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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the licensing requirements for a foreign-trained |
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physician applicant. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 155.0031(c) and (d), Occupations Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(c) Applicants for a license must subscribe to an oath [in
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writing before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths]. |
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The written oath is part of the application. |
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(d) An applicant must present proof satisfactory to the |
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board that: |
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(1) each medical school attended by the applicant is |
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substantially equivalent to a Texas medical school as determined by |
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board rule; or |
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(2) the applicant is specialty board certified by a |
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specialty board organization acceptable to the board. |
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SECTION 2. Section 155.004, Occupations Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 155.004. ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR |
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GRADUATES OF CERTAIN FOREIGN MEDICAL SCHOOLS. A license applicant |
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who is a graduate of a medical school that is located outside the |
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United States and Canada must present proof satisfactory to the |
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board that the applicant: |
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(1) is a graduate of a school whose curriculum meets |
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the requirements for an unapproved medical school as determined by |
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a committee of experts selected by the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board; |
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(2) has successfully completed: |
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(A) at least three years of graduate medical |
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training in the United States or Canada that was approved by the |
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board; or |
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(B) at least two years of graduate medical |
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training in the United States or Canada that was approved by the |
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board and at least one year of graduate medical training outside the |
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United States or Canada that was approved for advanced standing by a |
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specialty board organization approved by the board; |
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(3) [is eligible for a license to practice medicine in
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the country in which the school is located, except for any
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citizenship requirements;
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[(4)] holds a valid certificate issued by the |
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Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates; and |
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(4) [(5)] is able to communicate in English. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to physician applicants submitting license applications under |
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Chapter 155, Occupations Code, on or after the effective date of |
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this Act. An application submitted before that date is covered by |
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the law as it existed immediately before the effective date of this |
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Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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* * * * * |