Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
*JMB508* 04/01/2025 2:46:41 PM JMB508
State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 601 3
4
By: Senator Hester 5
By: Representative L. Johnson 6
7
For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO CREATE A PATHWAY FOR A GRADUATE OF A 9
FOREIGN MEDICAL SCHOOL TO BE LICENSED IN THIS STATE 10
IF HE OR SHE IS OFFERED FULL -TIME EMPLOYMENT AS A 11
PHYSICIAN FROM A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER; AND FOR OTHER 12
PURPOSES. 13
14
15
Subtitle 16
TO CREATE A PATHWAY FOR A GRADUATE OF A 17
FOREIGN MEDICAL SCHOOL TO BE LICENSED IN 18
THIS STATE IF HE OR SHE IS OFFERED FULL -19
TIME EMPLOYMENT AS A PHYSICIAN FROM A 20
HEALTHCARE PROVIDER. 21
22
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 23
24
SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 17 -95-202, concerning the definitions used 25
in the Arkansas Medical Practices Act, § 17 -95-201 et seq., § 17-95-301 et 26
seq., and § 17-95-401 et seq., is amended to add an additional subdivision to 27
read as follows: 28
(4) "Healthcare provider" means a healthcare professional, 29
healthcare facility, or entity licensed or certified to provide healthcare 30
services in this state as recognized by the Arkansas State Medical Board. 31
32
SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 17 -95-403(b)(3)(A)(iii), concerning the 33
qualifications for a license to practice medicine in this state, is amended 34
to read as follows: 35
(iii)(a) A foreign medical school whose entrance 36 SB601
2 04/01/2025 2:46:41 PM JMB508
requirements and course of instruction have been approved by the Arkansas 1
State Medical Board Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates and 2
commits to a two-year period that does not include post -graduate clinical 3
training to practice in an underserved or health professional shortage area 4
in this state. 5
(b) He Except as provided in subdivision 6
(b)(3)(A)(iii)(c) of this section, he or she must shall also have: 7
(1) Served three (3) years as an intern, 8
resident, or fellow, or a combination thereof, in an accredited postgraduate 9
medical education program in the United States; 10
(2) Served three (3) years as an intern 11
or resident in a postgraduate medical education program outside the United 12
States, completed all steps of the United States Medical Licensing 13
Examination, obtained Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates 14
certification, and either completed one (1) year or more of fellowship 15
training accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical 16
Education in the United States or received American Board of Medical 17
Specialties certification by the American Board of Medical Specialties; or 18
(3) Completed one (1) year as an intern 19
or resident in an accredited postgraduate medical education program in the 20
United States and be currently enrolled in an accredited postgraduate medical 21
program in Arkansas. 22
(c) If he or she has been offered full -time 23
employment as a physician from a healthcare provider that operates in this 24
state, he or she shall: 25
(1) Hold an active, unencumbered license 26
to practice medicine in a foreign county; 27
(2) Have actively practiced medicine 28
during the four-year period preceding the date of an application under this 29
section; 30
(3) Have the Educational Commission for 31
Foreign Medical Graduates evaluate his or her medical credentials; 32
(4) Hold an active, valid certificate 33
issued by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates; and 34
(5) Pass the examination used by the 35
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. 36 SB601
3 04/01/2025 2:46:41 PM JMB508
1
SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 17 -95-403, concerning the qualifications 2
for a license to practice medicine in this state, is amended to add an 3
additional subsection to read as follows: 4
(c) An applicant who is licensed under subdivision (b)(3)(A)(iii)(c) 5
of this section shall: 6
(1) Maintain his or her employment with the original healthcare 7
provider or another healthcare provider that operates in this state for at 8
least two (2) consecutive years after licensure; and 9
(2) Notify the Arkansas State Medical Board within five (5) 10
business days after any change of employer. 11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36