AB 359 — Physicians and surgeons: licensure: examination.

Summary

Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, requires the Medical Board of California to issue a physician's and surgeon's certificate to a qualified applicant. Under the act, an applicant for a physician's and surgeon's certificate is required to include specified information in the application and to obtain a passing score on an entire examination or on each part of an examination. Existing law requires an applicant to obtain a passing score on all parts of Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination within not more than 4 attempts in order to be eligible for a certificate. Existing law provides an exception to the 4-attempt requirement for an applicant who holds an unlimited and unrestricted license as a physician and surgeon in another state, and has held that license continuously for a minimum of 4 years prior to the date of application, meets certain postgraduate training requirements and is certified by a specialty board, and is not subject to specified licensure denials or disciplinary action. This bill would expand the exception described above to include an applicant who meets certain requirements, including holding an unlimited license as a physician and surgeon in another state, or in a Canadian province, issued as provided, holding an unrestricted license to practice medicine in a state, in a Canadian province, or as a member of the active military, United States Public Health Services, or other federal program for a period of at least 4 years, having satisfactorily completed specified postgraduate training, certification, and examination requirements, and not having been subject to specified licensure denials or disciplinary action. Existing law requires a physician and surgeon to demonstrate satisfaction of continuing education requirements and requires the board to adopt and administer standards for continuing education for licensees. Under existing law, these continuing medical education (CME) standards may be met by educational activities that meet the standards of the board and that serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance that a physician and surgeon uses to provide care, or to improve the quality of care provided to patients. Existing law specifically authorizes educational activities with specified content or curriculum. Existing law prohibits educational activities that are not directed toward the practice of medicine, or are directed primarily toward the business aspects of medical practice, from being deemed to meet the standards. This bill, notwithstanding those provisions, would authorize a physician and surgeon to meet the CME standards through courses that satisfy specified criteria, including supporting educational methodology for physicians and surgeons teaching in a medical school, if these courses do not together comprise more than 30% of the total hours of continuing medical education completed by a licensee to satisfy the continuing educational requirement established by the board. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Bill Text

• Chaptered 10/07/21 - Chaptered Current pdf October 07, 2021
• Enrolled 09/13/21 - Enrolled pdf September 13, 2021
• Amended 08/26/21 - Amended Senate pdf August 26, 2021
• Amended 07/15/21 - Amended Senate pdf July 15, 2021
• Amended 06/15/21 - Amended Senate pdf June 15, 2021
• Amended 03/22/21 - Amended Assembly pdf March 22, 2021
• Introduced 02/01/21 - Introduced pdf February 01, 2021
• AB359 View text html

Action History

1. October 07, 2021

   Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 612, Statutes of 2021.

2. October 07, 2021

   Approved by the Governor.

3. September 17, 2021

   Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

4. September 09, 2021

   Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3048.).

5. September 08, 2021

   In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

6. September 08, 2021

   Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 2488.).

7. September 03, 2021

   Ordered to special consent calendar.

8. August 30, 2021

   Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

9. August 26, 2021

   Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

10. August 26, 2021

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 26).

11. August 23, 2021

    In committee: Referred to APPR suspense file.

12. July 15, 2021

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

13. July 14, 2021

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (July 12).

14. June 15, 2021

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on B., P. & E.D.

15. May 12, 2021

    Referred to Com. on B., P. & E.D.

16. April 26, 2021

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

17. April 22, 2021

    Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 1152.).

18. April 15, 2021

    Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.

19. April 14, 2021

    From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 14).

20. April 07, 2021

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (April 6). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

21. March 23, 2021

    Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.

22. March 22, 2021

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on B. & P. Read second time and amended.

23. February 12, 2021

    Referred to Com. on B. & P.

24. February 02, 2021

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 4.

25. February 01, 2021

    Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

• Cooper · Primary
• Smith · Cosponsor

Votes

Subjects