2017 -- H 5673

========

LC001753

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- BOARD OF MEDICAL LICENSURE

AND DISCIPLINE

     Introduced By: Representatives Morgan, Chippendale, Giarrusso, Price, and Nardolillo

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2017

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 5-37-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-37 entitled "Board of

Medical Licensure and Discipline" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     5-37-2. License to practice -- Qualifications of applicants -- Fee -- Reexamination.

     (a) (1) Authority to practice allopathic or osteopathic medicine under this chapter shall be

by a license issued by the director of the department of health to any reputable physician who

intends to practice allopathic or osteopathic medicine in this state, and who meets the

requirements for licensure established in this chapter and regulations established by the board or

by the director. Applicants for licensure shall present satisfactory evidence of graduation from a

medical school or school of osteopathic medicine approved by the board and in good standing,

shall meet post graduate training requirements and any other requirements that the board or

director establishes by regulation, and shall pass in a satisfactory manner any examination that the

board may require. Any physician applying for licensure shall pay a non refundable application

fee and when applicable a reexamination fee for each reexamination, in a total amount as set forth

in § 23-1-54.

     (2) A license to practice allopathic medicine shall be issued to persons who have

graduated from a school of medicine, possess a degree of doctor of medicine (or meet the

requirements of subsection (b) of this section), and meet the requirements for licensure.

     (3) A license to practice osteopathic medicine shall be issued to persons who have

graduated from a school of osteopathic medicine and possess a degree of doctor of osteopathy

and otherwise meet the requirements for licensure. A license to practice osteopathic medicine

shall confer upon the holder the right to practice osteopathic medicine in all its branches as taught

and practiced in accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine. The holder of that license shall be

subject to the same duties and liabilities and entitled to the same rights and privileges, which may

be imposed by law or governmental regulation, upon physicians of any school of medicine.

     (b) (1) Qualification of Certain Other Applicants for License. Notwithstanding any other

provisions of this section an individual, who at the time of his or her enrollment in a medical

school outside the United States is a citizen of the United States, shall be eligible to apply for a

certificate pursuant to this section if he or she has satisfied the following requirements:

     (i) Has studied medicine in a medical school located outside the United States, which is

recognized by the World Health Organization;

     (ii) Has completed all of the formal requirements of the foreign medical school except

internship and/or social service;

     (iii) Has attained a score satisfactory to a medical school approved by the liaison

committee on medical education on a qualifying examination acceptable to the state board for

medicine, and has satisfactorily completed one academic year of supervised clinical training

under the direction of any United States medical school;

     (iv) Has completed the post-graduate hospital training required by the board of applicants

for licensure; and

     (v) Has passed the examination required by the board of all applicants for licensure.

     (2) Satisfaction of the requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection is in lieu of the

completion of any foreign internship and/or social service requirements, and no such

requirements are a condition of licensure as a physician in this state.

     (3) Satisfaction of the requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection is in lieu of

certification by the educational council for foreign medical graduates, and this certification is not

a condition of licensure as a physician in this state.

     (4) No hospital licensed by this state, or operated by the state or a political subdivision of

the state, or which receives state financial assistance, directly or indirectly, requires an individual,

who at the time of his or her enrollment in a medical school outside the United States is a citizen

of the United States, to satisfy any requirements other than those contained in paragraphs (1)(i),

(ii), and (iii) of this subsection prior to commencing an internship or residency.

     (5) A document granted by a medical school located outside the United States which is

recognized by the World Health Organization issued after the completion of all the formal

LC001753 - Page 2 of 4

requirements of that foreign medical school except internship and/or social service, upon

certification by the medical school in which this training was received of satisfactory completion

by the person to whom this document was issued of the requirements in paragraph (1)(iii) of this

subsection, shall be deemed the equivalent of a degree of doctor of medicine for purposes of

licensure and practice as a physician in this state.

     (6) No funds appropriated by the general assembly to any school or college of medicine

shall be disbursed until the director of the department of health has certified that this school or

college has established, and will maintain until December 31, 1989, a clinical training program as

contemplated by paragraph (1)(iii) of this subsection, to accommodate residents of this state

deemed qualified by that school or college of medicine consistent with that school's or college's

educational resources.

     (7) An applicant may be considered for licensure by reciprocity if the applicant:

     (i) Became licensed or certified as a physician in another jurisdiction under requirements

that the board determines are substantially equivalent to the licensing requirements of this

chapter;

     (ii) Is in good standing under the laws of the other jurisdiction;

     (iii) Submits an application to the board on a form that the board requires; and

     (iv) Pays to the board an application fee set by the board.

     No form of specialty medical board certification, specialty examination or maintenance

of certification program shall be included as a licensure requirement to practice medicine in

Rhode Island.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC001753

========

LC001753 - Page 3 of 4

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- BOARD OF MEDICAL LICENSURE

AND DISCIPLINE

***

     This act would establish a process to license physicians by reciprocity to practice

medicine in this state.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC001753

========

LC001753 - Page 4 of 4