Restricted license; certain foreign-licensed physicians; examination; restrictions on practice; full licensure.

(1)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department shall provide procedures under which certain physicians who are or were foreign-licensed and have practiced medicine no less than 2 years may take the USMLE or an examination developed by the department, in consultation with the board, to qualify for a restricted license to practice medicine in this state. The department-developed examination shall test the same areas of medical knowledge as the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, Inc. (FLEX) previously administered by the Florida Board of Medicine to grant medical licensure in Florida. A person who is eligible to take and elects to take the department-developed examination, who has previously passed part 1 or part 2 of the previously administered FLEX shall not be required to retake or pass the equivalent parts of the department-developed examination, and may sit for the department-developed examination five times within 5 years.

(b) A person who is eligible to take and elects to take the USMLE who has previously passed part 1 or part 2 of the previously administered FLEX shall not be required to retake or pass the equivalent parts of the USMLE up to the year 2002.

(c) A person shall be eligible to take such examination for restricted licensure if the person:

1. Has taken, upon approval by the board, and completed, in November 1990 or November 1992, one of the special preparatory medical update courses authorized by the board and the University of Miami Medical School and subsequently passed the final course examination; upon approval by the board to take the course completed in 1990 or in 1992, has a certificate of successful completion of that course from the University of Miami or the Stanley H. Kaplan course; or can document to the department that he or she was one of the persons who took and successfully completed the Stanley H. Kaplan course that was approved by the board and supervised by the University of Miami. At a minimum, the documentation must include class attendance records and the test score on the final course examination;

2. Applies to the department and submits an application fee that is nonrefundable and equivalent to the fee required for full licensure;

3. Documents no less than 2 years of the active practice of medicine in any jurisdiction;

4. Submits an examination fee that is nonrefundable and equivalent to the fee required for full licensure plus the actual per applicant cost to the department to provide either examination described in this section;

5. Has not committed any act or offense in this or any other jurisdiction that would constitute a substantial basis for disciplining a physician under chapter 456 or this chapter; and

6. Is not under discipline, investigation, or prosecution in this or any other jurisdiction for an act that would constitute a violation of chapter 456 or this chapter and that substantially threatened or threatens the public health, safety, or welfare.

(d) Every person eligible for restricted licensure under this section may sit for the USMLE or the department-developed examination five times within 5 calendar years. Applicants desiring to use portions of the FLEX and the USMLE may do so up to the year 2000. However, notwithstanding subparagraph (c)3., applicants applying under this section who fail the examination up to a total of five times will only be required to pay the examination fee required for full licensure for the second and subsequent times they take the examination.

(e) The department and the board shall be responsible for working with one or more organizations to offer a medical refresher course designed to prepare applicants to take either licensure examination described in this section. The organizations may develop the medical refresher course, purchase such a course, or contract for such a course from a private organization that specializes in developing such courses.

(f) The course shall require no less than two 16-week semesters of 16 contact hours per week for a total of 256 contact hours per student for each semester. The cost is to be paid by the students taking the course.

(2)(a) Before the department may issue a restricted license to an applicant under this section, the applicant must have passed either of the two examinations described in this section. However, the board may impose reasonable restrictions on the applicant’s license to practice. These restrictions may include, but are not limited to:

1. Periodic and random department audits of the licensee’s patient records and review of those records by the board or the department.

2. Periodic appearances of the licensee before the board or the department.

3. Submission of written reports to the board or the department.

(b) A restricted licensee under this section shall practice under the supervision of a full licensee approved by the board with the first year of the licensure period being under direct supervision as defined by board rule and the second year being under indirect supervision as defined by board rule.

(c) The board may adopt rules necessary to implement this subsection.

(3)(a) A restricted license issued by the department under this section is valid for 2 years unless sooner revoked or suspended, and a restricted licensee is subject to the requirements of chapter 456, this chapter, and any other provision of law not in conflict with this section. Upon expiration of such restricted license, a restricted licensee shall become a full licensee if the restricted licensee:

1. Is not under discipline, investigation, or prosecution for a violation which poses a substantial threat to the public health, safety, or welfare; and

2. Pays all renewal fees required of a full licensee.

(b) The department shall renew a restricted license under this section upon payment of the same fees required for renewal for a full license if the restricted licensee is under discipline, investigation, or prosecution for a violation which posed or poses a substantial threat to the public health, safety, or welfare and the board has not permanently revoked the restricted license. A restricted licensee who has renewed such restricted license shall become eligible for full licensure when the licensee is no longer under discipline, investigation, or prosecution.

(4) The board shall adopt rules necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.