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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the issuance of a license to practice medicine to |
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certain applicants licensed or educated in a foreign country. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 155, Occupations Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 155.012 and 155.013 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 155.012. ISSUANCE OF LICENSE TO APPLICANT LICENSED TO |
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PRACTICE MEDICINE IN CERTAIN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. Notwithstanding |
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Sections 155.003, 155.004, 155.005, and 155.051, the board shall |
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issue a license to practice medicine to an applicant who presents |
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proof satisfactory to the board that the applicant: |
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(1) is a resident of and licensed in good standing to |
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practice medicine in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Israel, New |
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Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, or the United |
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Kingdom; |
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(2) has been granted a degree of doctor of medicine or |
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a substantially similar degree by a program of medical education |
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determined by the board to be in good standing in accordance with |
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board rule; |
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(3) has: |
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(A) completed a residency or substantially |
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similar postgraduate medical training in the applicant's country of |
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residence; or |
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(B) practiced as a medical professional |
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performing the duties of a physician in the applicant's country of |
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residence for not less than two years; |
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(4) has proficiency in the English language; and |
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(5) is authorized under federal law to work in the |
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United States. |
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Sec. 155.013. ISSUANCE OF LICENSE TO GRADUATE OF CERTAIN |
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BOARD-APPROVED FOREIGN MEDICAL PROGRAMS. (a) Notwithstanding |
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Sections 155.003, 155.004, and 155.005, the board shall issue a |
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license to practice medicine to an applicant who satisfies: |
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(1) the eligibility requirements of this section; and |
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(2) the examination requirements of Section 155.051. |
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(b) To be eligible for a license under this section, an |
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applicant must present proof satisfactory to the board that the |
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applicant: |
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(1) has been granted a degree of doctor of medicine or |
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a substantially similar degree by a foreign medical program |
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approved under Subsection (c); |
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(2) is licensed in good standing to practice medicine |
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in another country; |
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(3) has: |
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(A) completed a residency or substantially |
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similar postgraduate medical training in the applicant's country of |
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licensure; or |
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(B) practiced as a medical professional |
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performing the duties of a physician in the applicant's country of |
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licensure for not less than two years; |
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(4) has proficiency in the English language; and |
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(5) is authorized under federal law to work in the |
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United States. |
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(c) The board shall adopt rules regarding the approval of |
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foreign medical programs for purposes of this section. Rules |
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adopted under this subsection must provide that a foreign medical |
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program is eligible to apply under this section only if the program |
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is a medical school, residency program, medical internship program, |
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or other entity that provides medical education or training outside |
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of the United States that is substantially similar to the education |
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or training provided by a medical school described by Section |
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155.003(a)(4). |
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(d) The board shall approve an application under this |
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section not later than the 120th day after the date the application |
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is submitted unless: |
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(1) the board determines the applicant does not meet |
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the eligibility requirements described by Subsection (c); or |
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(2) the board finds by clear and convincing evidence |
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that the majority of the program's graduates are not likely to |
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provide medical care that satisfies applicable board standards |
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relating to safety, competency, or professional conduct in the |
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practice of medicine. |
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(e) A foreign medical program may appeal the board's denial |
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of the program's application under this section. The appeal is |
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considered to be a contested case under Chapter 2001, Government |
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Code. |
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(f) The board shall approve for purposes of this section a |
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foreign medical program if at least five graduates of the program |
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have been issued a license to practice medicine under Section |
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155.1015(c). |
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(g) The board shall maintain on the board's Internet website |
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a list of all foreign medical programs approved under this section |
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and provide a copy of the list on request. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 155, Occupations Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 155.1015 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 155.1015. ISSUANCE OF PROVISIONAL LICENSE TO CERTAIN |
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FOREIGN MEDICAL PROGRAM GRADUATES WITH OFFERS OF EMPLOYMENT. (a) |
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On application, the board shall issue a provisional license to |
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practice medicine to an applicant who: |
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(1) has been granted a degree of doctor of medicine or |
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a substantially similar degree by a foreign program of medical |
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education determined to be in good standing in accordance with |
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board rule; |
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(2) is licensed in good standing to practice medicine |
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in another country; |
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(3) has: |
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(A) completed a residency or substantially |
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similar postgraduate medical training in the applicant's country of |
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licensure; or |
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(B) practiced as a medical professional |
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performing the duties of a physician in the applicant's country of |
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licensure for not less than two years; |
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(4) has proficiency in the English language; |
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(5) is authorized under federal law to work in the |
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United States; |
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(6) satisfies the examination requirements of Section |
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155.051; and |
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(7) has been offered employment in this state as a |
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physician by a person who provides health care services in the |
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normal course of business, including a health system, hospital, |
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hospital-based facility, freestanding emergency facility, or |
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urgent care clinic. |
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(b) A provisional license issued under this section expires |
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on the earlier of: |
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(1) the date the board issues the provisional license |
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holder a license under this subtitle or denies the provisional |
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license holder's application for a license under Subsection (c); or |
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(2) the third anniversary of the date the provisional |
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license was issued. |
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(c) On application, the board shall issue a license under |
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this subtitle to the holder of a provisional license under this |
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section if the provisional license holder: |
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(1) will have practiced under the provisional license |
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for at least three years at the time the license will be issued; and |
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(2) satisfies any other requirement under board rule |
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for the issuance of a license under this subsection. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than December 1, 2025, the Texas |
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Medical Board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement Sections |
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155.012, 155.013, and 155.1015, Occupations Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |