Assigned to HHS AS PASSED BY COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR S.B.1331
international medical graduates; licensure; accreditation
Purpose
Requires the Arizona Medical Board (AMB) to grant a license to practice medicine in
Arizona to an international medical graduate who meets outlined criteria.
Background
The primary duty of the AMB is to protect the public from unlawful, incompetent,
unqualified, impaired or unprofessional practitioners of allopathic medicine through licensure,
regulation and rehabilitation of the profession in Arizona. The powers and duties of the AMB
include: 1) ordering and evaluating physical, psychological, psychiatric and competency testing of
licensed physicians and licensure candidates; 2) initiating investigations and determining whether
a doctor of medicine has engaged in unprofessional conduct, provided incompetent medical care
or is mentally or physically unable to engage in the practice of medicine; 3) developing and
recommending standards governing the profession; 4) reviewing the credentials and abilities of
applicants whose professional records or physical or mental capabilities do not meet licensure
requirements; 5) disciplining and rehabilitating physicians; 6) engaging in a full exchange of
information with licensing boards, disciplinary boards and medical associations of other states,
foreign countries and the Arizona Medical Association; 7) adopting rules for licensure and
regulation of doctors of medicine; 8) establishing fees and penalties; and 9) determining whether
a prospective or current Arizona licensed physician has the training or experience necessary to
treat and manage opiate-dependent patients (A.R.S. § 32-1403).
An applicant for a medical license in Arizona must: 1) graduate from an approved school
of medicine or receive a medical education that the AMB deems to be of equivalent quality;
2) successfully complete an approved 12-month hospital internship, residency or clinical
fellowship program; 3) have the physical and mental capability to safely engage in the practice of
medicine; 4) have a professional record that indicates that the applicant has not committed any act
that would constitute grounds for disciplinary action; 5) not have surrendered a license, currently
be under investigation, suspension or restriction or have had a medical license revoked by a
medical regulatory board in another jurisdiction that constitutes unprofessional conduct; 6) pay all
AMB-required fees; 7) complete an AMB-prescribed training unit; 8) submit a five-year medical
employment history including verification of licensure from every state in which the applicant has
ever held a medical license; and 9) submit a full set of fingerprints to the AMB for a state and
federal criminal records check (A.R.S. § 32-1422).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
FACT SHEET
S.B. 1331
Page 2
Provisions
International Medical Graduate Licensure
1. Allows an international medical graduate, with a degree from an recognized international
medical program, to practice medicine in Arizona without additional training or residency
requirements if outlined criteria are met.
2. Requires the AMB to grant a medical license to an international medical graduate who meets
outlined criteria and who is a resident of and licensed to practice in:
a) Australia;
b) Hong Kong;
c) Ireland;
d) Israel;
e) New Zealand;
f) Singapore;
g) South Africa;
h) Switzerland;
i) the United Kingdom;
j) Canada; or
k) any additional countries added by the AMB.
3. Stipulates that the AMB may grant a license only to an international medical program graduate:
a) whose federal immigration status allows the person to work as a physician in the US; and
b) who meets the basic statutory requirements for medicine and surgery licensure.
4. Requires the AMB to grant a provisional medical license to any international medical graduate:
a) who has an employment offer as a physician with an Arizona health care provider;
b) whose federal immigration status allows the person to work as a physician in the United
States; and
c) who meets the basic statutory requirements for medicine and surgery licensure.
5. Allows the AMB to discipline an international medical graduate licensee or revoke a
provisional license based on clear and compelling evidence.
6. Allows, within 120 days of the revocation of a provisional license, a licensee to appeal the
decision to the Maricopa County Superior Court.
7. Requires the Maricopa County Superior Court to reinstate a revoked provisional license if the
court finds that the AMB's actions did not meet prescribed standards.
8. Allows a provisional license to automatically be converted into a full medical license after one
year, unless the licensee is disciplined in that one-year period.
International Medical Program
9. Defines international medical program as any medical school, residency program, medical
internship program or entity that provides physicians with medical education or training
outside of the United States and that is substantially similar to the practice requirements in
Arizona. FACT SHEET
S.B. 1331
Page 3
10. Allows an international medical program to apply to the AMB for recognition as an
international medical program.
11. Allows the AMB to require an international medical program applicant to submit any necessary
application materials so that the AMB may properly evaluate the applicant for recognition.
12. Requires the AMB to grant recognition to an international medical program within 120 days
of application unless the AMB 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 the state's medical safety, competence or conduct standards.
13. Specifies that the AMB will recognize substantially similar training outside of the United
States that is required to practice as a physician in Arizona.
14. Requires the AMB to grant recognition to any international medical program that produces at
least five international medical graduates who have been granted a full medical license to
practice in Arizona.
15. Allows the AMB to grant recognition to an international medical program based solely upon
the program’s accreditation by an accrediting agency that is officially recognized by the World
Federation for Medical Education or the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical
Graduates.
16. Allows an international medical program to appeal a denial of recognition as an international
medical program to the Maricopa County Superior Court within 120 days of the AMB's denial.
17. Requires the Maricopa County Superior Court to grant recognition as an international medical
program if the court finds that the AMB failed to meet specified standards.
18. Requires the AMB to post a complete list of recognized international medical programs on the
AMB's public website and provide the list on request.
Miscellaneous
19. Defines international medical graduate as an individual who:
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 or has
practiced as a medical professional performing the duties of a physician in the individual's
resident country for at least two years; and
d) possesses basic fluency in the English language.
20. Defines terms.
21. Becomes effective on January 1, 2023.
FACT SHEET
S.B. 1331
Page 4
Amendments Adopted by Committee
1. Allows the AMB to require an international medical program applicant to submit any
necessary application materials for proper recognition evaluation.
2. Specifies that the AMB will recognize substantially similar training outside of the United
States that is required to practice as a physician in Arizona.
3. Allows the AMB to grant recognition to an international medical program based on the
program’s accreditation by an officially recognized accrediting agency.
Senate Action
HHS 2/9/22 DPA 4-3-1
Prepared by Senate Research
February 10, 2022
MM/MC/sr