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Kentucky · Snapshot 09/05/2026

KRS 311.560: Prohibition against practice of medicine or osteopathy without

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Where this section sits in the code
  1. KRS Chapter 311

license -- Exceptions.

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, no person shall engage or

attempt to engage in the practice of medicine or osteopathy within this state, or

open, maintain, or occupy an office or place of business within this state for

engaging in practice, or in any manner announce or express a readiness to

engage in practice within this state, unless the person holds a valid and

effective license or permit issued by the board as hereinafter provided.

(2) The provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to:

(a) Commissioned medical officers of the Armed Forces of the United States,

or medical officers of the United States Public Health Service, the United

States Department of Veterans Affairs, and other agencies of the

government of the United States of America, while said persons are

engaged in the performance, within this state, of their official duties under

federal laws;

(b) 1. Persons who, being nonresidents of Kentucky and lawfully licensed

to practice medicine or osteopathy in their states of actual

residence, infrequently engage in the practice of medicine or

osteopathy within this state, when called to see or attend particular

patients in consultation and association with a physician licensed

pursuant to this chapter; or

2. Persons who, being current participants in a medical residency

program outside of Kentucky and lawfully licensed to practice

medicine or osteopathy in the states of their medical residency

programs, who participate in a temporary residency rotation of no

more than sixty (60) days at a hospital in this Commonwealth. All

persons who participate in a temporary residency rotation under this

paragraph shall register with the board at no cost, on forms provided

by the board, and shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the board for

so long as they participate in the residency rotation. Persons who

wish to participate in a second or subsequent temporary residency

rotation under this paragraph shall seek advance approval of the

board;

(c) Graduates of medical or osteopathic schools approved by the board,

while engaged in performing supervised internship or first-year

postgraduate training approved by the board at hospitals in this state. All

first-year postgraduate trainees shall register with the board at no cost, on

forms provided by the board. No first-year postgraduate trainee shall

violate the provisions of KRS 311.595 or KRS 311.597, and any first-year

postgraduate trainee who is released or discharged from a training

program for a reason that falls within KRS 311.595 or 311.597 shall be

reported by the program director to the board. A residency physician who

participates in a temporary residency rotation under paragraph (b) of this

subsection shall not be required to obtain a license under KRS 311.530 to

311.620;

(d) Physicians employed by a sports entity visiting Kentucky for a specific

sporting event when the physician holds an active medical or osteopathic

license in another state and limits the practice of medicine in Kentucky to

medical treatment of the members, coaches, and staff of the sports entity

that employs the physician; or

(e) Persons who are nonresidents of Kentucky and licensed to practice

medicine or osteopathy in their states of residence and are providing

medical services as a charitable health-care provider in Kentucky through

a nonprofit, all-volunteer sponsoring organization as provided for under

KRS 216.940 to 216.945, after confirming to the board that their licenses

are currently in good standing in their states of residence and having

been issued a written waiver by the board to provide these services

during the specific period stated in the written waiver.

Collected 2026-09-05T20:58:04Z. Source file · JSON

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