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No. 172. An act relating to a pathway to licensure for internationally
trained physicians.
                                     (S.142)
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
Sec. 1. PATHWAY TO LICENSURE FOR INTERNATIONALLY
          TRAINED PHYSICIANS; REPORT
   (a) On or before January 15, 2027, the Department of Health, in
collaboration with the Board of Medical Practice, shall provide to the House
Committees on Health Care and on Government Operations and Military
Affairs and the Senate Committees on Health and Welfare and on Government
Operations a report detailing a pathway to licensure for internationally trained
physicians. The report shall include the following information:
      (1) a summary of other states’ processes for licensing internationally
trained physicians to practice medicine and, if available, data on the outcomes
of these processes and related programs;
      (2) a description of the external resources needed to evaluate the
education, experience, and examinations of internationally trained physicians
and the availability of these resources;
      (3) a proposal for licensing internationally trained physicians to practice
medicine in Vermont, including potential qualifications and supervision
requirements for licensure, proposed requirements for recency of practice, a
summary of any additional resources and statutory authority needed, and a plan
and timeline for implementing the licensing program; and
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      (4) any additional information that the Department deems relevant to a
robust consideration of the issues related to licensing internationally trained
physicians to practice medicine in Vermont.
   (b) In preparing the report required by this section, the Department shall
consult with other states that have implemented licensing programs for
internationally trained physicians; the Windham County Branch of the
NAACP; third-party credentialing services; the Vermont Medical Society; the
Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems; and other advocacy
organizations, researchers, and other entities whose expertise is relevant to
developing the report.
Sec. 2. 26 V.S.A. § 1391 is amended to read:
§ 1391. QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEDICAL LICENSURE
                                       ***
   (g) Internationally trained physicians. The Board may issue:
      (1) a provisional license to practice at a participating health care facility,
as defined in section 1397 of this chapter, to an internationally trained
physician who meets the requirements for provisional licensure established by
the Board by rule pursuant to section 1396 of this chapter; and
      (2) a full license to an internationally trained physician who has
successfully completed the pathway to licensure established by the Board by
rule pursuant to section 1396 of this chapter.
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Sec. 3. 26 V.S.A. § 1396 is added to read:
§ 1396. PATHWAY TO LICENSURE FOR INTERNATIONALLY
          TRAINED PHYSICIANS; RULEMAKING
   Pursuant to the authority of the Commissioner in subsection 1351(e) of this
chapter, the Board shall adopt rules in accordance with 3 V.S.A. chapter 25 as
needed to enable the licensure of internationally trained physicians as set forth
in subsection 1391(g) of this chapter. The rules adopted by the Board shall
reflect the least restrictive form of regulation necessary to protect the public
interest and shall include:
      (1) the qualifications necessary for an internationally trained physician
to obtain a provisional license to practice at a participating health care facility,
as defined in section 1397 of this chapter;
      (2) the standards for participating health care facilities to use for the
evaluation and assessment of the holder of a provisional license; and
      (3) the additional qualifications necessary for an internationally trained
physician to obtain a full license to practice medicine in this State following
successful completion of the provisional licensure period.
Sec. 4. 26 V.S.A. § 1397 is added to read:
§ 1397. PARTICIPATING HEALTH CARE FACILITIES
   (a) As used in this section:
      (1) “Health care facility” means a hospital, federally qualified health
center, or community health center.
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      (2) “Participating health care facility” means a health care facility that
meets the requirements of this section and has the capacity to provide an
assessment and evaluation program designed in accordance with rules adopted
by the Board pursuant to section 1396 of this chapter to evaluate an
internationally trained physician holding a provisional license issued pursuant
to subdivision 1391(g)(1) of this chapter.
   (b) In order to be eligible to be a participating health care facility for
purposes of subdivision 1391(g)(1) and section 1396 of this chapter, a health
care facility shall:
      (1) agree to provide medical mentoring, evaluation, assessment, and
support in navigating the U.S. health care system by one or more fully licensed
physicians employed by the health care facility to a provisionally licensed
physician using an evaluation and assessment system that meets the standards
established by the Board by rule pursuant to section 1396 of this chapter;
      (2) ensure that the mentoring, evaluation, assessment, and support of a
provisionally licensed physician is provided by one or more physicians who
are licensed under 26 V.S.A. chapter 33 or this chapter and who are physically
located in Vermont and that the provisionally licensed physician provides
services only to patients physically located in Vermont;
      (3) carry medical malpractice insurance covering the provisionally
licensed physician for the duration of that physician’s employment by the
participating health care facility; and
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      (4) not retaliate against or discipline a provisionally licensed physician
for making a complaint or pursuing enforcement of an employment-related
claim.
Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATES
   (a) Sec. 1 (pathway to licensure for internationally trained physicians;
report) and this section shall take effect on passage.
   (b) Sec. 3 (26 V.S.A. § 1396; pathway to licensure for internationally
trained physicians; rulemaking) shall take effect on July 1, 2027.
   (c) Secs. 2 (26 V.S.A. § 1391; qualifications for medical licensure) and 4
(26 V.S.A. § 1397; participating health care facilities) shall take effect on July
1, 2028.
Date Governor signed bill: June 18, 2026
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