(New Title) relative to the licensing of physicians who graduated from medical schools outside of the United States or Canada.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.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 institution of the individual's licensing country;
(6) Has completed a residency, at least 2 years of postgraduate training, or substantially similar postgraduate medical training which is accredited by the equivalent of the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education in the individual's licensing country;
(7) Has practiced as a medical professional performing the duties of a physician in the individual's licensing country for no less than 5 years;
(8) Has an offer for employment as a physician at a health care provider that operates in this state;
(9)

Possesses basic fluency in the English language as demonstrated by a passing score on the occupational English test for medicine or other equivalent examination approved by the board; and
(10) 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).
III.

In this section:
(a)

"International medical graduate" means an individual seeking licensure who has practiced medicine as a physician in a country other than the United States or Canada.
(b)

"International medical program" means a medical school that provides physicians with a medical education or training outside of the United States that is substantially similar to that required to practice as a physician in this state.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.

LBA
26-2231
02/24/2026

SB 457-FN-
FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT # 2026-0545s)

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

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Legislative Budget Assistant has determined that this legislation has a total fiscal impact of less than $10,000 in each of the fiscal years 2027 through 2029.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Office of Professional Licensure and Certification