Journal of Medical Regulation State Member Board Briefs
Date postedSeptember 20, 2023
The Federation of State Medical Boards Journal of Medical Regulation share these updates about member boards.
- The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners has introduced a bridge year graduate physician program, allowing medical school graduates who were not accepted into a residency program in their first year after graduation to apply for a bridge year graduate physician certificate. They can practice under the supervision of a board-certified physician for one post-graduate year and receive a recommendation for residency upon completion.
- North Carolina has seen significant growth in the number of licensed physician assistants (PAs), with over 10,000 licensed PAs as of April 2023. PAs now constitute 17.5% of the total licensee population under the North Carolina Medical Board.
- The Texas Medical Board has been recognized nationally as a "2023 Wellbeing First Champion" for its efforts to destigmatize mental health care and treatment among health professionals. The board adopted recommendations in 2020 to update licensing application questions and reduce language that might discourage health professionals from seeking treatment or reporting their conditions.
- After nearly two years of discussion, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC have implemented reciprocal licensing for physicians. Physicians licensed in one of these jurisdictions will have their licenses accepted by the other two, although each board will have its own requirements and application process due to different basic requirements for licensure.