By: Cain S.B. No. 1295 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to licensure of certain international medical students who 1-2 have successfully completed a Fifth Pathway Program. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. The Medical Practice Act (Article 4495b, Vernon's 1-5 Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Section 3.041 to read 1-6 as follows: 1-7 Sec. 3.041. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS OF FOREIGN MEDICAL 1-8 SCHOOL STUDENTS. (a) An applicant who has been a student of a 1-9 foreign medical school, to be eligible for the issuance of a 1-10 license, must present satisfactory proof to the board that the 1-11 applicant: 1-12 (1) meets the requirements set out in Sections 3.03, 1-13 3.04, and 3.05 of this Act; 1-14 (2) has studied medicine in an acceptable medical 1-15 school, as defined by the board, located outside the United States 1-16 and Canada; 1-17 (3) has completed all of the didactic work of the 1-18 foreign medical school but has not graduated from the school; 1-19 (4) has attained a score satisfactory to a medical 1-20 school in the United States approved by the Liaison Committee on 1-21 Medical Education on a qualifying examination and has 1-22 satisfactorily completed one academic year of supervised clinical 1-23 training for foreign medical students, as defined by the American 2-1 Medical Association Council on Medical Education (Fifth Pathway 2-2 Program), under the direction of the medical school in the United 2-3 States; 2-4 (5) has attained a passing score on the Educational 2-5 Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates examination or other 2-6 examination, if required by the board; 2-7 (6) has successfully completed three years of graduate 2-8 medical training in the United States or Canada that was approved 2-9 by the board on the date the training was completed; and 2-10 (7) has passed an examination required by the board of 2-11 all applicants for license as required by this Act. 2-12 (b) Satisfaction of the requirements of this section are in 2-13 lieu of the completion of any requirements of the foreign medical 2-14 school beyond completion of the didactic work. 2-15 (c) Satisfaction of the requirements specified in Subsection 2-16 (a) of this section shall be in lieu of certification by the 2-17 Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, and the 2-18 certification is not a condition of licensure to practice medicine 2-19 in this state for candidates who have completed the requirements of 2-20 Subsection (a) of this section. 2-21 (d) A hospital that is licensed by this state, that is 2-22 operated by the state or a political subdivision of the state, or 2-23 that receives state financial assistance, directly or indirectly, 2-24 may not require an individual who has been a student of a foreign 2-25 medical school but has not graduated from the school to satisfy any 3-1 requirements other than those contained in Subsection (a) of this 3-2 section prior to commencing an internship or residency. 3-3 (e) A document granted by a medical school located outside 3-4 the United States issued after the completion of all the didactic 3-5 work of the foreign medical school shall, on certification by the 3-6 medical school in the United States in which the training was 3-7 received of satisfactory completion by the person to whom the 3-8 document was issued of the requirements listed in Subsection (a)(4) 3-9 of this section, be considered the equivalent of a degree of doctor 3-10 of medicine or doctor of osteopathy for purposes of licensure. 3-11 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 3-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-16 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-17 passage, and it is so enacted.