The Graduate Physician Licensing Act establishes a framework for licensing graduate physicians in New Jersey, allowing the State Board of Medical Examiners to issue licenses to individuals who meet specific criteria, such as being at least 18 years old, graduating from an accredited medical school, and successfully completing certain medical licensing examinations. The act defines key terms and outlines requirements for collaborative practice arrangements between graduate physicians and licensed physicians, including supervision details and protocols for prescribing medications. Graduate physicians are permitted to practice only in medically underserved areas and must wear identification indicating their status, while their prescribing authority is contingent upon the supervision of a collaborating physician.

The bill also introduces provisions regarding the roles of graduate physicians in relation to medical cannabis and controlled substances, requiring collaborating physicians to document at least 120 hours of on-site practice with graduate physicians before they can prescribe controlled dangerous substances or authorize medical cannabis. It ensures that no contract can force a physician or graduate physician into a collaborative role against their will and clarifies that hospitals maintain authority over employment decisions. Additionally, the bill mandates equitable reimbursement for graduate physicians by health benefits plans and Medicaid, and it expands the definition of "practitioner" to include graduate physicians, enhancing their integration into the healthcare system.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 24:6I-3, 24:21-15.2