New Hampshire SB 457: relative to the licensing of physicians who graduated from medical schools outside of the United States or Canada.

Bill Text

SB 457-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

02/19/2026 0545s

2026 SESSION

 26-2231

 09/05

SENATE BILL 457-FN

AN ACT relative to the licensing of physicians who graduated from medical schools outside of the United States or Canada.

SPONSORS: Sen. Reardon, Dist 15; Sen. Rochefort, Dist 1; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21

COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 This bill establishes an application process to grand licenses to physicians who graduated from medical schools outside of the United States or Canada.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

 Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

02/19/2026 0545s 26-2231

 09/

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT relative to the licensing of physicians who graduated from medical schools outside of the United States or Canada.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 1 Qualifications for License; Licensees Who Graduated from Medical Schools Located in the United States or Canada. Amend RSA 329:12 to read as follows: 

 329:12 Qualifications of Licensees Who Graduated from Medical Schools Located in the United States or Canada. 

 I. Applicants for licensure who graduated from a medical school located in the United States or Canada shall: 

 (a) Pay a fee established by the office of professional licensure and certification. 

 (b) Submit an application which shall be verified by oath. 

 (c) Submit a complete set of fingerprints and a criminal history record release form pursuant to RSA 329:11-a. 

 (d) Demonstrate to the reasonable satisfaction of the office that the applicant: 

 (1) Is 21 years of age or older; 

 (2) Is of good professional character; 

 (3) Has completed at least 2 years of college course work or its equivalent. 

 (4) Has studied the treatment of human ailments in a medical school located in the United States or Canada, maintaining at the time of such studies a standard satisfactory to the Accreditation Council for Medical Education and has graduated from such school [or has studied medicine in a medical school located outside the United States which is recognized by the United Nations World Health Organization (UNWHO) and had such studies confirmed by Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) Certification]; 

 (5) Has completed at least 2 years of postgraduate training approved by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education, or its equivalent as determined by the board. Each applicant who has graduated from an accredited medical school prior to January 1, 1970, is required to have satisfactorily completed at least 12 months in a graduate educational program approved by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education, the Canadian Medical Association, or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. 

 (6) Has successfully passed one of the following sets of examinations: 

 (A) National Board of Medical/Osteopathic Examiners examinations. 

 (B) Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX). 

 (C) United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). 

 (D) Medical Council of Canada Examination (LMCC). 

 II. The office shall waive the examination requirement for any applicant who has satisfactorily passed all examinations and requirements to become board certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). 

 2 New Section; Qualifications for License; Licensees Who Have Graduated from Medical Schools Outside the United States or Canada. Amend RSA 329 by inserting after section 12 the following new section: 

 329:12-a Qualifications for Licensees Who Have Graduated from Medical Schools Outside the United States or Canada. 

 I. Applicants for licensure who graduated from medical schools outside the United States or Canada shall: 

 (a) Pay a fee established by the office of professional licensure and certification. 

 (b) Submit an application which shall be verified by oath. 

 (c) Submit a complete set of fingerprints and a criminal history record release form pursuant to RSA 329:11-a. 

 (d) Demonstrate to the reasonable satisfaction of the office that the applicant: 

 (1) Is 21 years of age or older; 

 (2) Is of good professional character; 

 (3) Has completed at least 2 years of college course work or its equivalent; 

 (4) Is an international medical graduate granted a medical doctorate or substantially similar degree by an international medical program of good standing; 

 (5) Is in good standing with the medical licensing or regulatory institu