Bill > HB2571

This bill allows the Board of Medical Examiners to issue a provisional training license for two years, with a possible one-year extension, to physicians trained internationally who have passed a required examination and meet specific criteria, such as having a diploma from an acceptable medical school, a permanent ECFMG certificate (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, which verifies the qualifications of international medical graduates), completed at least three years of postgraduate training in an approved country or one year in the U.S., maintained good standing with their home country's medical licensing body, and demonstrated good moral character, while also being a U.S. citizen, qualified alien, or having applied to live or work in the U.S., and paying a $300 fee. To obtain this provisional license, applicants must also prove they have an offer of employment from specific types of healthcare employers in Tennessee, such as federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, community health centers, or entities with accredited postgraduate training programs, all of which must have an onsite supervising physician who practices in the same specialty and is board-certified. After two years of satisfactory practice in Tennessee under this provisional license, and upon passing all steps of the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), the physician can be granted a full, unrestricted license to practice medicine. The bill also authorizes the boards to create rules to implement these changes, with the act taking effect for rule-making purposes immediately and for all other purposes on January 31, 2027.