SB601

Senate Bill 601 creates an alternative licensure pathway for graduates of foreign medical schools to practice medicine in Arkansas. To qualify, an applicant must have a job offer from a healthcare provider operating in a designated medically underserved population in the state. Candidates must hold an active medical license in their home country, have at least four years of recent practice experience, and hold certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. The bill establishes a provisional licensing system where the physician must work under a sponsoring Arkansas-licensed physician. After two years of practice under this provisional license, the physician may apply for an active, unrestricted license. The physician is also required to maintain their employment with the sponsoring provider for at least three consecutive years post-licensure.