AB 656

Under current law, an applicant for a license to practice as a physician in this

state who is a graduate of a foreign medical college (“foreign applicant”) must provide

evidence satisfactory to the Medical Examining Board (“Board”) of several facts in

order to acquire a license to practice as a physician in this state. This bill makes

several changes to the process that individuals who are graduates of foreign medical

colleges may use to apply for and obtain a license to practice as a physician in this

state by allowing an individual who is a foreign applicant to acquire a license if the

individual satisfies all of the following conditions:

1. The individual is an “international medical graduate.” The bill defines

“international medical graduate” as an individual who has been granted a degree of

doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy or an equivalent degree by a “qualified

international medical program,” is in good standing with the medical licensing or

regulatory institution of their resident country, can speak fluently in the English

language, and is lawfully admitted to work in this country. The bill defines “qualified

international medical program” as any medical school, residency program, medical

internship program, or other entity that is accredited by the World Federation for

Medical Education or a successor organization and provides physicians with a

medical education or training outside the United States that satisfies Wisconsin

medical safety, competence, and conduct standards.

2. The individual accomplishes one of the following:

a. The individual receives credit for 24 months of postgraduate training with

an appropriate organization as set forth in the bill.

b. The individual is enrolled in a postgraduate training program with an

appropriate organization as set forth in the bill and the applicant receives an

unrestricted endorsement from the postgraduate training program director.

c. The individual provides evidence satisfactory to the Board that the

individual has been continuously engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery

outside this state for at least three years.

3. The individual satisfies any other requirements established by the Board by

rule. The bill restricts the Board from establishing rules requiring the applicant to

have an amount of experience that exceeds what is otherwise required under law,

and from establishing rules requiring the applicant to have practice experience in

specified locations beyond what is required under law.

Finally, the bill eliminates the requirement under current law that an

individual who is a foreign applicant obtain certification from the Educational

Council for Foreign Medical Graduates or its successor organization in order to

acquire a license to practice as a physician in this state.