Bill Text: AZ SB1331 | 2022 | Fifty-fifth Legislature 2nd Regular | Introduced
Bill Title: International medical graduates; licensure; accreditation
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-02-15 - Senate majority caucus: Do pass [SB1331 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2022-SB1331-Introduced.html
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REFERENCE TITLE: international medical graduates; licensure; accreditation |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-fifth Legislature Second Regular Session 2022
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SB 1331 |
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Introduced by Senator Barto
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AN ACT
Amending title 32, chapter 13, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding sections 32-1440 and 32-1440.01; relating to the Arizona medical board.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 32, chapter 13, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding sections 32-1440 and 32-1440.01, to read:
32-1440. International medical graduates; licensure; program accreditation; definitions
A. Notwithstanding any other law, the board shall grant a license to practice medicine in this state to an international medical graduate who meets the requirements of this section and who is a resident of and licensed to practice in any of the following:
1. Australia.
2. Hong Kong.
3. Ireland.
4. Israel.
5. New Zealand.
6. Singapore.
7. South Africa.
8. Switzerland.
9. The United Kingdom.
10. Canada.
B. The board may add additional countries to the list prescribed in subsection A of this section.
C. The board may grant a license under this section only to an international medical graduate who is an international medical program graduate, whose federal immigration status allows the person to work as a physician in the United States and who meets the requirements for licensure prescribed in section 32-1422.
D. Notwithstanding any other law, an international medical graduate with a degree from an accredited international medical program may practice medicine in this state without additional training or residency requirements if the person meets the requirements of this section.
E. An international medical program may apply to the board for accreditation. The board shall grant accreditation to an international medical program applicant within one hundred twenty days after receiving the application unless the board can provide clear and compelling evidence that the majority of the international medical program's graduates are not likely to provide medical services that satisfy this state's medical safety, competence or conduct standards. An international medical program may appeal a denial of accreditation status to the superior court in Maricopa county pursuant to title 12, chapter 7, article 6 within one hundred twenty days after the board's decision denying accreditation status. The court shall grant the accreditation if the court finds that the board failed to meet the standards specified in this section.
F. The board shall post a complete list of accredited international medical programs on the board's public website and shall provide this list on request.
G. Notwithstanding subsection E of this section, the board shall grant accreditation status to any international medical program that produces at least five international medical graduates who have been granted a full license to practice medicine in this state pursuant to subsection c of this section or section 32-1440.01.
H. For the purposes of this section:
1. "International medical graduate" means an individual who meets all of the following requirements:
(a) Has been granted a medical doctorate or a substantially similar degree by an international medical program of good standing.
(b) Is in good standing with the medical licensing or regulatory institution of the individual's resident country.
(c) Has completed a residency or substantially similar postgraduate medical training in the individual's resident country or has practiced as a medical professional performing the duties of a physician in the individual's resident country for at least two years.
(d) Possesses basic fluency in the English language.
2. "International medical program" means any medical school, residency program, medical internship program or entity that provides physicians with a medical education or training outside of the United States and that is substantially similar to that required to practice as a physician in this state.
3. "Physician" means an individual who has obtained a medical doctorate or substantially similar degree and has completed a residency program or otherwise practiced as a medical professional performing the duties of a physician for at least two years.
32-1440.01. International medical graduates; provisional licensure; definition
a. Notwithstanding any other law, the board shall grant a provisional license to practice medicine in this state to any international medical graduate who has an offer for employment as a physician at any health care provider that operates in this state, whose federal immigration status allows the international medical graduate to practice as a physician in the United States and who meets the requirements for licensure prescribed in section 32-1422. The board may discipline a licensee or revoke a provisional license granted pursuant to this subsection based on clear and compelling evidence after an investigation conducted pursuant to section 32-1451. A provisional licensee may appeal the revocation of the provisional license to the superior court in Maricopa county pursuant to title 12, chapter 7, article 6 within one hundred twenty days after the decision of the board revoking the provisional license. The court shall reinstate the provisional license if the court finds that the board's actions did not meet the standards prescribed in this subsection. A provisional license shall automatically be converted into a full license to practice medicine in this state after one year unless the licensee is disciplined in that one-year period of the provisional license.
b. for the purposes of this section:
1. "Health care provider" means an individual, entity, corporation, person or organization, whether for-profit or nonprofit, that furnishes, bills or is paid for health care procedures or service delivery in the normal course of business, including health systems, hospitals, hospital-based facilities, freestanding emergency facilities and urgent care clinics.
2. "international medical graduate" has the same meaning prescribed in section 32-1440.
3. "physician" has the same meaning prescribed in section 32-1440.
Sec. 2. Effective date
This act is effective from and after December 31, 2022.
