Enrolled Bill Summary

House Bill 3674	House Author:  Thompson et al.
Effective:  9-1-09	Senate Sponsor:  Nelson et al.

            House Bill 3674 amends the Occupations Code to remove the condition that the oath required of applicants for a license to practice medicine in Texas be subscribed to in writing before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Previous law required an applicant for a license to practice medicine in Texas to present proof satisfactory to the Texas Medical Board that each medical school attended by the applicant is substantially equivalent to a Texas medical school as determined by the board.  The bill allows the applicant, as an alternative, to provide proof that the applicant is specialty board certified by a specialty board organization acceptable to the board.

            House Bill 3674 also removes the requirement that an applicant for a license to practice medicine who graduated from a medical school outside the United States and Canada present proof to the board that the applicant is eligible for a license to practice medicine in the country in which the school is located.  Previous law required such an applicant to provide proof that the applicant successfully completed at least three years of graduate medical training in the United States or Canada that was approved by the board.  The bill allows the applicant, as an alternative, to provide proof that the applicant has successfully completed at least two years of board-approved graduate medical training in the United States or Canada and at least one year of graduate medical training outside the United States or Canada that was approved for advanced standing by a board-approved specialty board organization.