SB 1243: RELATING TO FOREIGN MEDICAL GRADUATES.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO FOREIGN MEDICAL GRADUATES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  Section 453-4.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§453-4.5  Foreign medical graduates; alternative qualifications.  Notwithstanding section 453-4(b)(2)(B), a graduate of a foreign medical school who has [passed]:

     (1)  Passed the Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX) or the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), or a combination of these examinations as approved by the board, with scores deemed satisfactory to the board[, passed];

     (2)  Passed the qualifying examination of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates prior to 1984[,]; and [has at]

     (3)  At least three years of medical training or experience in a hospital approved by the Council on Medical Education and Hospitals of the American Medical Association for internship or residency; provided that one of the three years of medical training or experience may be substituted by one year of fellowship training where the parent program or hospital is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education;

may be licensed by the Hawaii medical board under section 453‑4(c)."

     SECTION 2.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on December 31, 2050.

Report Title:

Medical and Surgery; License; Qualifications; Foreign Medical Graduates; Alternative Qualifications; Fellowship

Description:

Allows foreign medical school graduates applying for a license to practice medicine and surgery to substitute one year of required medical training or experience in a hospital with one year of fellowship training where the parent program or hospital is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.  Effective 12/31/2050.  (SD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to foreign medical graduates.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  Section 453-4.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§453-4.5  Foreign medical graduates; alternative qualifications.  Notwithstanding section 453-4(b)(2)(B), a graduate of a foreign medical school who has [passed]:

     (1)  Passed the Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX) or the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), or a combination of these examinations as approved by the board, with scores deemed satisfactory to the board[, passed];

     (2)  Passed the qualifying examination of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates prior to 1984[,]; and [has at]

     (3)  At least three years of medical training or experience in a hospital approved by the Council on Medical Education and Hospitals of the American Medical Association for internship or residency; provided that one of the three years of medical training or experience may be substituted by one year of fellowship training where the parent program or hospital is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education;

may be licensed by the Hawaii medical board under section 453‑4(c)."

     SECTION 2.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

Medical and Surgery; License; Qualifications; Foreign Medical Graduates; Alternative Qualifications; Fellowship

Description:

Allows foreign medical school graduates applying for a license to practice medicine and surgery to substitute one year of required medical training or experience in a hospital with one year of fellowship training where the parent program or hospital is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 150

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1243

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 1243 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOREIGN MEDICAL GRADUATES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow foreign medical school graduates applying for a license to practice medicine and surgery to substitute one year of required medical training or experience in a hospital with one year of fellowship training where the parent program or hospital is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from World Education Services.

     Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Medical Board and Hawai‘i Pacific Health.

     Your Committee finds that international medical graduates (IMG) are well positioned to assist the State in meeting its health care workforce shortages, particularly in underserved areas with physician shortages.  Your Committee further finds that fellowship training as a substitute for approved hospital or medical training is a meaningful improvement to the current IMG pathway in the State.  This measure is an important step in reducing barriers to entry to for international medical graduates.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1243, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1243, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,