§ 63-6-207 — Application for certificate - Special training licenses - St. Jude Children's Research Hospital global collaboration license

(a) A person desiring to practice medicine or surgery in this state shall make application in writing to the board or via online application, which shall be accompanied by: (1) If a United States or Canadian medical school graduate: (A) A certificate from a medical school whose curriculum is approved by the American Medical Association or its extant accreditation program for medical education, or its successor; (B) A nonrefundable application fee as set by the board and by an examination fee prescribed in this section; (C) Evidence of the satisfactory completion of: (i) A one-year United States training program approved by the American Medical Association or its extant accreditation program for medical education, or its successor; or (ii) A primary specialty training program that is accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and that is of a duration of not less than four (4) years; (D) Sufficient evidence of good moral character; and (E) Evidence of being legally entitled to live or work in the United States if the person is not a citizen of the United States or Canada; (2) If an international medical school graduate: (A) A certificate from a medical school whose curriculum is judged to be acceptable by the board; (B) A copy of a permanent Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certificate; (C) A nonrefundable application fee as set by the board and by an examination fee prescribed in this section; (D) Sufficient evidence of good moral character; (E) Evidence of being a citizen of the United States or Canada, or legally entitled to live or work in the United States; and (F) Evidence of satisfactory completion of a three-year post-graduate training program approved by the American Medical Association or its extant accreditation program for medical education, or its successor. Such person may apply to the board for licensure or testing in accordance with this chapter within twelve (12) months of completion of the post-graduate training program if satisfactory performance in such program is demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board. (b) All applicants shall present themselves before the board or the board's administrative designee for examination. The board may question in such subjects as the board may deem appropriate. As its qualifying examination, the board accepts the Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX), and/or the National Board of Medical Examiners examination and/or the United States Medical Licensing Examination or its successor examination. Applicants shall successfully complete the United States Medical Licensing Examination within ten (10) years from the date of whichever step of the examination was successfully completed first. An applicant is considered to have successfully completed a step of the examination on the date that the step was taken and not the date on which the passing score was made public by the examination agency; provided, however, that the board is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations creating exceptions that will extend the ten-year time frame provided in this subsection (b). In addition, the board reserves the right to write its own state board examination or contract with other national testing organizations. The board reserves the right to designate its administrative staff to administer the licensing examinations and to collect such application and examination fees as the board, in its discretion, may deem necessary. (c) The members of the board also have the right to examine all applicants in such oral examinations as they may deem necessary. (d) The board is authorized in its discretion to issue special training licenses to medical interns, residents and fellows who have met all other qualifications for licensure contained in this chapter and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, with the exception of having completed the necessary residency or training programs required by subdivision (a)(1)(C) and/or (a)(2)(F) and the licensure examination. The board also is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to implement this new licensure category. The initial set of these rules may be processed as emergency rules pursuant to the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5. These special training licenses will be governed by the following: (1) (A) Such licenses shall be issued only to medical interns, residents and fellows while participating in a training program of one of the accredited medical schools or of one of such medical school's affiliated teaching hospitals in Tennessee, performing duties assigned to meet the requirements of such program, and while under the supervision and control of a physician fully licensed to practice medicine in Tennessee; (B) No person holding a special training license is permitted to practice medicine outside of such person's duties and responsibilities in the training program without being fully licensed to practice medicine in Tennessee. Termination of participation in the training program for which the special license was issued for any reason terminates that license; (C) It is the responsibility of the program director or the dean responsible for the training program to submit the necessary information and applications on behalf of each applicant. It also is the responsibility of the program director or the dean to notify the board of the termination of the applicant's participation in the training program, whether by completion of the program or for any other reason; and (D) The board may impose fees to accompany each individual application for a special training license. (2) (A) (i) Notwithstanding subdivision (d)(1), medical students, interns, residents, and clinical fellows who do not hold a special training license pursuant to this subsection (d) are exempt from the requirement of a license to practice medicine or surgery in this state when such medical students, interns, residents, and clinical fellows are participating in a training program of one (1) of the accredited medical schools or of one (1) of its affiliated teaching hospitals in this state, performing duties assigned to meet the requirements of the training program, and while under the supervision and control of a physician fully licensed to practice medicine or surgery in this state. No such student, intern, resident, or clinical fellow is permitted to practice medicine or surgery outside of the person's duties and responsibilities in the training program without being fully licensed to practice medicine or surgery in this state; (ii) It is the responsibility of the program director or the dean responsible for the training program to apply to the board for an exemption for each such medical student, intern, resident, or clinical fellow. Moreover, it is the responsibility of such program director or dean to notify the board of the termination of the applicant's participation in the training program, whether by completion of the program or for any other reason; (B) The board may impose a fee to accompany each application for exemption; (C) Eligibility for the exemption provided for in this subdivision (d)(2) shall apply to all eligible persons in training on April 8, 1994, or thereafter. (e) The board or the board's designee is specifically authorized to conduct applicant interviews periodically as it deems necessary on a case by case basis. (f) (1) (A) The general assembly finds that St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is unique as a research center hospital in this state and this nation for protocol-based therapy and treatment of children and adolescents with newly diagnosed untreated or suspected cancer, HIV infections, or certain hematologic, immunologic, or genetic diseases. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's experts are involved in research and treatment in the fields of hematology, oncology, bone marrow transplantation, immunology, genetic diseases and infectious diseases. The hospital's research involves both basic and clinical science and it is a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center. The general assembly finds that supporting research and treatment by qualified physicians and researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital by means of a special St. Jude Children's Research Hospital global collaboration license would substantially benefit the state, the practice of medicine and the health of persons benefitting from treatment or research conducted at the hospital. (B) The board is authorized in its discretion to issue a special St. Jude Children's Research Hospital global collaboration license to physicians who have met all other qualifications for licensure contained in this chapter and the rules and regulation promulgated pursuant to this chapter, with the exception of having completed the necessary residency or training programs required by subdivision (a)(1)(C) or (a)(2)(F). The board is also authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to implement this new special licensure category. (2) These special St. Jude Children's Research Hospital global collaboration licenses will be governed by the following: (A) Such license shall be issued only to physicians while employed by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; (B) No person holding a special St. Jude Children's Research Hospital global collaboration license is permitted to practice medicine outside of such person's duties and responsibilities as an employee of St. Jude Children's Hospital without being fully licensed to practice medicine in Tennessee. Termination of employment with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for any reason terminates the special license; (C) It is the responsibility of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to submit the necessary information and applications on behalf of each applicant. It is also the responsibility of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to notify the board of the termination of the applicant's employment; and (D) The board may impose fees to accompany each individual application for this special license. (g) (1) The board may issue a foreign training license of limited duration to an international medical school graduate who has successfully completed the examination as described in subsection (b) upon finding sufficient evidence that the international medical school graduate demonstrates competency as determined by the board, and: (A) Completed a postgraduate training program of a minimum of three (3) years in the graduate's licensing country; and (B) Has otherwise practiced as a medical professional performing the duties of a physician for the last three (3) years outside the United States. (2) An applicant under subdivision (g)(1) must submit sufficient evidence that the applicant is an international medical school graduate and has an offer for employment as a physician at a healthcare provider that operates in this state and has a postgraduate training program accredited by the accreditation council for graduate medical education in place. (3) An international medical school graduate who is granted a foreign training license under subdivision (g)(1) must only provide medical services at a healthcare provider that has in place a postgraduate training program accredited by the accreditation council for graduate medical education. (4) The board may grant a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine to a foreign training licensee under subdivision (g)(1) who is in good standing and has actively practiced medicine in this state for two (2) years after the date of foreign training licensure. (5) As used in this subsection (g), "healthcare provider" means an individual, entity, corporation, person, or organization, whether for profit or nonprofit, that furnishes, bills, or is paid for a healthcare procedure or service delivery in the normal course of business, and includes, but is not limited to, a health system, hospital, hospital-based facility, freestanding emergency facility, and urgent care clinic. (h) (1) The board may issue a temporary license of limited duration to an international medical school graduate who has successfully completed the examination as described in subsection (b) upon finding sufficient evidence that the international medical school graduate demonstrates competency as determined by the board and has completed a one-year postgraduate training program in the United States. (2) Subdivision (g)(3) does not apply to an international medical school graduate who is granted a temporary license under subdivision (h)(1). (3) The board may grant a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine to a temporary licensee under subdivision (h)(1) who is in good standing and has actively practiced medicine in this state for two (2) years after the date of temporary licensure. (i) The board is authorized in its discretion to issue limited licenses to physicians who have been out of clinical practice for an extended period of time or who have been, or are at the time of their application, engaged exclusively in administrative medicine. The board may promulgate rules prescribing any other conditions or requirements with respect to the issuance of a limited license pursuant to this subsection (i).

Legislative History

Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 929,s 1, eff. 1/1/2025. Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 211, s 1, eff. 7/1/2024. Amended by 2022 Tenn. Acts, ch. 1083, s 2, eff. 5/27/2022. Amended by 2022 Tenn. Acts, ch. 747, s 1, eff. 3/24/2022. Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 632, s 1, eff. 7/1/2016. Amended by 2014 Tenn. Acts, ch. 949,s 6, eff. 7/1/2014. Acts 1901, ch. 78, § 6; Shan., § 3609a18; Code 1932, § 6923; Acts 1945, ch. 181, § 3; C. Supp. 1950, § 6923; Acts 1975, ch. 355, § 14; impl. am. Acts 1976, ch. 575, § 1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 63-611; Acts 1982, ch. 905, § 4; 1985, ch. 468, §§ 1, 2; 1988, ch. 912, § 1; 1989, ch. 302, § 1; 1989, ch. 523, §§ 41, 42; 1990, ch. 1002, § 1; 1990, ch. 1055, §§ 1, 3; 1993, ch. 404, § 8; 1994, ch. 732, § 2; 1995, ch. 97, §§ 1-3; 1995, ch. 329, § 1; 1998, ch. 877, § 1; 2003 , ch. 11, § 1; 2004, ch. 562, § 1; 2006, ch. 774, §§ 1, 2; 2009 , ch. 566, § 12; 2010 , ch. 724, § 1; 2010 , ch. 976, § 1.