Bill > A3987

Introduced Session

This bill establishes procedures for the licensing of certain international medical graduates. Under the bill, the State Board of Medical Examiners (board) is to grant a provisional license to practice medicine in New Jersey to any international medical graduate with an offer for employment as a physician at a physician's office or a licensed health care facility in this State. The bill provides that the board is not to grant a provisional license to practice medicine in New Jersey to any international medical graduate unless the individual: (a) has been granted a medical doctorate or substantially similar degree by a medical program of good standing; (b) is in good standing with the medical licensing or regulatory institution of his or her resident country; (c) has completed a residency or substantially similar post-graduate medical training in his or her resident country; (d) has practiced as a medical professional performing the duties of a physician in his or her resident country for no less than five years; (e) possesses basic fluency in the English language; (f) possesses a federal immigration status that allows him or her to practice as a physician in the United States; (g) presents evidence of equivalent medical training and satisfactory passage of exams; (h) successfully passes a background investigation; (i) pays all required fees for licensure; and (j) is a resident of and licensed to practice medicine in any of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, or United Kingdom. It is the sponsor's belief that that bill will remove barriers that prevent high-quality, internationally-trained physicians from filling vacancies in New Jersey, including in rural and primary care settings, by eliminating training duplication and recognizing high-quality residency programs that they have already completed. All other care standards and requirements remain unchanged and the State medical board is empowered to continue to perform its role to ensure all internationally-trained applicants have the requisite knowledge and experience to practice medicine in New Jersey.

AI Summary

Alexander Schnall (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Infrastructure Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document