Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 112, sec. 9 — MA Code / Part I / Title XVI / Chapter 112 / Section 9
Limited registration; qualifications; internationally-trained physicians; revocation
Status: in_force

Section 9. (a)(1) An applicant for limited registration under this section may, upon payment of a fee to be determined annually by the secretary of administration and finance under section 3B of chapter 7, be registered by the board of registration of medicine as an intern, fellow or medical officer for such time as it may subscribe if the applicant furnishes to the board with satisfactory proof that: (i) the applicant is at least 18 years of age and of good moral character; (ii)(A) the applicant has creditably completed 2 years of a premedical course of study at an accredited college or university and not less than 31/2 years of study in a legally chartered medical school in the United States or Canada having the power to grant degrees in medicine; (B) if not enrolled in or a graduate of a legally chartered medical school in the United States or Canada, the applicant is the holder of a standard certificate granted after an examination by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates unless granted an exemption by the board; or (C) the applicant has completed a minimum of 2 years of premedical education at an accredited college or university in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico or, if the applicant has studied medicine in a medical school outside the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico that is recognized by the World Health Organization, has completed all the formal requirements for the degree corresponding to doctor of medicine, except internship and social service and has completed 1 year of clinical clerkship approved by the liaison committee on medical education of the American Medical Association; and (iii)(A) the applicant has been appointed as an intern, fellow or medical officer in: (1) a hospital or other institution of the commonwealth or a county or municipality thereof; (2) a hospital or clinic that is incorporated under the laws of the commonwealth; (3) a clinic that is affiliated with a hospital licensed by the department of public health under section 71 of chapter 111; (4) an outpatient clinic operated by the department of mental health; (5) the department of public health for duty in clinics or in programs operated or approved by the department of public health; or (6) programs approved by the board of registration in medicine and leading toward certification by specialty boards recognized by the American Medical Association; or (B) the applicant has applied to participate in the medical assistance program administered by the secretary of health and human services under chapter 118E and Title XIX of the Social Security Act and any federal demonstration or waiver relating to the medical assistance program for the limited purpose of ordering and referring services covered under the program if regulations governing such limited participation are promulgated under section 37 of said chapter 118E. (2) A person with a limited registration under this section may practice medicine only in: (i) the hospital, institution, clinic or program designated on the applicant's certificate of limited registration or outside such hospital, institution, clinic or program under the supervision of 1 of its medical officers who is a duly registered physician for the treatment of persons accepted by such hospital, institution, clinic or program as patients; or (ii) any hospital, institution, clinic or program affiliated for training purposes with the hospital, institution, clinic or program designated on the certificate, which affiliation shall be approved by the board and pursuant to regulations established by the hospital, institution, clinic or program. The name of the hospital, institution, clinic or program so affiliated and so approved shall be indicated on the certificate. Limited registration under this section may be revoked at any time by the board. (b) Notwithstanding this section, an internationally-trained physician who has been licensed or otherwise authorized to practice medicine in a country other than the United States shall be eligible to apply for a limited license to practice medicine for a 1–year term after satisfying the criteria in paragraph (2) of subsection (c); provided, however, that the 1–year limited license shall not be renewed more than once; and provided further, that such limited registration shall provide a pathway for the issuance of a full unrestricted license to practice medicine in accordance with, and upon satisfaction of, the criteria in paragraph (3) of said subsection (c). (c)(1) For the purposes of this subsection, the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise: ''Commission'', the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. ''Internationally-trained physician'', a physician who has received a degree of doctor of medicine or its equivalent from a legally chartered medical school outside the United States and recognized by the World Health Organization and who has been licensed or otherwise authorized to practice medicine in a country other than the United States and who has practiced medicine for at least 1 year. ''Licensing exam'', the United States Medical Licensing Examination. ''Participating healthcare facility'', a federally-qualified health center, community health center, hospital or other healthcare facility approved by the board that provides an assessment and evaluation program designed to develop, assess and evaluate an internationally-trained physician's nonclinical skills according to criteria developed or approved by the board; provided, that a participating healthcare facility shall provide medical care in a physician shortage area. ''Physician shortage area'', a geographic region or population in the commonwealth experiencing a shortage of physicians, especially primary care physicians or psychiatrists, relative to population and need; provided, however, that the health care workforce center or its equivalent in the department of public health shall assist the board in determining the regions or populations comprising a ''physician shortage area''. (2) The board shall issue a limited license to an applicant if the participating facility and the applicant submit evidence acceptable to the board that the applicant: (i) is an internationally-trained physician; (ii) has a valid certificate issued by the commission or other credential evaluation service approved by the board; provided, however, that the board may waive such certification if the applicant is unable to obtain the required documentation from a noncooperating country; (iii) has achieved a passing score on Step 1 and Step 2–Clinical Knowledge of the Licensing Exam; (iv) has entered into an agreement with the participating healthcare facility providing that the facility shall develop, assess and evaluate the applicant's familiarity with nonclinical skills and standards appropriate for medical practice in the commonwealth according to assessment and evaluation criteria developed or approved by the board; (v) shall enter a full-time full employment relationship with the participating facility after the board issues a limited license to practice medicine to the applicant; and (vi) has satisfied other criteria that may be developed by the board to implement this subsection. (3) An internationally-trained physician who provides the board with proof of: (i) successful completion of the participating facility's assessment and evaluation program; (ii) a passing score on Step 3 of the Licensing Exam; and (iii) any additional prerequisites that the board may require, may apply for a renewable 2–year restricted license to practice medicine only in a physician shortage area; provided, however, that a 2–year restricted license shall not be renewed more than once; and provided further, that any additional prerequisites for eligibility shall not include post-graduate clinical training and that the restricted license shall authorize the holder to practice independently in a primary care specialty, psychiatry or other specialty as may be approved by the board. After 2 years of restricted practice, the internationally-trained physician may apply for a full, unrestricted license to practice medicine.

Section 9. (a)(1) An applicant for limited registration under this section may, upon payment of a fee to be determined annually by the secretary of administration and finance under section 3B of chapter 7, be registered by the board of registration of medicine as an intern, fellow or medical officer for such time as it may subscribe if the applicant furnishes to the board with satisfactory proof that:

(i) the applicant is at least 18 years of age and of good moral character;

(ii)(A) the applicant has creditably completed 2 years of a premedical course of study at an accredited college or university and not less than 31/2 years of study in a legally chartered medical school in the United States or Canada having the power to grant degrees in medicine; (B) if not enrolled in or a graduate of a legally chartered medical school in the United States or Canada, the applicant is the holder of a standard certificate granted after an examination by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates unless granted an exemption by the board; or (C) the applicant has completed a minimum of 2 years of premedical education at an accredited college or university in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico or, if the applicant has studied medicine in a medical school outside the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico that is recognized by the World Health Organization, has completed all the formal requirements for the degree corresponding to doctor of medicine, except internship and social service and has completed 1 year of clinical clerkship approved by the liaison committee on medical education of the American Medical Association; and

(iii)(A) the applicant has been appointed as an intern, fellow or medical officer in: (1) a hospital or other institution of the commonwealth or a county or municipality thereof; (2) a hospital or clinic that is incorporated under the laws of the commonwealth; (3) a clinic that is affiliated with a hospital licensed by the department of public health under section 71 of chapter 111; (4) an outpatient clinic operated by the department of mental health; (5) the department of public health for duty in clinics or in programs operated or approved by the department of public health; or (6) programs approved by the board of registration in medicine and leading toward certification by specialty boards recognized by the American Medical Association; or

(B) the applicant has applied to participate in the medical assistance program administered by the secretary of health and human services under chapter 118E and Title XIX of the Social Security Act and any federal demonstration or waiver relating to the medical assistance program for the limited purpose of ordering and referring services covered under the program if regulations governing such limited participation are promulgated under section 37 of said chapter 118E.

(2) A person with a limited registration under this section may practice medicine only in: (i) the hospital, institution, clinic or program designated on the applicant's certificate of limited registration or outside such hospital, institution, clinic or program under the supervision of 1 of its medical officers who is a duly registered physician for the treatment of persons accepted by such hospital, institution, clinic or program as patients; or (ii) any hospital, institution, clinic or program affiliated for training purposes with the hospital, institution, clinic or program designated on the certificate, which affiliation shall be approved by the board and pursuant to regulations established by the hospital, institution, clinic or program. The name of the hospital, institution, clinic or program so affiliated and so approved shall be indicated on the certificate. Limited registration under this section may be revoked at any time by the board.

(b) Notwithstanding this section, an internationally-trained physician who has been licensed or otherwise authorized to practice medicine in a country other than the United States shall be eligible to apply for a limited license to practice medicine for a 1–year term after satisfying the criteria in paragraph (2) of subsection (c); provided, however, that the 1–year limited license shall not be renewed more than once; and provided further, that such limited registration shall provide a pathway for the issuance of a full unrestricted license to practice medicine in accordance with, and upon satisfaction of, the criteria in paragraph (3) of said subsection (c).

(c)(1) For the purposes of this subsection, the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

''Commission'', the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.

''Internationally-trained physician'', a physician who has received a degree of doctor of medicine or its equivalent from a legally chartered medical school outside the United States and recognized by the World Health Organization and who has been licensed or otherwise authorized to practice medicine in a country other than the United States and who has practiced medicine for at least 1 year.

''Licensing exam'', the United States Medical Licensing Examination.

''Participating healthcare facility'', a federally-qualified health center, community health center, hospital or other healthcare facility approved by the board that provides an assessment and evaluation program designed to develop, assess and evaluate an internationally-trained physician's nonclinical skills according to criteria developed or approved by the board; provided, that a participating healthcare facility shall provide medical care in a physician shortage area.

''Physician shortage area'', a geographic region or population in the commonwealth experiencing a shortage of physicians, especially primary care physicians or psychiatrists, relative to population and need; provided, however, that the health care workforce center or its equivalent in the department of public health shall assist the board in determining the regions or populations comprising a ''physician shortage area''.

(2) The board shall issue a limited license to an applicant if the participating facility and the applicant submit evidence acceptable to the board that the applicant: (i) is an internationally-trained physician; (ii) has a valid certificate issued by the commission or other credential evaluation service approved by the board; provided, however, that the board may waive such certification if the applicant is unable to obtain the required documentation from a noncooperating country; (iii) has achieved a passing score on Step 1 and Step 2–Clinical Knowledge of the Licensing Exam; (iv) has entered into an agreement with the participating healthcare facility providing that the facility shall develop, assess and evaluate the applicant's familiarity with nonclinical skills and standards appropriate for medical practice in the commonwealth according to assessment and evaluation criteria developed or approved by the board; (v) shall enter a full-time full employment relationship with the participating facility after the board issues a limited license to practice medicine to the applicant; and (vi) has satisfied other criteria that may be developed by the board to implement this subsection.

(3) An internationally-trained physician who provides the board with proof of: (i) successful completion of the participating facility's assessment and evaluation program; (ii) a passing score on Step 3 of the Licensing Exam; and (iii) any additional prerequisites that the board may require, may apply for a renewable 2–year restricted license to practice medicine only in a physician shortage area; provided, however, that a 2–year restricted license shall not be renewed more than once; and provided further, that any additional prerequisites for eligibility shall not include post-graduate clinical training and that the restricted license shall authorize the holder to practice independently in a primary care specialty, psychiatry or other specialty as may be approved by the board. After 2 years of restricted practice, the internationally-trained physician may apply for a full, unrestricted license to practice medicine.