Photo: Shari Small/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Massachusetts lawmakers and physicians from all over the world celebrated a new law that will allow for internationally trained physicians to practice in the state.
The Physicians Pathway Act was signed on Nov. 20, and on Dec. 9, Gov. Maura Healey, with fellow state leaders and the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, held a press conference to discuss the law.
Cosponsor State Sen. Jason Lewis spoke about the limitations put on these internationally trained medical personnel before this law was passed.
“These are people, individuals, who've been to medical school, who have gone through residency, in many cases have been practicing for years in their field within medicine in their home country, they come here and now they basically have to start over," he said.
The law will allow for physicians who have gone to medical school and received a license in another country to work in the state in a restricted capacity for 3 years in community health centers and hospitals in areas where an expanded medical staff is most needed.
This restricted access will be granted after they have completed the first two steps of the United States Medical Licensing Examination.
“And then after that if they do all that successfully,” Lewis said. "They will be able to have a full license and practice as any other physician would.”
The act was created in response to the shortage of physicians in Massachusetts.
“This will provide a pathway that is realistic, that insures we continue to have high standards and the highest quality of care,” Lewis said. “But it will allow those individuals to be able to go through a pathway to practice medicine in Massachusetts and will help address our work force shortages.”
Dr. Anthony Omale was a doctor in Nigeria for 14 years and he was very excited for this law to pass.
“The passage of this bill means a lot to me being that after passing the USMLE exams, I'll be able to walk in the health center with the limited license and gradually get a full license,” Dr. Omale said.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Shari Small (@ShariSmallNews) reports.