---
title: SB 142. Physicians; certain licensure for qualifying international medical graduates; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb142
cite_as: SB 142, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb142
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb142.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb142/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70176
date: 2025-02-12
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb142.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 142
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-11
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Kim Jackson
- Chuck Hufstetler
- Harold Jones
- Bo Hatchett
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB142/2025
upstream_id: 1965814
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- physician licensing
- international medical graduates
- medical workforce shortages
- healthcare access
- medical board regulations
---
# SB 142. Physicians; certain licensure for qualifying international medical graduates; provide
## Text
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 Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to medical practice relative to physicians, so as to provide for certain licensure for
qualifying international medical graduates; to provide for definitions; to provide for a
provisional license under certain conditions; to provide for a limited license under certain
conditions; to provide for full licensure under certain conditions; to provide for rules and
regulations; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting
laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 2 of Chapter 34 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
medical practice relative to physicians, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as
follows:
"43-34-34.1.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Institution' means a hospital licensed by the Department of Community Health, a
board approved medical school, a teaching hospital within this state, or a clinic within
this state that provides healthcare services to Medicaid, indigent, or underserved
populations, provided that such institution carries medical malpractice insurance covering
international medical graduates employed by such institution for the duration of
employment.
(2) 'International medical graduate' means a physician who has received a degree of
doctor of medicine or its equivalent from an accredited medical school outside of the
United States and has been licensed or otherwise authorized to practice in a jurisdiction
outside of the United States.
(3) 'Limited license' means a license to practice medicine limited to providing healthcare
services in a health professional shortage area or medically underserved area or to a
medically underserved population or limited to teaching at a board approved medical
college or its affiliated clinic in this state. Such license shall be valid for up to two years
and may be renewed.
(4) 'Provisional license' means a license to practice medicine provisionally issued to an
international medical graduate employed at an institution. Such license shall be valid for
up to two years and shall not be renewed.
(b) The board may issue a provisional license to practice medicine to an international
medical graduate, provided that the board receives acceptable evidence that the applicant:
(1) Is an international medical graduate who has practiced medicine for three of the past
ten years;
(2) Received a valid certificate issued by the Educational Commission for Foreign
Medical Graduates or other credential evaluation service approved by the board;
provided, however, that the board may waive such certification at its discretion when the
applicant is unable to obtain the required documentation from a noncooperative country;
(3) Achieved a passing score on both Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge of the
United States Medical Licensing Examination;
(4) Entered into an agreement for a full-time employment relationship with an
institution; and
(5) Satisfied any other criteria that the board may require for issuance of a provisional
license pursuant to this Code section.
(c) A person who holds a current, valid provisional license pursuant to this Code section
for two years shall be eligible to apply for a limited license to practice medicine, provided
that the board receives acceptable evidence that the applicant has:
(1) Maintained in good standing a provisional license issued pursuant to this Code
section;
(2) Achieved a passing score on Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing
Examination; and
(3) Entered into an agreement for a full-time employment relationship with an institution
to provide healthcare services in a health professional shortage area or medically
underserved area or to a medically underserved population or entered into a full-time
employment relationship to teach or demonstrate medicine at a board approved medical
college or its affiliated clinic in this state.
(d) A person who holds a current, valid limited license issued pursuant to this Code section
for at least two years shall be eligible to apply for a full license to practice medicine in this
state, provided that the board receives acceptable evidence that the applicant met the
requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section and maintained in good
standing a limited license issued pursuant to this Code section.
(e) A person licensed pursuant to this Code section shall be subject to the rules and
regulations of the board. Any license provided for in this Code section may be granted or
denied at the discretion of the board and shall be subject to revocation by the board after
notice and opportunity for hearing.
(f) The board shall not grant a license under this Code section unless the international
medical graduate possesses a federal immigration status that allows him or her to practice
medicine as a physician in the United States.
(g) The board shall coordinate with the Department of Community Health and the Georgia
Board of Health Care Workforce to provide healthcare services by international medical
graduates with limited licenses in a health professional shortage area or medically
underserved area or to a medically underserved population, as such terms are designated
by United States secretary of health and human services.
(h) The board is authorized to establish standards and criteria, evaluate applications, and
issue licenses consistent with this Code section and shall promulgate rules and regulations
necessary to implement the provisions of this Code section."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia Senate bill would create a new licensing pathway letting international medical graduates practice medicine in Georgia through provisional and limited licenses before qualifying for full licensure.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia currently requires physicians to meet the standard licensing process to practice medicine, which can be a barrier for doctors trained and licensed in other countries. This bill adds a new section to Georgia's medical practice law (O.C.G.A. ยง 43-34-34.1) creating a staged licensing path for international medical graduates.
An applicant who has practiced medicine for three of the past ten years, passed certain steps of the United States Medical Licensing Examination, and secured a full-time job with a qualifying hospital, medical school, teaching hospital, or clinic could get a two-year, nonrenewable provisional license. After two years in good standing, plus passing another licensing exam step and working in a shortage area or teaching role, the person could get a renewable limited license. After holding that limited license for two years, the person could apply for a full medical license. The state medical board oversees the process and can grant, deny, or revoke these licenses, and applicants must have federal immigration status allowing them to practice medicine. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.
### What it does
- Creates a new provisional license for international medical graduates who have practiced for three of the past ten years and secured full-time employment with a qualifying institution.
- Creates a renewable limited license, valid up to two years, for provisional license holders who pass Step 3 of the licensing exam and work in underserved areas or teaching roles.
- Allows holders of a limited license for at least two years to apply for a full Georgia medical license if they met all earlier requirements.
- Requires the state medical board to coordinate with the Department of Community Health and the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce to place these physicians in shortage areas.
- Bars the board from issuing any license under this program unless the applicant has federal immigration status allowing them to practice medicine in the United States.
- Gives the board authority to set additional criteria, evaluate applications, and write rules to implement the new licensing program.
### Who it affects
Internationally trained physicians seeking to practice in Georgia, hospitals and clinics serving Medicaid, indigent, or underserved populations, board-approved medical schools and teaching hospitals, and the Georgia Composite Medical Board, which will administer the new licenses.
### Why it matters
The bill opens a new route into practicing medicine in Georgia for doctors trained abroad, potentially adding physicians in areas with too few doctors. It ties eligibility to specific exam scores, work agreements, and immigration status, shaping who can use the pathway and where they must work.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds Code section 43-34-34.1 defining 'institution,' 'international medical graduate,' 'limited license,' and 'provisional license.'
- Subsection (b) sets provisional license requirements: three years of recent practice, passing Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge exams, and full-time employment with a qualifying institution.
- Subsection (c) sets limited license requirements after two years on a provisional license, including passing Step 3 and working in a shortage area or teaching role.
- Subsection (d) allows a full license after two years on a limited license, provided all earlier requirements were met.
- Subsection (f) requires applicants to have federal immigration status permitting them to practice medicine in the United States.
- Subsection (g) directs the board to coordinate with the Department of Community Health and the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce on placements in underserved areas.
- Section 2 makes the Act effective upon the Governor's signature or upon becoming law without signature.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-11)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2025-02-12)
- Sponsors: Kim Jackson, Chuck Hufstetler, Harold Jones, Bo Hatchett
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70176
> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb142.md?full=1