Date of Adoption: July 11, 2001.

     Purpose: WAC 246-919-340 International medical graduate. This rule outlines additional requirements for applicants who have graduated from a medical school outside the United States or Canada.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 246-919-340.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.71.017 and 18.71.050.

     Other Authority: Chapter 18.71 RCW.

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 01-12-096 on June 6, 2001.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
     Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

August 2, 2001

Maryella E. Jansen

Acting Executive Director

OTS-4814.1

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 96-03-073, filed 1/17/96, effective 2/17/96)

WAC 246-919-340   Additional requirements for international medical school graduates.   All graduates of medical schools outside the United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico must have either:

     (1) ((Except in unusual circumstances, which shall be considered individually by the commission, all graduates of international medical schools who were not)) Been licensed in another state prior to 1958 ((must have obtained the certificate granted by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) or must qualify for exemption as provided for in other sections of these rules and regulations.));

     (2) ((A United States citizen or resident alien who has obtained his medical education in a medical school outside the United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico shall be eligible for licensure in the state of Washington if he or she has satisfied the following requirements:

     (a) Has completed all of the formal academic requirements for graduation from a medical school outside the United States, provided that such medical school provides a resident course of professional instruction equivalent to that required under RCW 18.71.055 for approval of United States and Canadian schools. An internship and/or social service in an international country shall not be considered to be a part of the formal academic requirements;

     (b) Has successfully completed one academic year of supervised clinical training in a program approved by the commission. Approval of such program shall be based on the following requirements:

     (i) The program shall be sponsored by a United States medical school approved by the commission;

     (ii) The school must provide supervision equivalent to that given undergraduate medical students;

     (iii) Admission to such a program shall be contingent upon review of the applicant's academic achievement, completion of the formal academic curriculum of the international medical school, and the attainment of a score satisfactory to the medical school in a qualifying examination acceptable to the commission such as Part 1 of the National Board examination, or day-1 of FLEX examination, or the ECFMG examination;

     (iv) The program must include experience in each of the major clinical disciplines;

     (c) Has completed the postgraduate clinical hospital training required by the commission of all applicants for licensure; and

     (d) Has passed the examination required by the commission of all applicants for licensure.

     (3) Satisfaction of the requirements of subsection (2) of this section shall substitute for the completion of any international internship and/or social service required by the international medical school or government as a condition to the awarding of a medical degree or licensure, and no such requirements shall be a condition of licensure as a physician in this state.

     (4) Certification by the ECFMG shall not be a condition of licensure as a physician in this state for candidates who have successfully completed the requirements of subsection (2) of this section.

     (5) All persons issued a license to practice medicine and surgery by the medical quality assurance commission shall possess all the rights and privileges thereof, including the use of the title "doctor of medicine" and the initials "M.D."

     (6) Graduates of international medical schools who do not qualify for licensure under these rules and regulations will be required to meet the rules previously adopted by the commission)) Obtained a certificate with an indefinite status granted by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG); or

     (3) Successfully completed one year of supervised academic clinical training in the United States, commonly referred to as a Fifth Pathway program.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.71.017 and 18.71A.020. 96-03-073, § 246-919-340, filed 1/17/96, effective 2/17/96.]

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