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State licensure board requirements for IMG
State Model Legislation for State Licensure Parity for IMGs - This model bill is intended to serve as language to be inserted in the appropriate section as an amendment to a state's Medical Practice Act, "To provide that Graduates of Foreign Medical Schools Shall Meet the Same Requirements for Licensure by Endorsement as Graduates of Accredited United States and Canadian Medical Schools." This model legistlation was developed in 1988 and as of spring 2008 is still valid.
Note regarding the Fifth Pathway:
As of June 30, 2009, through action of the AMA Council on Medical Education, the Fifth Pathway will be discontinued. The Council will no longer support the Fifth Pathway as a mechanism for eligibility to enter the first year of ACGME-accredited graduate medical education programs.
In 1971, the AMA established a special program to assist Americans wishing to return to the U.S. after attending a foreign medical school. This program, called the Fifth Pathway, is available to persons studying abroad who have:
- Completed their premedical work in a U.S.-accredited college of quality acceptable for matriculation in an accredited U.S. medical school;
- Studied medicine in a foreign medical school located outside the US, including Puerto Rico, and Canada that is listed in the International Medical Education Directory, available on the ECFMG Web site at www.ecfmg.org and developed and maintained by the Foundation for the Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER), a nonprofit foundation of the ECFMG.
- Completed all requirements for admission to practice except internship and/or social service in the foreign country.
If these criteria are met, the IMG is able to substitute the Fifth Pathway program for internship and/or social service in the foreign country. After being provided with a Fifth Pathway certificate by an accredited U.S. medical school, these Americans are eligible to enter the first year of accredited U.S. graduate training.
| Accepts Physicians Who Complete a Fifth Pathway Program as Candidates for Licensure | Endorses Canadian Certificate (LMCC) Held by an IMG | Amount of Accredited US or Canadian Graduate Medical Education Required | ||
| … to Take USMLE Step 3 | …For Licensure | |||
| Alabama | Yes | Yes | 2 yrs (must be enrolled in 3rd yr of GME prog. | 3 yrs |
| Alaska | Yes | Yes | 1 yr | 3 yrs |
| Arizona | Yes | Yes | 6 mos. | 3 yrs |
| Arkansas | Yes | Yes | none | 3 yrs (if currently enrolled in prgm at U of Arkansas for Med Sci) |
| California | Yes | Yes | None | 2 yrs (including 4 mos general med) |
| Colorado | Yes | Yes/No (case by case review) | 3 yrs | 3 yrs |
| Connecticut | Yes | Yes | None | 2 yrs |
| Delaware | Yes | No | 1 yr | 3 yrs |
| DC | Yes | Yes | 3 yrs | 3 yrs |
| Florida | Yes | No | None | 2 yrs |
| Georgia | Yes | Yes | 1-3 yrs | 3 yrs |
| Guam | No | No | 2 yrs | 3 yrs |
| Hawaii | Yes | No | 1 yr | 2 yrs |
| Idaho | Yes | No | 2 yrs 9 mos | 3 yrs |
| Illinois | Yes | Yes | 1 yr | 1 yr (entered GME pre-1988) 2 yrs (entered GME post –1988) |
| Indiana | Yes | Yes | 2 yrs | 2 yrs |
| Iowa | Yes | Yes (with valid Canadian provincial license and fulfillment of all other licensure requirements) | 7 mos (or enrollment in GME prgm approved by board at time of application for Step 3) | 2 yrs AOA-, ACGME-, RCPSC-, or CFPC-accredited GME |
| Kansas | Yes | Yes | 2 yrs or enrollment in GME program in Kansas | 2 yrs |
| Kentucky | Yes | Yes | 1 yr | 2 yrs |
| Louisiana | Yes | No | None | 3 yrs (fifth pathway may be counted as 1 yr of required GME) |
| Maine | Yes | Yes | 1 yr | 3 yrs |
| Maryland | Yes | Yes | None ( 1 yr if 3 fails in any step) | 2 yrs AOA- or ACGME-accred GME as of 10/2000 |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Yes | 1 yr | 2 yrs |
| Michigan | Yes | Yes,(with valid Canadian license) | 6 mos | 2 yrs |
| Minnesota | Yes | Yes | None (must be enrolled in GME) | 2 yrs |
| Mississippi | Yes | No | 1 yr | 3 yrs (or 1 yr plus ABMS certification) |
| Missouri | Yes | No | 3 yrs | 3 yrs |
| Montana | Yes | No | 3 yrs | 3 yrs (or ABMS or AOA certification) |
| Nebraska | Yes | Yes | None | 3 yrs |
| Nevada | Yes | Yes | None | 3 yrs |
| New Hampshire | Yes | Yes | 1 yr | 2 yrs |
| New Jersey | Yes | No | 1 yr | 3 yrs (1 yr if medical school completed before 7/1/85; 2yrs, and contract for year 3, if graducated after July 1, 2003) |
| New Mexico | Yes | No | 1 yr | 2 yrs |
| New York | Yes | Yes (with valid Canadian provincial license and fulfillment of all other licensure requirements) | None | 3 yrs |
| North Carolina | Yes | Yes | 3 yrs (none if enrolled in state) | 3 yrs |
| North Dakota | Yes | Yes | 1 yr (none if enrolled in state) | 3 yrs |
| Ohio | Yes | Yes | 9 mos | 2 yrs (through the 2nd year level) |
| Oklahoma | Yes | Yes | none | 2 yrs |
| Oregon | Yes | Yes | none (must be in GME program) | 3 yrs |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Yes (if passed after 5/70 and in English) | None | 3 yrs (1 yr if GME taken in US before 7/87) |
| Puerto Rico | Yes | Yes | None | 3 yrs |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Yes (with valid Canadian provincial license and fulfillment of all other licensure requirements) | 1 yr | 3 yrs |
| South Carolina | Yes | Yes | 3 yrs | 3 yrs |
| South Dakota | Yes | Yes | 1 yr | Completion of residency(1 yr if US GME taken before 7/87) |
| Tennessee | Yes | Yes | 1 yr | 3 yrs |
| Texas | Yes | Yes | None | 3 yrs |
| Utah | Yes | No | None | 2 yrs |
| Vermont | Yes | No | 7 mos | 3 yrs (Canadian GME not accepted) |
| Virgin Islands | No | No | Not applicable | 1 yr US GME |
| Virginia | Yes | Yes | None | 2 yrs |
| Washington | Yes | Yes (if passed after 12/69) | 1 yr | 2 yrs (1 yr if medical school completed before 7/28/85) |
| West Virginia | Yes | Yes | None | 3 yrs (or 1 yr plus ABMS certification) |
| Wisconsin | Yes | Yes (if passed after 12/77) | 1 yr | 1 yr |
| Wyoming | Yes | Yes | 2 yrs | 2 yrs |
Source: American Medical Association. State Medical Licensure Requirements and Statistics, 2008. Chicago, Ill: 2008.
Note: Please refer to this source for more information on state regulations. All information should be verified with the licensing board.
State Medical Licensing Board Phone Listing
| Alabama (334) 242-4116 Alaska (907) 269-8163 Arizona (480) 551-2700 Arkansas (501) 296-1802 California (916) 263-2389 Colorado (303) 894-7690 Connecticut (860) 509-7648 Delaware (302) 744-4520 DC (202) 724-4900 Florida (904) 488-0595 Georgia (404) 656-3913 Hawaii (808) 586-3000 Idaho (208) 327-7000 Illinois (217) 785-3209 Indiana (317) 234-2011 Iowa (515) 281-5171 Kansas (785) 296-7413 Kentucky (502) 429-7150 Louisiana (504) 568-6820 x 262 Maine (207) 287-3601 Maryland (410) 764-4777 Massachusetts (617) 654-9800 Michigan (517) 373-6873 Minnesota (612) 617-2130 Missouri (573) 751-0098 | Montana (406) 841-2364 Nebraska (402) 471-2118 Mississippi (601) 987-3079 Nevada (775) 688-2559 New Hampshire (603) 271-1205 New Jersey (609) 826-7100 New Mexico (505) 476-7221 New York (518) 474-3817 x560 North Carolina (919) 326-1100 x218 North Dakota (701) 328-6500 Ohio (614) 466-3934 Oklahoma (405) 848-6841 Oregon (503) 229-5770 Pennsylvania (717) 783-1400 Rhode Island (401) 222-3855 South Carolina (803) 896-4500 South Dakota (605) 336-1965 Tennessee (615) 532-3202 Texas (512) 305-7010 Utah (801) 530-6628 Vermont (802) 828-2673 Virginia (804) 657-4220 Washington (360) 236-4790 West Virginia (304) 558-2921 x227 Wisconsin (608) 266-8098 Wyoming (307) 778-7053 |
Content provided by: IMG Section