Advisory Commission on Alternate Licensing Models Hosts Symposium
Advisory Commission on Alternate Licensing Models Hosts Symposium to Discuss Pathways to Licensure for Fully-Trained International Physicians
WASHINGTON, D.C.– On June 18, more than 175 individuals representing state medical licensing boards and organizations involved with medical education, accreditation, and certification joined members of the public in Washington, D.C. for a one-day symposium hosted by the Advisory Commission on Alternate Licensing Models. The Advisory Commission is co-chaired by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), IntealthTM, and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and was formed earlier this year to provide guidance to states seeking to improve access to care by streamlining the licensure of international physicians who have already trained and practiced outside the United States.
The symposium provided a forum for attendees to exchange ideas and discuss considerations for legislative, regulatory, and procedural implementation of such alternative pathways for medical licensure. The conversations built on discussions the Advisory Commission held at its inaugural meeting on April 5, 2024, also in Washington, D.C., in response to a growing number of state legislatures interested in modifying traditional post-graduate training requirements for licensure or creating new licensure categories in an effort to improve access to care amidst a nationwide physician shortage.
The Advisory Commission will use input and feedback from the symposium to further inform its collaborative analysis and subsequent recommendations. Draft recommendations are anticipated to be released as early as this summer and will include a period of time for public commentary before being finalized.
About FSMB
The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) is a national non-profit organization representing the medical boards within the United States and its territories that license and discipline allopathic and osteopathic physicians and, in some jurisdictions, other health care professionals. The FSMB serves as the voice for state medical boards, supporting them through education, assessment, research and advocacy while providing services and initiatives that promote patient safety, quality health care and regulatory best practices. The FSMB serves the public through Docinfo.org, a free physician search tool which provides background information on the more than 1 million doctors in the United States. To learn more about the FSMB, visit www.fsmb.org.
About Intealth
Intealth is a private, nonprofit organization that brings together the expertise and resources for advancing quality in health care education worldwide in order to improve health care for all. Through strategic integration of its divisions, ECFMG® and FAIMER®, Intealth offers a flexible and multi‐layered portfolio of services. These services enhance and support the education and training of health care professionals, verify their qualifications required to practice, and inform the development of health workforce policies around the world. By leveraging these combined competencies, Intealth powers innovation in areas critical to the health professions. Learn more at www.intealth.org.
About ACGME
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is an independent, 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization that sets and monitors voluntary professional educational standards essential in preparing physicians to deliver safe, high-quality medical care to all Americans. Graduate medical education (GME) refers to the period of education in a particular specialty (residency) or subspecialty (fellowship) following medical school; the ACGME oversees the accreditation of residency and fellowship programs in the US.