An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Commission Regarding Foreign-trained Physicians Living in Maine to Establish a Sponsorship Program for International Medical Graduates
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 2268
Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Amends: 20-A MRSA §12103-B, 32 MRSA §3271

Legislative Document
No. 2268
H.P. 1458
House of Representatives, March 14, 2024
An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Commission 
Regarding Foreign-trained Physicians Living in Maine to Establish 
a Sponsorship Program for International Medical Graduates
Reported by Representative PERRY of Calais for the Joint Standing Committee on Health 
Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services pursuant to Resolve 2023, chapter 93, section 8.
Reference to the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services 
suggested and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 218.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §12103-B is enacted to read:
§12103-B.  International Medical Graduates Sponsorship Program
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Internationally trained physician" has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 
3271, subsection 8, paragraph A, subparagraph (1).
B. "Sponsoring institution" has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 3271, 
subsection 8, paragraph A, subparagraph (5).
2. Program established. The International Medical Graduates Sponsorship Program, 
referred to in this section as "the program," is established within the authority to make 
grants to sponsoring institutions to provide a pathway to licensure for internationally 
trained physicians in this State and to expand the number of physicians practicing in Maine 
physician shortage areas, as defined in Title 32, section 3271, subsection 8, paragraph A, 
subparagraph (2). The authority shall administer the program in accordance with the 
requirements of this section.
3. Administration. Under the program, the authority shall use available funding to 
establish up to 10 total positions annually at one or more sponsoring institutions for the 
employment and training of an internationally trained physician issued a limited license to 
practice medicine pursuant to Title 32, section 3271, subsection 8.  The authority shall enter 
into an agreement with each sponsoring institution that seeks to participate in the program.
4. Application. An internationally trained physician shall apply directly to each 
sponsoring institution for placement through the program and the sponsoring institution 
shall screen each applicant by using an existing process of a rural graduate medical 
education collaborative in the State.
5.  Fund created.  A nonlapsing, interest-earning, revolving fund under the jurisdiction 
of the authority, known as the International Medical Graduates Sponsorship Program Fund 
and referred to in this subsection as "the fund," is created to carry out the purposes of this 
section.  Any unexpended balance in the fund carries over for continued use under this 
section.  The authority may receive, invest and expend on behalf of the fund money from 
gifts, grants, bequests and donations or other sources in addition to money appropriated or 
allocated by the State.  Money in the fund must be invested by the authority, as provided 
by law, with the earned income to be added to the fund.  Money received by the authority 
on behalf of the fund must be used for the purposes of this section.
Sec. 2.  32 MRSA §3271, sub-§8 is enacted to read:
8.  Alternative license pathway for internationally trained physician.  
Notwithstanding any other requirements of this chapter, the board shall provide a pathway 
for an internationally trained physician who has been licensed or otherwise authorized to 
practice medicine in a country other than the United States and who meets the requirements 
of this subsection to apply for and obtain a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine 
in this State.
A. For the purposes of this subsection, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
(1) "Internationally trained physician" means a physician who has received a 
degree of doctor of medicine or its equivalent from a legally chartered medical 
school outside the United States recognized by the World Health Organization or 
its successor organization; who has been licensed or otherwise authorized to 
practice medicine in a country other than the United States; who has practiced 
medicine for at least one year; and who has lived in this State for at least 12 months.
(2) "Maine physician shortage area" means a geographic region or population in 
the State experiencing a shortage of physicians, relative to population and need, as 
determined by the board.
(3) "Medical licensing exam" means the United States Medical Licensing 
Examination or its successor examination.
(4) "Participating health care facility" means a health care facility approved by the 
board that provides a program for internationally trained physicians according to 
criteria developed or approved by the board and that provides medical care in a 
Maine physician shortage area.
(5) "Sponsoring institution" means any of the 4 hospitals in this State accredited 
by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education on January 1, 2024.
B.  An internationally trained physician may apply for a limited license to practice 
medicine for a renewable 2-year term if a sponsoring institution and the applicant 
submit evidence acceptable to the board that the applicant:
(1) Is an internationally trained physician;
(2) Has a valid certificate issued by the Educational Commission for Foreign 
Medical Graduates or its successor organization or other credential evaluation 
service approved by the board, except that the board may waive such certification 
at its discretion when the applicant is unable to obtain the required documentation;
(3) Has achieved a passing score on both Step 1 and Step 2 CK of the medical 
licensing exam;
(4) Has entered into an agreement with the sponsoring institution providing that 
the participating health care facility shall develop, assess and evaluate the 
applicant's familiarity with nonclinical skills and standards appropriate for the 
practice of medicine in the State, according to assessment and evaluation criteria 
developed or approved by the board;
(5) Has agreed to enter a full-time employment relationship with the sponsoring 
institution after the board issues to the applicant a limited license to practice 
medicine; and
(6) Has satisfied other criteria that may be developed by the board in fulfillment of 
this subsection.
C. A limited license to practice medicine granted by the board under paragraph B may 
be renewed twice, for a total 6-year period.
D. An internationally trained physician who provides the board with proof of 
successful completion of the sponsoring institution's program pursuant to Title 20-A, 
section 12103-B and a passing score on Step 3 of the medical licensing exam is eligible 
to apply for a renewable 2-year restricted license to practice medicine only at a 
participating health care facility in a Maine physician shortage area designated by the 
board, and that license authorizes the physician to practice medicine independently in 
a primary care setting or a specialty approved by the board.
E. After a minimum of 2 years of restricted practice pursuant to a license issued by the 
board under paragraph D, an internationally trained physician may apply for and the 
board may issue a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in accordance with 
this subsection.
SUMMARY
This bill implements certain recommendations of the Commission Regarding Foreign-
trained Physicians Living in Maine and is reported out by the Joint Standing Committee on 
Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services pursuant to Resolve 2023, chapter 93. 
The committee is reporting the bill out for the sole purpose of having a bill printed that can 
be referred to the committee for an appropriate public hearing and subsequent processing 
in the normal course and has not taken a substantive position on the bill.  The committee is 
taking this action to ensure clarity and transparency in the legislative review of the 
proposals contained in the bill.
The bill establishes a sponsorship program for international medical graduates. The bill 
provides funding for up to 10 total positions at any one time at sponsoring institutions 
responsible for training and employing eligible international medical graduates. 
Sponsoring institutions are the 4 teaching programs in the State accredited by the 
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. An internationally trained 
physician is provided a pathway to full licensure as a physician in the State as long as the 
internationally trained physician successfully does the following: 
1.  Completes the training provided by the sponsoring institution under a limited license 
to practice medicine granted by the Board of Licensure in Medicine; 
2.  Achieves a passing score on Step 3 of the national medical licensing exam; and 
3.  Practices medicine under a restricted license for minimum of 2 years at a 
participating health care facility in a Maine physician shortage area.