Bill
Bill > A3398
summary
Introduced
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026-2027 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill establishes a pathway to licensure by the State Board of Medical Examiners for international medical graduates. "International medical graduate" is defined in the bill to mean any individual who: 1) has been granted a medical doctorate or substantially similar degree by a medical program of good standing within the last seven years; 2) is in good standing with the medical licensing or regulatory institution of the resident country of the individual within the last seven years; 3) has completed a residency or substantially similar post-graduate medical training in the resident country of the individual or has practiced as a medical professional performing the duties of a physician or surgeon in the resident country for no less than five of the last seven years; and 4) possesses basic fluency in the English language. Under the bill, the board will grant a provisional license, valid for three years, to any international medical graduate to practice medicine in New Jersey if the individual: 1) has an offer for employment as a physician or surgeon at any healthcare provider that is licensed to operate in the State; or 2) is already licensed to practice medicine in certain countries, as determined by the board. The individual is to also possess a federal immigration status that authorizes the individual to practice as a physician or surgeon in the United States. During the provisional licensure period, the licensee is only to practice as a physician or surgeon under the direct supervision of a physician or surgeon fully licensed and in good standing to practice medicine in the State. The board is authorized to revoke a provisional license based on clear and compelling evidence that medical services provided by the licensee violated State medical safety, competency, or conduct standards established by the board and an appeals process in response to a revocation is also established for the licensee. A provisional license automatically converts to a full license to practice medicine in New Jersey upon 1) the completion by an international medical graduate of three years working as a physician or surgeon under the provisional license and 2) without, as determined by the board, impairment, malpractice, fraud, or other misconduct reported to the board. The bill delineates the requirements the board is authorized to establish for the issuance of a provisional license, or the conversion of this license into a full license. This includes requiring an individual to 1) acquire training equivalent to the requirements of individuals trained in the United States and 2) satisfactorily pass examinations as required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Lastly, the bill requires that a licensee with a provisional license disclose this information to patients, prior to the provision of any medical services.
AI Summary
This bill establishes a provisional licensure pathway for international medical graduates (IMGs) to practice medicine in New Jersey, aiming to address physician shortages. An IMG is defined as someone who has earned a medical degree from a reputable program within the last seven years, is in good standing with their home country's medical licensing body, has completed post-graduate training or practiced as a physician for at least five of the last seven years in their resident country, and has basic English fluency. To obtain a provisional license, valid for three years, an IMG must have a job offer from a New Jersey healthcare provider or be licensed in certain approved countries, and possess the necessary federal immigration status to work as a physician in the U.S. During this provisional period, IMGs must practice under the direct supervision of a fully licensed New Jersey physician. The State Board of Medical Examiners can revoke a provisional license for violations of medical safety, competency, or conduct standards, with an appeals process available. After three years of supervised practice without misconduct, and provided the board confirms equivalent training and satisfactory exam passage (like those required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education), the provisional license automatically converts to a full license. IMGs with provisional licenses are also required to inform patients of their status before providing care, and healthcare providers employing these IMGs cannot pay them less than 90% of the average compensation for physicians in the same specialty and region, excluding those in approved residency or fellowship programs.
Committee Categories
Health and Social Services
Sponsors (3)
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Infrastructure Committee (on 01/13/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/A3398 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/A3500/3398_I1.HTM |
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