SB 1285
Initials AF/AG/KM Page 1 Appropriations
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Fifty-sixth Legislature
First Regular Session
Senate: HHS 6-0-1-0 | 3
rd
Read 29-0-1-0
SB1285: obstetric services; rural communities; recommendations
S/E: licensure; international medical graduates
Sponsor: Senator Shamp, LD 29
Committee on Appropriations
Overview
Requires the Arizona Medical Board (Board), effective January 1, 2024, to grant provisional
licenses to international medical graduates to engage in the practice of medicine in Arizona if
certain criteria are met.
History
Arizona Medical Board
The Board was originally established by the Arizona State Legislature in 1913. The Board consists
of 12 members who are appointed to serve a term of five years to begin and end on July 1. The
Board's primary duty is to protect the public from unlawful, incompetent, unqualified, impaired or
unprofessional practitioners of allopathic medicine through licensing and regulation. The Board
initiates investigations, disciplines and rehabilitates physicians and develops standards governing
the profession. An applicant for licensure must submit fingerprints for the purpose of obtaining a
state and federal criminal records check. Additional qualifications for a medical license can be
found in statute.
The practice of medicine in part, means the diagnosis, treatment or correction of any and all
human diseases, injuries, ailments, infirmities or deformities, physical or mental, by any means,
methods, devices or instrumentalities. The practice of medicine includes the practice of medicine
or surgery alone or both (A.R.S. §§ 32-1401, 32-1402, 32-1403, 32-1422, 32-1451 and 32-1452).
Students Graduating from an Unapproved Allopathic School of Medicine
In addition to completing the basic statutory requirements for medicine and surgery licensure, any
applicant who has graduated from an unapproved allopathic school of medicine must meet the
following requirements:
1) be able to read, write, speak, understand and be understood in the English language;
2) hold a standard certificate issued by the Educational Council for Foreign Medical Graduates
(Council), complete a Fifth Pathway Program, complete 36 months as a full-time assistant
professor or in a higher position in an approved school of medicine; and
3) successfully complete an approved 24 month hospital internship, residency or clinical
fellowship program, in addition to the statutorily required 12 month hospital internship,
residency or clinical fellowship program, for a total of 36 months of training, unless the
applicant successfully completed a Fifth Pathway Program or has served as a full-time
assistant professor or in a higher position in an approved school of medicine for a total of 36
months (A.R.S. § 32-1423).
SB 1285
Initials AF/AG/KM Page 2 Appropriations
Fifth Pathway Program
In addition to completing the basic statutory requirements for medicine and surgery licensure and
when graduating from an unapproved allopathic school of medicine, an applicant for a medical
license who attended a foreign school of medicine and successfully completed all the formal
requirements to receive the degree of Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) except internship or social
service, and is accordingly not eligible for certification by the Council, may be considered for
licensure if they meet the following conditions:
1) satisfactorily completes an approved Fifth Pathway Program of one academic year of
supervised clinical training under the direction of an approved U.S. school of medicine; and
2) successfully completes an approved 24-month internship, residency or clinical fellowship
program upon completion of the Fifth Pathway Program.
A document granted by a foreign school of medicine signifying completion of all formal
requirements for graduation from such foreign medical school except internship or social service
training, or both, along with certification by the approved U.S. school of medicine of successful
completion of the Fifth Pathway Program is deemed the equivalent of an M.D. for purposes of
licensure and practicing as a physician in Arizona (A.R.S. § 32-1424).
Provisions
1. Requires the Board to grant a provisional license to engage in the practice of medicine in
Arizona to an international medical graduate who:
a) has an offer for employment as a physician at any health care provider that operates in
Arizona; and
b) meets applicable requirements for medicine and surgery licensure and the requirements
for students graduating from an unapproved allopathic school of medicine. (Sec. 1)
2. Allows the Board to discipline a licensee or revoke a granted provisional license based on
clear and compelling evidence after a conducted investigation. (Sec. 1)
3. Permits a provisional licensee to appeal the revocation to the Maricopa County Superior Court
within 120 days after the Board's decision to revoke the provisional license. (Sec. 1)
4. Directs the court to reinstate the provisional license if it finds that the Board's actions did not
meet the standards for revocation. (Sec. 1)
5. Requires a provisional license to automatically convert into a full license to practice medicine
in Arizona after three years unless the Board disciplines the licensee in that three-year period
of the provisional license. (Sec. 1)
6. Specifies that the Board is not required to license an international medical graduate who does
not provide all of the following:
a) evidence of substantially similar medical training as required by Arizona law;
b) evidence of satisfactory passage of exams;
c) a complete license application; and
d) payment of all required licensing fees. (Sec. 1)
7. Allows the Board to require an applicant international medical graduate to submit any
necessary supporting application materials so that the Board can properly evaluate the
applicant for licensure. (Sec. 1)
8. Permits the Board to require an applicant international medical graduate, at the applicant's
expense, to submit medical education information through the Educational Commission for
Foreign Medical Graduates or another third-party records service. (Sec. 1)
☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note SB 1285
Initials AF/AG/KM Page 3 Appropriations
9. Defines an international medical graduate as an individual who meets all of the following
requirements:
a) is a U.S. citizen;
b) has been granted a medical doctorate or a substantially similar degree by an international
medical program of good standing;
c) has completed a residency or substantially similar postgraduate medical training in the
country where the individual was granted a medical doctorate or a substantially similar
degree by an international medical program in good standing; and
d) possesses basic fluency in the English language. (Sec. 1)
10. Defines the following terms:
a) health care provider;
b) international medical program; and
c) physician. (Sec. 1)
11. Contains an effective date of January 1, 2024. (Sec. 2)