RCW 18.71.480: Graduate pilot program—International medical graduates—Pathways to licensure. (Expires June 30, 2035.)

(1) The commission shall establish and administer the clinical experience graduate pilot program.

(2) The pilot program must allow an international medical graduate to participate in the program if the applicant:

(a) Holds a clinical experience license issued on or before July 1, 2026;

(b) Has completed two years of continuous supervised clinical practice under a clinical experience license;

(c) Does not have any active disciplinary action or significant disciplinary history as determined by the commission;

(d) Has obtained satisfactory clinical assessment evaluations from the supervising physician in all categories in a clinical assessment evaluation approved by the commission for the period of supervised practice;

(e) Has obtained an attestation from the supervising physician; and

(f) Has obtained a written endorsement from the medical director of the practice site if different than the supervising physician.

(3) The Washington medical commission shall engage with the American board of medical specialties to consider a process for board certification for program participants.

(4) The pilot program shall create a pathway to full, unrestricted medical licensure to provide primary care upon successful completion of the following:

(a) Two years of supervised clinical experience license practice in addition to the two years of continuous supervised clinical practice under a clinical experience license needed to qualify for the pilot program;

(b) Requirements of the clinical experience license program;

(c) Step 3 of the United States medical licensing examination; and

(d) Passing a clinical competency assessment approved by the commission.

(5) Practice sites eligible for the program include:

(a) Hospitals;

(b) Federally qualified health centers;

(c) Government entities;

(d) Private practices or physician employment groups with at least 10 full-time equivalent, board-certified physicians that deliver in-person patient care in Washington state; and

(e) Mental and behavioral health facilities, upon approval by the commission.

(6) By November 1, 2027, and until November 1, 2035, the commission must provide an annual report on the clinical experience graduate pilot program to the legislature. The report must include:

(a) Data about practice patterns of program participants, including, but not limited to, practice locations and specialty;

(b) Relevant disciplinary actions taken against pilot program participants; and

(c) Recommendations for how the pilot program could be expanded to include graduates of medical schools in the United States.

(7) This section expires June 30, 2035.