SB142: SB142 Physicians; certain licensure for qualifying international medical graduates; provide

25 LC 52 0750 Senate Bill 142 By: Senators Jackson of the 41st, Hufstetler of the 52nd, Jones II of the 22nd and Hatchett of the 50th A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Article 2 of Chapter 34 of Title 43 of the Official Co de of Georgia Annotated,1 relating to medical practice relative to physicians, so as to provide for certain licensure for2 qualifying international medical graduates; to provide for defi nitions; to provide for a3 provisional license under certain conditions; to provide for a limited license under certain4 conditions; to provide for full licensure under certain conditi ons; to provide for rules and5 regulations; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting6 laws; and for other purposes.7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8 SECTION 1.9 Article 2 of Chapter 34 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Geo rgia Annotated, relating to10 medical practice relative to physicians, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as11 follows:12 "43-34-34.1.13 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:14 (1) 'Institution' means a hospital licensed by the Department of Community Health, a15 board approved medical school, a teaching hospital within this state, or a clinic within16 S. B. 142 - 1 - 25 LC 52 0750 this state that provides healthcare services to Medicaid, indig ent, or underserved17 populations, provided that such institution carries medical malpractice insurance covering18 international medical graduates employed by such institution fo r the duration of19 employment.20 (2) 'International medical graduate' means a physician who has received a degree of21 doctor of medicine or its equivalent from an accredited medical school outside of the22 United States and has been licensed or otherwise authorized to practice in a jurisdiction23 outside of the United States.24 (3) 'Limited license' means a license to practice medicine limited to providing healthcare25 services in a health professional shortage area or medically un derserved area or to a26 medically underserved population or limited to teaching at a bo ard approved medical27 college or its affiliated clinic in this state. Such license shall be valid for up to two years28 and may be renewed.29 (4) 'Provisional license' means a license to practice medicine provisionally issued to an30 international medical graduate employed at an institution. Such license shall be valid for31 up to two years and shall not be renewed.32 (b) The board may issue a provisional license to practice medi cine to an international33 medical graduate, provided that the board receives acceptable evidence that the applicant:34 (1) Is an international medical graduate who has practiced medicine for three of the past35 ten years;36 (2) Received a valid certificate issued by the Educational Com mission for Foreign37 Medical Graduates or other credential evaluation service approv ed by the board;38 provided, however, that the board may waive such certification at its discretion when the39 applicant is unable to obtain the required documentation from a noncooperative country;40 (3) Achieved a passing score on both Step 1 and Step 2 Clinica l Knowledge of the41 United States Medical Licensing Examination;42 S. B. 142 - 2 - 25 LC 52 0750 (4) Entered into an agreement for a full-time employment relat ionship with an43 institution; and44 (5) Satisfied any other criteria that the board may require for issuance of a provisional45 license pursuant to this Code section.46 (c) A person who holds a current, valid provisional license pursuant to this Code section47 for two years shall be eligible to apply for a limited license to practice medicine, provided48 that the board receives acceptable evidence that the applicant has:49 (1) Maintained in good standing a provisional license issued p ursuant to this Code50 section;51 (2) Achieved a passing score on Step 3 of the United States Me dical Licensing52 Examination; and53 (3) Entered into an agreement for a full-time employment relationship with an institution54 to provide healthcare services in a health professional shortag e area or medically55 underserved area or to a medically underserved population or en tered into a full-time56 employment relationship to teach or demonstrate medicine at a board approved medical57 college or its affiliated clinic in this state.58 (d) A person who holds a current, valid limited license issued pursuant to this Code section59 for at least two years shall be eligible to apply for a full license to practice medicine in this60 state, provided that the board receives acceptable evidence tha t the applicant met the61 requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section an d maintained in good62 standing a limited license issued pursuant to this Code section.63 (e) A person licensed pursuant to this Code section shall be s ubject to the rules and64 regulations of the board. Any license provided for in this Code section may be granted or65 denied at the discretion of the board and shall be subject to revocation by the board after66 notice and opportunity for hearing.67 S. B. 142 - 3 - 25 LC 52 0750 (f) The board shall not grant a license under this Code sectio n unless the international68 medical graduate possesses a federal immigration status that allows him or her to practice69 medicine as a physician in the United States.70 (g) The board shall coordinate with the Department of Community Health and the Georgia71 Board of Health Care Workforce to provide healthcare services by international medical72 graduates with limited licenses in a health professional shorta ge area or medically73 underserved area or to a medically underserved population, as such terms are designated74 by United States secretary of health and human services.75 (h) The board is authorized to establish standards and criteria, evaluate applications, and76 issue licenses consistent with this Code section and shall promulgate rules and regulations77 necessary to implement the provisions of this Code section."78 SECTION 2.79 This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law80 without such approval.81 SECTION 3.82 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.83 S. 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