Committee approves amended bill to create supervised pathway for foreign medical graduates

Sen. Watson presented Senate Bill 427 to establish a pathway for qualified international medical graduates to obtain licensure and practice in underserved and rural areas under defined supervision and education standards.

The bill sets eligibility requirements including active, non‑disciplined licenses in a foreign jurisdiction, specified minimum medical education/clinical hours, passing requisite examinations (the U.S. board steps equivalent), and English proficiency testing or interview as needed. It creates staged supervised practice: four years of supervised practice in designated underserved settings followed by two additional years with gradually reduced supervision before full licensure, and it limits accepted foreign medical schools and residency programs to specified accrediting agencies.

Committee members probed how the bill differs from current practice, the fiscal implications of appropriating funds to support supervision and compliance personnel, and how the board will evaluate foreign credentials. The sponsor and other speakers explained that the bill codifies a process that is now non‑statutory practice and adds statutory requirements for English proficiency and supervision; the composite medical board and accrediting lists would guide acceptability.

A technical amendment clarifying wording at line 107 was adopted; the committee then recommended the bill to pass as amended. Witnesses and stakeholders including the Georgia Public Policy Foundation provided supporting testimony about addressing rural physician shortages and preserving training quality.