An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Commission
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0105
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: MATHIESON
Amends: 20-A MRSA §12103-B, 32 MRSA §3271

Legislative Document
No. 105
H.P. 70
House of Representatives, January 8, 2025
An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Commission 
Regarding Foreign-trained Physicians Living in Maine to Establish 
a Sponsorship Program for Internationally Trained Physicians
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MATHIESON of Kittery.
Cosponsored by Representative: CLOUTIER of Lewiston.
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. "Physician shortage area" has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 3271, 
subsection 8, paragraph A, subparagraph (4).
C. "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 an alternative license pathway for 
internationally trained physicians in this State and to expand the number of physicians 
practicing in physician shortage areas. 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 a total of 10 positions annually at one or more sponsoring institutions for 
the employment and training of internationally trained physicians issued a temporary 
educational license to practice medicine pursuant to Title 32, section 3271, subsection 8, 
paragraph B.  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 a rural 
graduate medical education collaborative in the State for screening and placement by using 
a process and qualifying criteria developed by 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 reasonable administrative expenses and for the 
purposes of this section.
6.  Rules.  The authority may adopt rules as necessary to implement this section.  Rules 
adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 
375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2.  32 MRSA §3271, sub-§8 is enacted to read:
8.  Alternative license pathway for internationally trained physicians.  
Notwithstanding any other requirements of this chapter, the board shall provide an 
alternative license 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; and who has practiced 
medicine for at least one year.
(2) "Medical licensing examination" means the United States Medical Licensing 
Examination or its successor examination.
(3) "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 
physician shortage area.
(4) "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.
(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 temporary educational license 
to practice medicine for a renewable 2-year term if a sponsoring institution and the 
internationally trained physician submit evidence acceptable to the board that the 
internationally trained physician:
(1) Has lived in this State for at least 12 months;
(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 internationally trained physician is unable to obtain the 
required documentation;
(3) Has achieved a passing score on both Step 1 and on Step 2 CK of the medical 
licensing examination;
(4) Has entered into an agreement with the sponsoring institution providing that a 
participating health care facility shall develop, assess and evaluate the 
internationally trained 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 internationally trained physician a 
temporary educational license pursuant to this paragraph; and
(6) Has satisfied any other criteria that may be developed by the board that the 
board considers necessary.
C. A temporary educational license to practice medicine granted by the board under 
paragraph B may be renewed twice, for a total of 6 years.
D. An internationally trained physician who provides the board with proof of 
successful completion of the sponsoring institution's program under paragraph B and a 
passing score on Step 3 of the medical licensing examination is eligible to apply for a 
renewable 2-year license to practice medicine only at a participating health care facility 
in a 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 practicing medicine pursuant to a license issued by the board under paragraph 
D for a minimum of 6 years, 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.
F.  Beginning January 1, 2027 and biennially thereafter, the board shall report to the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over matters related to 
the licensing of physicians on the status of the International Medical Graduates 
Sponsorship Program established in Title 20-A, section 12103-B and the alternative 
license pathway established in this subsection. The board shall report on the number of 
internationally trained physicians participating in the program and the progress of those 
physicians toward obtaining full and unrestricted licenses to practice medicine in this 
State. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over matters 
related to the licensing of physicians may report out legislation based on the report 
submitted in accordance with this paragraph to the session of the Legislature in which 
the report is submitted.
SUMMARY
This bill establishes a sponsorship program within the Finance Authority of Maine to 
make grants to sponsoring institutions to provide an alternative license pathway for 
internationally trained physicians in the State and to expand the number of physicians 
practicing in areas in the State experiencing a shortage of physicians.  Under the program, 
internationally trained physicians are provided a pathway to full and unrestricted licensure 
as physicians in the State as long as certain requirements are met.