The Texas doctor shortage is no laughing matter. The Lone Star State is projected to be short 10,330 doctors by 2032. Over 6 million Texans live in Health Provider Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and thirty-seven counties lack a single primary care doctor. To make matters worse, 15 percent of Texas’ primary care physicians are 65 years old or older and getting ready to retire.
The conversation to reduce the doctor shortage has been historically confined to having Congress spend more taxpayer dollars to teaching hospitals to create more residency programs. Rather than wait on Congress to provide more general medical education (GME) appropriations, at least 8 states, including Tennessee, Florida, Virginia, and Idaho, have decided to tackle the residency bottleneck through reforming licensing pathways. States are starting to allow talented foreign-licensed doctors to prove their merit, and if eligible be allowed to omit the U.S. based residency requirement—and Texas should be up next.
Under current Texas law, foreign-licensed doctors, regardless of merit, must complete a U.S. based residency program—forcing them to needlessly repeat 3-7 years of training they have accomplished elsewhere. Texas could attract top-tier medical talent from other countries to serve Texans if it created an alternative licensing pathway for foreign-licensed doctors.
Bills have been filed in the Texas Senate and in the Texas House that would improve upon other states’ new licensing pathway. The bills outline the specific qualifications foreign-licensed doctors must meet to practice under a provisional license set forth by the Texas Medical Board.
Applicants must have a medical doctorate or similar degree from an accredited international program, be in good standing with their home country’s medical board, and have practiced medicine in their home country independently with no disciplinary actions. Additionally, all prospective physicians must pass parts 1 and 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination. Lastly, they must have an offer of employment from a licensed Texas provider.
After these requirements are met, the Texas Medical Board will issue applicants a limited provisional license to practice medicine while they are under the direct supervision of a fully licensed doctor in Texas. Once the provisional licensing period ends (2-4 years), their license will be converted into a full unrestricted license to practice anywhere in Texas.
This optimized pathway to a medical license for foreign-licensed doctors answers two immediate needs: Texas needs more doctors now and it removes competition between recent U.S. medical graduates and foreign-licensed doctors for residency slots.
By eliminating the required redundant residency requirements, Texas can facilitate a streamlined process that will pave the way for experienced physicians to join Texas’ workforce.
As Texas searches for ways to end its ongoing doctor shortage, Texas should recognize that foreign-licensed doctors can help fill this gap. By creating a pathway for foreign-licensed doctors that want to practice in the U.S., Texas can help end its physician shortage and improve Texans’ access to healthcare.