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Senate File 477 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the licensure of internationally trained
2physicians and including effective date provisions.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 148I.1 Definitions.
2For the purposes of this chapter:
31. “Board” means the board of medicine established pursuant
4to chapter 147.
52. “Health care facility” means all of the following:
6a. A facility as defined in section 514J.102.
7b. A facility licensed pursuant to chapter 135B.
8c. A facility licensed pursuant to chapter 135C.
93. “International medical graduate” means an individual who
10meets all of the following requirements:
11a. Has a medical doctorate or substantially similar degree
12issued by an international medical program in good standing.
13b. Is in good standing with the medical licensing or
14regulatory institution of the individual’s resident country.
15c. Has completed a residency or substantially similar
16post-graduate medical training in the individual’s resident
17country or has practiced as a medical professional performing
18medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery for
19at least two years.
20d. Possesses basic fluency in the English language.
214. “International medical program” means a medical school,
22residency program, medical internship program, or entity that
23provides physicians with a medical education or training
24outside of the United States that is substantially similar to
25the practice of medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine
26and surgery in Iowa.
27 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 148I.2 Licensure of international
28medical graduates.
291. The board shall a grant a license to practice medicine
30and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery in this state
31to an international medical graduate who is a resident of and
32licensed to practice in any of the following countries:
33a. Australia.
34b. Canada.
35c. Hong Kong.
-1- 1d. Ireland.
2e. Israel.
3f. New Zealand.
4g. Singapore.
5h. South Africa.
6i. Switzerland.
7j. The United Kingdom.
8k. Additional countries as determined by the board by rule.
92. An international medical graduate holding a medical
10degree from an international medical program accredited
11pursuant to section 148I.3 shall be granted a license to
12practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and
13surgery in this state without meeting additional training or
14residency requirements. However, the board shall not grant a
15license pursuant to this subsection to an international medical
16graduate who does not possess a federal immigration status
17allowing the international medical graduate to practice as a
18physician in the United States.
19 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 148I.3 Accreditation of international
20medical programs.
211. The board shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A
22to allow an international medical program to apply for
23accreditation with the board.
242. The board shall grant an application pursuant to
25subsection 1 within one hundred twenty days of receiving the
26application unless the board finds by clear and compelling
27evidence that a majority of the international medical program’s
28graduates are not likely to provide medical services that
29satisfy this state’s medical safety, competence, or conduct
30standards. An international medical program may appeal a
31denial pursuant to this subsection in a court of competent
32jurisdiction within one hundred twenty days of the denial.
333. The board shall grant accreditation pursuant to this
34section, to an international medical program that has granted
35a medical degree to five international medical graduates who
-2-1later received a permanent license to practice medicine and
2surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery pursuant to section
3148I.4, subsection 1, paragraph “b”.
44. The board shall post a complete list of accredited
5international medical programs on the internet site of the
6board.
7 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 148I.4 International medical graduates
8— provisional licenses.
91. a. The board shall grant a provisional license to
10practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and
11surgery in this state to an international medical graduate
12with an offer for employment as a physician at a health care
13facility in this state. However, the board shall not grant a
14license pursuant to this subsection to an international medical
15graduate who does not possess a federal immigration status
16allowing the international medical graduate to practice as a
17physician in the United States.
18b. A provisional license granted pursuant to paragraph “a”
19shall be converted to a full license to practice medicine and
20surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery after one year
21unless the license has been revoked pursuant to subsection 2
22or surrendered by the licensee.
232. The board may revoke a provisional license granted
24pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph “a”, if the board finds by
25clear and compelling evidence that the licensee has violated
26a provision of section 148.6. A licensee may appeal a
27revocation pursuant to this subsection in a court of competent
28jurisdiction within one hundred twenty days of the revocation.
29 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect January 1,
302024.
31EXPLANATION
32The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
33the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
34This bill relates to the licensure of international
35medical graduates in Iowa. The bill defines “international
-3-1medical graduate” as a person who holds a medical doctorate or
2substantially similar degree issued by an international medical
3program, is in good standing with the medical regulatory body
4of the person’s country of residence, has completed a residency
5or similar post-graduate education program, and has a basic
6fluency in English. The bill defines “international medical
7program” as a medical training program or entity that provides
8physicians with a medical education or training outside of the
9United States that is substantially similar to the practice of
10medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery in
11Iowa.
12The bill requires the board of medicine to grant a license
13to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine
14and surgery to an international medical graduate who is a
15resident of and licensed to practice in a country listed in
16the bill. An international medical graduate holding a medical
17degree from an international medical program shall be allowed
18to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine
19and surgery in Iowa without meeting additional training or
20residency requirements, provided that the person has a federal
21immigration status allowing the person to practice as a
22physician in the United States. The bill allows the board of
23medicine to expand the list by rule.
24The bill requires the board of medicine to adopt rules
25to allow an international medical program to apply for
26accreditation by the board. The board shall grant an
27application within 120 days of receiving an application
28unless the board finds by clear and compelling evidence that
29a majority of the international medical program’s graduates
30are not likely to provide medical services that satisfy this
31state’s medical safety, competence, or conduct standards. A
32denial of accreditation may be appealed to a court of competent
33jurisdiction. An international medical program that produces
34five graduates who later receive full licenses pursuant to this
35provision shall become an accredited international medical
-4-1program.
2The bill requires the board of medicine to issue a
3provisional license to practice medicine and surgery or
4osteopathic medicine and surgery in Iowa to an international
5medical graduate who has an offer for employment as a physician
6with a health care facility in this state, defined in the
7bill. The board may revoke a provisional license if the board
8finds by clear and compelling evidence that the licensee has
9engaged in conduct for which a licensee in medicine and surgery
10or osteopathic medicine and surgery may be disciplined. If
11a provisional license is not revoked or surrendered, the
12provisional license shall be converted to a full license after
13one year.
14The bill takes effect January 1, 2024.
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2physicians and including effective date provisions.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 148I.1 Definitions.
2For the purposes of this chapter:
31. “Board” means the board of medicine established pursuant
4to chapter 147.
52. “Health care facility” means all of the following:
6a. A facility as defined in section 514J.102.
7b. A facility licensed pursuant to chapter 135B.
8c. A facility licensed pursuant to chapter 135C.
93. “International medical graduate” means an individual who
10meets all of the following requirements:
11a. Has a medical doctorate or substantially similar degree
12issued by an international medical program in good standing.
13b. Is in good standing with the medical licensing or
14regulatory institution of the individual’s resident country.
15c. Has completed a residency or substantially similar
16post-graduate medical training in the individual’s resident
17country or has practiced as a medical professional performing
18medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery for
19at least two years.
20d. Possesses basic fluency in the English language.
214. “International medical program” means a medical school,
22residency program, medical internship program, or entity that
23provides physicians with a medical education or training
24outside of the United States that is substantially similar to
25the practice of medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine
26and surgery in Iowa.
27 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 148I.2 Licensure of international
28medical graduates.
291. The board shall a grant a license to practice medicine
30and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery in this state
31to an international medical graduate who is a resident of and
32licensed to practice in any of the following countries:
33a. Australia.
34b. Canada.
35c. Hong Kong.
-1- 1d. Ireland.
2e. Israel.
3f. New Zealand.
4g. Singapore.
5h. South Africa.
6i. Switzerland.
7j. The United Kingdom.
8k. Additional countries as determined by the board by rule.
92. An international medical graduate holding a medical
10degree from an international medical program accredited
11pursuant to section 148I.3 shall be granted a license to
12practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and
13surgery in this state without meeting additional training or
14residency requirements. However, the board shall not grant a
15license pursuant to this subsection to an international medical
16graduate who does not possess a federal immigration status
17allowing the international medical graduate to practice as a
18physician in the United States.
19 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 148I.3 Accreditation of international
20medical programs.
211. The board shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A
22to allow an international medical program to apply for
23accreditation with the board.
242. The board shall grant an application pursuant to
25subsection 1 within one hundred twenty days of receiving the
26application unless the board finds by clear and compelling
27evidence that a majority of the international medical program’s
28graduates are not likely to provide medical services that
29satisfy this state’s medical safety, competence, or conduct
30standards. An international medical program may appeal a
31denial pursuant to this subsection in a court of competent
32jurisdiction within one hundred twenty days of the denial.
333. The board shall grant accreditation pursuant to this
34section, to an international medical program that has granted
35a medical degree to five international medical graduates who
-2-1later received a permanent license to practice medicine and
2surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery pursuant to section
3148I.4, subsection 1, paragraph “b”.
44. The board shall post a complete list of accredited
5international medical programs on the internet site of the
6board.
7 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 148I.4 International medical graduates
8— provisional licenses.
91. a. The board shall grant a provisional license to
10practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and
11surgery in this state to an international medical graduate
12with an offer for employment as a physician at a health care
13facility in this state. However, the board shall not grant a
14license pursuant to this subsection to an international medical
15graduate who does not possess a federal immigration status
16allowing the international medical graduate to practice as a
17physician in the United States.
18b. A provisional license granted pursuant to paragraph “a”
19shall be converted to a full license to practice medicine and
20surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery after one year
21unless the license has been revoked pursuant to subsection 2
22or surrendered by the licensee.
232. The board may revoke a provisional license granted
24pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph “a”, if the board finds by
25clear and compelling evidence that the licensee has violated
26a provision of section 148.6. A licensee may appeal a
27revocation pursuant to this subsection in a court of competent
28jurisdiction within one hundred twenty days of the revocation.
29 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect January 1,
302024.
31EXPLANATION
32The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
33the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
34This bill relates to the licensure of international
35medical graduates in Iowa. The bill defines “international
-3-1medical graduate” as a person who holds a medical doctorate or
2substantially similar degree issued by an international medical
3program, is in good standing with the medical regulatory body
4of the person’s country of residence, has completed a residency
5or similar post-graduate education program, and has a basic
6fluency in English. The bill defines “international medical
7program” as a medical training program or entity that provides
8physicians with a medical education or training outside of the
9United States that is substantially similar to the practice of
10medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery in
11Iowa.
12The bill requires the board of medicine to grant a license
13to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine
14and surgery to an international medical graduate who is a
15resident of and licensed to practice in a country listed in
16the bill. An international medical graduate holding a medical
17degree from an international medical program shall be allowed
18to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine
19and surgery in Iowa without meeting additional training or
20residency requirements, provided that the person has a federal
21immigration status allowing the person to practice as a
22physician in the United States. The bill allows the board of
23medicine to expand the list by rule.
24The bill requires the board of medicine to adopt rules
25to allow an international medical program to apply for
26accreditation by the board. The board shall grant an
27application within 120 days of receiving an application
28unless the board finds by clear and compelling evidence that
29a majority of the international medical program’s graduates
30are not likely to provide medical services that satisfy this
31state’s medical safety, competence, or conduct standards. A
32denial of accreditation may be appealed to a court of competent
33jurisdiction. An international medical program that produces
34five graduates who later receive full licenses pursuant to this
35provision shall become an accredited international medical
-4-1program.
2The bill requires the board of medicine to issue a
3provisional license to practice medicine and surgery or
4osteopathic medicine and surgery in Iowa to an international
5medical graduate who has an offer for employment as a physician
6with a health care facility in this state, defined in the
7bill. The board may revoke a provisional license if the board
8finds by clear and compelling evidence that the licensee has
9engaged in conduct for which a licensee in medicine and surgery
10or osteopathic medicine and surgery may be disciplined. If
11a provisional license is not revoked or surrendered, the
12provisional license shall be converted to a full license after
13one year.
14The bill takes effect January 1, 2024.
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