States Reform Foreign Physician Licensure—Could Nurses Be Next?

Several U.S. states are implementing measures to mitigate physician shortages by easing licensing requirements for foreign-trained doctors. 

Since 2023, nine states have eliminated the necessity for these physicians to undergo U.S. residency programs, with over a dozen more considering similar actions, according to a recent story from NPR. 

These reforms aim to integrate qualified international medical graduates (IMGs) into the healthcare system more efficiently, especially in underserved areas.

Key Aspects of the New Physican Licensing Pathways

The legislative changes typically include the following provisions, but vary from state to state:​

• Training and Examination: IMGs must demonstrate equivalent training from their home countries and pass the standard U.S. medical licensing examinations (Source).​
• Supervised Practice: Initially, these physicians practice under supervision in designated shortage areas, ensuring they adapt to U.S. medical standards while providing essential care.​
• Path to Full Licensure: After fulfilling supervised practice requirements, IMGs can transition to full, unrestricted medical licenses.

For instance, Massachusetts has enacted a law allowing foreign-trained physicians to practice under supervision in underserved communities as they work toward full licensure. 

Could Nursing See the Same Licensure Reforms?

The nursing profession faces challenges similar to those in medicine, with significant shortages impacting patient care across the country. Some think that adopting comparable licensing reforms for foreign-educated nurses could help to alleviate this issue. 

Some U.S. hospitals and health systems have already begun recruiting internationally educated nurses to fill critical gaps. However, challenges such as visa restrictions and lengthy credentialing processes hinder the timely integration of these professionals. ​

While recruiting foreign nurses may help alleviate the so-called nursing shortage, it won’t solve the conditions leading to nurses leaving the workforce. According to our 2024 State of Nursing survey, 84% of nurses believe the nursing shortage is getting worse and that the top reasons for the nursing shortage are burnout (66%), poor working conditions  (55%), and inadequate pay for nurses (51%). 

🤔 Nurses, share your thoughts in the discussion forum below.