WHEREAS the Medical Practices Act; more specifically Arkansas
Code Annotated Sec.
17-93-403(a)(2)
and Arkansas Code Annotated Sec.
17-93-404,
sets forth that anyone desiring a license to practice medicine in the State of
Arkansas must successfully pass an examination as approved by the Board.
WHEREAS the Arkansas State Medical Board is charged with
selecting said examinations. WHEREFORE the Arkansas State Medical Board
designates the following examinations as appropriate examinations for
licensure:
1. Those individuals
desiring a license to practice medicine and having graduated from an American
or Canadian medical school must show proof of satisfactory completion of one of
the following exams:
(a) Federation Licensing
Examination
(b) The National Board
of Medical Exam
(c) The United
States Medical Licensing Exam
(d)
Le Medical Counsel of Canada Exam
(e) Examinations developed by the National
Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners
2. Those individuals desiring a license who
have graduated from a foreign country's medical school in addition to the other
requirements will show proof of successful completion of the ECFMG (Educational
Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates Exam) and one of the following exams:
(a) Federation Licensing
Examination
(b) The National Board
of Medical Exam
(c) The United
States Medical Licensing Exam
(d)
Le Medical Counsel of Canada Exam
3. Those individuals desiring a license to
practice medicine as an Osteopath in the State of Arkansas, in addition to the
other requirements, will show proof of successful completion of one of the
following exams:
(a) Federation Licensing
Examination
(b) Examinations
developed by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners
(c) The United States Medical Licensing
Exam
(d) The National Board of
Medical Exam
(e) Le Medical Counsel
of Canada Exam
4. Those
individuals desiring a license by credential must show proof of successful
completion of an examination accepted and stated above of one of the following:
(a) All of those listed under the first
category
(b) Any State exam if it
was taken prior to 1975
5.I t is recognized by the Arkansas
State Medical Board that the Federation Licensing Exam (FLEX) and the National
Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) are being phased out as an accepted
examinations for licensure.
I t is also recognized by the
Arkansas State Medical Board that the United States Medical Licensing Exam
(USMLE) is being phased in as the primary form of examination for state
licensure. During this period of transition, the following will be accepted by
the Arkansas State Medical Board as completion of an approved examination:
NBME Part
I or USMLE Step I
plus
NBME Part IT or USMLE Step 2
plus
NBME Part HI or USMLE Step 3
FLEX Component I
plus
USMLE Step 3
or
NBME Part I or USMLE Step I
plus
NBME Part
II or USMLE Step 2
plus
FLEX Component 2
The above combinations of examinations in no way is to imply that
one cannot take the entire examination, that being those exams listed in
Regulation 14-1, and passing the same. 6. All applicants for a license to
practice medicine in the State of Arkansas, who choose to take the United
States Medical Exam (USMLE) must comply with the following:
A. Present proof of successful completion of
Steps 1, 2 and 3 of the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Exam) within 7
years from the time the applicant passes or successfully completes Step 1 or
Step 2, whichever is completed first.
B. The applicant must successfully complete
each step in no more than 3 attempts per step.
A waiver may be granted by the Board, if requested by the
applicant, from the "3 attempt per step limit," for Step 1 and/or Step 2. The
waiver will be granted if the Board finds that the applicant can show
documentation and proof that he/she suffered from a significant health
condition or personal problem, and that by its severity would necessarily cause
delay to the applicant's medical education and successful completion of the
step testing.
The waiver will not exceed 4 attempts per step.
A waiver may also be granted to the "3 attempt per step limit" on
step 3 not to exceed 4 attempts if:
1)
the applicant has completed one year of approved graduate medical education
after the 3rd failed attempt and before the fourth and final attempt at step 3;
or
2) the applicant can show proof
that he/she is certified in a Specialty Board by the American Board of Medical
Specialties.
C. The
seven year period to pass all steps may be extended, not to exceed 10 years, by
the Board, if the applicant:
1) Is certified
in a Specialty Board by the American Board of Medical Specialties; or
2) Has completed during the 10 year period a
combined MD/PhD program at a medical school within the United States.
3) Can retake the appropriate step to bring
the successful completion of the 3 Steps within the 7 year time
period.
D. The time
period limitation set forth in Paragraph C and the limitation on the number of
attempts of the step exams as set forth in Paragraph B, may begin anew, if the
applicant begins his or her entire medical school education anew.
E. No further waivers will be granted except
as set forth in this Regulation.
