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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session
transitional training permittees; medical licensure
Purpose
Allows individuals holding a transitional training permit (TTP) issued by the Arizona Medical Board (AMB) for 36 months to be eligible for licensure as a doctor of medicine (M.D.) after passing step three of the U.S Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) with a scaled score of at least 75 and providing AMB with letters of recommendation from each of their supervising qualified physicians.
Background
The AMB is responsible for protecting the public from unlawful, incompetent, unqualified, impaired or unprofessional practitioners of allopathic medicine through licensure, regulation and rehabilitation. The AMB may issue TTPs only to applicants that are not eligible for: 1) a one-year renewable training permit for functioning in a teaching hospital's accredited internship, residency or clinical training program; 2) a training permit for participating in a short-term training program of four months or less for the purpose of continuing medical education; or 3) a one-year training permit, at the Executive Director's discretion, requiring a written statement from the dean or chairman of an approved school of medicine or teaching hospital's graduate medical education program. However, the applicant must have passed Step 1 and Step 2 of the USMLE or an equivalent exam and within two years immediately preceding their initial permit application have: 1) submitted a qualified application to an internship or residency program but was not selected; or 2) been selected for these programs but ended participation in them prior to completion for non-disciplinary reasons. The permit is renewable for two additional one-year periods provided that the permittee applies for and is rejected from at least three accredited primary care internship or residency programs within the year preceding the permit application. A permit cannot be held for an aggregate period of more than 36 months (A.R.S. §§ 32-1432.02; 32-1432.03; and 32-1432.04).
The USMLE is a three-step medical licensing exam, with each step considered individually. Passing Step 1 and Step 2 with a medical or osteopathic medical degree from an accredited medical school or equivalent institution is required before being eligible to take Step 3. In accredited medical schools, although Step 1 and Step 2 can be taken in any order, most students will take Step 1 at the end of their second year and Step 2 in their fourth year; Step 3 is usually taken during the first or second year of postgraduate training. Most medical licensing authorities require completion of USMLE Steps 1, 2 and 3 within a seven-year period that begins upon passing Step 1. 200 out of 300 is a passing score for Step 3. A scaled score is a percentile score determined annually based on current testing data (USMLE).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Allows a TTP permittee to be eligible for licensure as an M.D. after:
a) holding a TTP for 36 months;
b) providing the AMB letters of recommendation from each of the permittee's supervising qualified physicians; and
c) passing step three of the USMLE with a scaled score of at least 75.
2. Makes technical and conforming changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 8, 2024
MM/DM/cs