South Carolina S 376: Dean Crepes

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 376 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 25, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 376

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS by ENACTing THE 
"EXPANDING PHYSICIAN ACCESS ACT OF 2025" AND BY ADDING SECTION 40-47-39 SO AS 
TO REMOVE BARRIERS THAT PREVENT HIGH-QUALITY, INTERNATIONALLY LICENSED 
PHYSICIANS FROM FILLING VACANCIES IN THIS STATE BY ELIMINATING UNNECESSARY 
TRAINING DUPLICATION WHILE MAINTAINING CARE STANDARDS AND OTHER LICENSURE AND 
PRACTICE REQUIREMENTS, TO EMPOWER THE STATE BOARD OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS TO 
CONTINUE PERFORMING ITS ROLE TO ENSURE ALL INTERNATIONALLY LICENSED PHYSICIAN 
APPLICANTS HAVE THE REQUISITE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE TO PRACTICE MEDICINE IN 
THIS STATE, TO PROVIDE NECESSARY DEFINITIONS, TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS AND 
PROCEDURES RELATED TO THE ISSUANCE AND REVOCATION OF PROVISIONAL LICENSES AND 
REGULAR LICENSES TO INTERNATIONAL PHYSICIANS SPONSORED BY HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS 
AND CERTAIN OTHER INTERNATIONAL PHYSICIANS.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Expanding Physician Access Act of 2025."

SECTION 2. Article 1, Chapter 47, Title 40 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
40-47-39. (A) The purpose of this 
section is to remove barriers that prevent high-quality, internationally licensed 
physicians from filling vacancies in this State, including in rural and primary 
care settings, by eliminating unnecessary training duplication. All other care 
standards and requirements remain unchanged and the State Board of Medical 
Examiners is empowered to continue to perform its role to ensure all 
internationally licensed applicants have the requisite knowledge and experience 
to practice medicine in this State.

 (B) As 
used in this section:

 (1) 
"State Board of Medical Examiners" or "board" means the board established in 
Article 1 to regulate the medical profession.

 (2) 
"Physician" means any individual who has obtained a medical doctorate or 
substantially similar degree and is licensed inside or outside the United 
States.

 (3) 
"International physician" means an individual who:

 (a) 
has been granted a medical doctorate or substantially similar degree by a 
medical school recognized by the American Medical Association or its extant 
accreditation program for medical education, or a successor program of good 
standing;

 (b) 
has been in good standing with the medical licensing or regulatory institution 
of his licensing country within the last five years and does not have any 
pending disciplinary action before the licensing body;

 (c) 
has completed a residency or substantially similar post-graduate medical 
training or has practiced as a medical professional performing the duties of a 
physician in his licensing country at least seven years after the completion of 
a medical doctorate;

 (d) 
has practiced medicine as a fully licensed physician in his licensing country 
for at least five years after the completion of residency training or residency 
equivalent as defined in subitem (c); and

 (e) 
possesses basic fluency in the English language.

 (4) 
"Healthcare provider" means an individual, entity, corporation, person, or 
organization, whether for profit or nonprofit, that furnishes, bills, or is 
paid for healthcare procedures or service delivery in the normal course of 
business, and includes, without limitation, health systems, hospitals, 
hospital-based facilities, freestanding emergency facilities, and urgent care 
clinics.

 (C) 
State License for Healthcare Provider-Sponsored International Physicians:

 (1) 
The board shall grant a provisional license to practice medicine in this State 
to any international physician with an offer for employment as a physician at 
any healthcare provider that operates in the State.

 (a) 
The board may not grant a provisional license to practice medicine in this 
State to any international physician unless he is eligible to obtain federal 
immigration status that allows him to practice as a physician in the United 
States.

 (b) 
The board may not grant a provisional license to practice medicine in this 
State to any international physician unless he possesses a passing score on 
steps 1, 2, and 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).

 (c) 
The board may revoke a provisional license granted under item (1) if the 
international physician is not employed by a healthcare provider that operates 
in the State during the provisional license period.

 (2) 
The board may revoke a provisional license granted under item (1) based on 
clear and convincing evidence that medical services provided by the licensee 
have violated state medical safety, competency, or conduct standards.

 (a) 
Lice