice in such a manner as to be a danger to the health and welfare of his patients or to the public; <a id="paragraph-305191" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3483/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="5"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Is unable to practice with reasonable skill or safety because of illness or substance abuse; <a id="paragraph-305192" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3483/#5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="6"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> Publishes in any manner an advertisement that violates <span class="dictionary">Board</span> regulations governing advertising; <a id="paragraph-305193" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3483/#6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="7"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> Performs any act likely to deceive, defraud or harm the public; <a id="paragraph-305194" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3483/#7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="8"><p><span class="prefix-number">8.</span> Violates any provision of <span class="dictionary">statute</span> or regulation, state or federal, relating to controlled substances; <a id="paragraph-305195" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3483/#8"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="9"><p><span class="prefix-number">9.</span> Violates or cooperates with others in violating any of the provisions of this chapter or regulations of the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>; or <a id="paragraph-305196" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3483/#9"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="10"><p><span class="prefix-number">10.</span> Engages in sexual contact with a patient concurrent with and by virtue of the practitioner/patient relationship or otherwise engages at any time during the course of the practitioner/patient relationship in conduct of a sexual nature that a reasonable patient would consider lewd and offensive. <a id="paragraph-305197" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3483/#10"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2000, c. 688; 2001, c. 858; 2020, c. 885.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
