(a)
Notwithstanding Section 2084, a graduate of an approved medical school located in the United States or Canada who has graduated from a special medical school program that does not substantially meet the requirements of Section 2089 with respect to any aspect of curriculum length or content may be approved by the Division of Licensing if the division determines that the applicant has otherwise received adequate instruction in the subjects listed in subdivision (b) of Section 2089.
“Adequate instruction” means the applicant has received instruction adequate to prepare the applicant to engage in the practice of medicine in the United States. This definition applies to the sufficiency of instruction of the following courses:
(1)
Anatomy, including gross anatomy, embryology, histology, and neuroanatomy.
(2)
Bacteriology and immunology.
(3)
Biochemistry.
(4)
Pathology.
(5)
Pharmacology.
(6)
Physiology.
The division may require an applicant under this section to undertake additional education to bring up to standard, instruction in the subjects listed in subdivision (b) of Section 2089 as a condition of issuing a physician and surgeon’s certificate. In approving an applicant under this section, the division may take into account the applicant’s total relevant academic experience, including performance on standardized national examinations.
(b)
(1)Notwithstanding subdivision (a) or Sections 2084 and 2089, an applicant who is a graduate of an approved medical school located in the United States or Canada who has graduated from a special medical school program that does not substantially meet the requirements of Section 2089 with respect to any aspect of curriculum length or content shall be presumed to meet the requirements of Sections 2084 and 2089 if the special medical school program has been reviewed and approved by a national accrediting agency approved by the division and recognized by the United States Department of Education.
(2)
This presumption may be overcome upon a finding by the division that the medical education received by the applicant is not the educational equivalent of the medical education received by graduates of medical schools approved pursuant to subdivision (a) or Section 2084. In making its finding, the division shall consider, at a minimum, the applicant’s total academic and medical training experience prior to, and following, as well as during, medical school, the applicant’s performance on standardized national examinations, including the National Board Examinations, the applicant’s achievements as a house staff officer, and the number of years of postgraduate medical training completed by the applicant.
(3)
An applicant under this subdivision who (A) has satisfactorily completed at least two years of postgraduate clinical training approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the Coordinating Council of Medical Education of the Canadian Medical Association and whose postgraduate training has included at least one year of clinical contact with patients and (B) has achieved a passing score on the written examination required for licensure, satisfies the requirements of Sections 2084 and 2089. For purposes of this subdivision, an applicant who has satisfactorily completed at least two years of approved postgraduate clinical training on or before July 1, 1987, shall not be required to have at least one year of clinical contact with patients.
(4)
Applicants under this subdivision who apply after satisfactorily completing one year of approved postgraduate training shall have their applications reviewed by the division and shall be informed by the division either that satisfactory completion of a second year of approved postgraduate training will result in their being deemed to meet the requirements of Sections 2084 and 2089, or informed of any deficiencies in their qualifications or documentation and the specific remediation, if any, required by the division to meet the requirements of Sections 2084 and 2089. Upon satisfactory completion of the specified remediation, the division shall promptly issue a license to the applicant.