18VAC85-20-140. Examinations, general.

A. The Executive Director of the Board of Medicine or his designee shall review each application for licensure and in no case shall an applicant be licensed unless there is evidence that the applicant has passed an examination equivalent to the Virginia Board of Medicine examination required at the time he was examined and meets all requirements of Part III (18VAC85-20-120 et seq.) of this chapter. If the executive director or his designee is not fully satisfied that the applicant meets all applicable requirements of Part III of this chapter and this part, he shall refer the application to the Credentials Committee for a determination on licensure.

B. A Doctor of Medicine or Osteopathic Medicine who has passed the examination of the National Board of Medical Examiners or of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, FLEX, or the United States Medical Licensing Examination, or the examination of the Licensing Medical Council of Canada or other such examinations as prescribed in §54.1-2913.1 of the Code of Virginia may be accepted for licensure.

C. A Doctor of Podiatry who has passed the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners examination and has passed a clinical competence examination equivalent to the Virginia Board of Medicine examination may be accepted for licensure.

D. A Doctor of Chiropractic who has met the requirements of one of the following may be accepted for licensure:

1. An applicant who graduated after January 31, 1996, shall document successful completion of Parts I, II, III, and IV of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners examination (NBCE).

2. An applicant who graduated from January 31, 1991, to January 31, 1996, shall document successful completion of Parts I, II, and III of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners examination (NBCE).

3. An applicant who graduated from July 1, 1965, to January 31, 1991, shall document successful completion of Parts I, II, and III of the NBCE, or Parts I and II of the NBCE and the Special Purpose Examination for Chiropractic (SPEC), and document evidence of licensure in another state for at least two years immediately preceding his application.

4. An applicant who graduated prior to July 1, 1965, shall document successful completion of the SPEC, and document evidence of licensure in another state for at least two years immediately preceding his application.

E. The following provisions shall apply for applicants taking Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination or the Podiatric Medical Licensing Examination:

1. Applicants for licensure in medicine and osteopathic medicine may be eligible to sit for Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) upon evidence of having passed Steps 1 and 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).

2. Applicants who sat for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) shall provide evidence of passing Steps 1, 2, and 3 within a seven-year 10-year period except for good cause shown unless the applicant is board certified in a specialty approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties or the Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists of the American Osteopathic Association.

3. Applicants shall have completed the required training or be engaged in their final year of required postgraduate training.

4. Applicants for licensure in podiatry shall provide evidence of having passed the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners Examination to be eligible to sit for the Podiatric Medical Licensing Examination (PMLEXIS) in Virginia.

Statutory Authority

§§54.1-2400 and 54.1-2930 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR465-02-1 §3.1, eff. January 18, 1989; amended, Virginia Register Volume 6, Issue 4, eff. December 20, 1989; Volume 6, Issue 8, eff. February 14, 1990; Volume 6, Issue 26, eff. October 24, 1990; Volume 7, Issue 26, eff. October 23, 1991; Volume 10, Issue 9, eff. February 23, 1994; Volume 10, Issue 24, eff. September 21, 1994; Volume 11, Issue 25, eff. October 4, 1995; Volume 14, Issue 21, eff. August 5, 1998; Volume 17, Issue 8, eff. January 31, 2001; Volume 20, Issue 10, eff. February 25, 2004; Volume 24, Issue 1, eff. October 17, 2007.