Wisconsin Legislative Council
AMENDMENT MEMO
One Ea st Ma in Stre e t, Suite 401 • Ma dison, W I 53703 • (608) 266-1304 • le g.council@le gis.wisconsin.gov • http://www.le gis.wisconsin.gov/lc
Memo published: February 19, 2024 Contact: Kelly McGraw, Staff Attorney
2023 Assembly Bill 954
Assembly Substitute
Amendment 1 and Assembly
Amendment 1 to Assembly
Substitute Amendment 1
2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 954
2023 Assembly Bill 954 creates a provisional license to practice medicine and surgery for international
physicians. The Medical Examining Board (MEB) may grant a provisional license to an applicant who
satisfies the provisional license applicant requirements. An applicant for a provisional license must
supply evidence to the board that the applicant satisfies all of the following:
The applicant has an offer for employment as a physician in this state.
The applicant has been granted a medical doctorate or a substantially similar degree by an
international medical program.
The applicant has completed a residency program or a postgraduate medical training program that
is substantially similar to a residency program.
The applicant has practiced as a fully licensed physician in his or her country of practice for at least
five years after completing a residency program or a postgraduate medical training program that is
substantially similar to a residency program.
The applicant has been in good standing with the medical licensing or regulatory agency of his or
her country of practice for the five years preceding the individual’s application and does not have
any pending disciplinary action before the medical licensing or regulatory agency.
The applicant has passed all steps of the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination administered by the
National Board of Medical Examiners and the Federation of State Medical Boards, or their
successor organizations.
The applicant has, or will have prior to working as a physician in this state, a federal immigration
status and employment authorization that enables the applicant to work as a physician in this state.
The applicant possesses basic fluency in the English language.
The board may suspend or revoke a provisional license if a majority of the board determines that the
holder of the license is no longer employed as a physician in this state. The holder of the license must be
granted an opportunity to be heard prior to the board’s determination.
A provisional license must be converted into a license to practice medicine and surgery after the
provisional license holder practices medicine and surgery full-time in this state and maintains good
standing for three consecutive years.
Regarding physician assistants, 2023 Assembly Bill 954 specifies that a physician assistant license
requirement on education does not apply to an applicant who provides evidence satisfactory to the - 2 -
Physician Assistant Affiliate Credentialing Board that the applicant is licensed as a physician assistant
or physician associate in a qualified country, that the applicant is in good standing with the licensing or
regulatory institution in the qualified country, that the applicant can speak fluently in the English
language, and that the applicant is lawfully admitted to work as a physician assistant in the United
States. Qualified country means a country that the board determines by rule has set educational
requirements for obtaining a license to practice as a physician assistant or physician associate in that
country that are substantially equivalent to the educational requirements for licensure as a physician
assistant.
ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1
Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adds restrictions to the use of and requirements to the application
for a provisional license to practice medicine and surgery for international physicians. The amendment
restricts a holder of a provisional license to practice medicine and surgery only under the supervision of
a physician who is licensed to practice medicine and surgery.
In addition to the provisional license applicant requirements in 2023 Assembly Bill 954, the substitute
amendment requires an applicant for a provisional license to supply evidence to the MEB that the
applicant satisfies all of the following requirements:
The applicant has an offer for full-time employment as a physician in this state from a federally
qualified health center, a community health center, a hospital, an ambulatory surgical center, or any
other health care facility approved by the board.
The applicant has practiced continuously as a physician in his or her country of practice for at least
one out of the five years immediately preceding the date that the applicant submits an application
for a provisional license.
The applicant has obtained certification by the Educational Council for Foreign Medical Graduates,
a successor organization, or another evaluation entity approved by the board.
Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 also specifies that the board may promulgate rules to define
“substantially similar” for provisional license applicant requirements.
Additionally, under Assembly Substitute Amendment 1, the holder of a provisional license must submit
to the board a statement certifying whether the license holder is still employed as a physician in this
state and whether the license holder has been subjected to professional discipline as a result of the
license holder’s practice every six months or upon the request of the MEB. If the license holder has been
subject to professional discipline, the license holder must submit to the board a description of the
circumstances of the discipline.
Finally, Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 includes the same physician assistant licensure provision in
2023 Assembly Bill 954.
ASSEMBLY AMENDMENT 1 TO ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1
Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 removes the provision in Assembly
Substitute Amendment 1 on physician assistant licensure.
BILL HISTORY
Representative Callahan offered Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 on February 9, 2024.
Representative Callahan also offered Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 on - 3 -
February 13, 2024. On February 14, 2024, the Assembly Committee on Health, Aging and Long-Term
Care voted to recommend adoption of Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1,
Assembly Substitute Amendment 1, as amended, and passage of the bill, as amended, on votes of Ayes,
15; Noes, 0.
For a full history of the bill, visit the Legislature’s bill history page.
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