RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 757 (SB 439) 2022 Regular Session Peacock
New law authorizes the La. State Board of Medical Examiners (board) to develop,
implement, and maintain a program that allows an individual to be certified to practice
medicine as a bridge year graduate physician. Provides that the certification shall be valid
for one year and may be renewed for no more than two additional one-year periods upon
application to the board.
New law requires the board to provide for criteria for participation in the bridge year
graduate physician program which, at a minimum, shall require the individual seeking
certification to meet the following qualifications:
(1) Be a graduate of an accredited medical school.
(2) Have applied to, but not be accepted into, an accredited medical residency training
program for the first year following medical school graduation.
New law requires the board to determine criteria for the selection of applicants if the number
of applicants exceed the available capacity of the program.
New law requires the board to provide for the prescriptive authority of a bridge year
graduate physician including prescribing legend and certain controlled drugs.
New law authorizes the board to suspend, terminate, or revoke a bridge year graduate
physician certificate prior to the expiration of its one-year term for any reason provided by
law or the board's rules for the termination of licenses, permits, registrations, or certificates
issued by the board.
New law authorizes a bridge year graduate physician to practice only under the direct
supervision of a board-certified physician holding a license in good standing with the board.
Further provides that issuance of a certificate to practice as a bridge year graduate physician
does not confer any future right to full, unrestricted licensure.
New law provides that the services provided by a bridge year graduate physician shall be
compensable in accordance with customary medical billing practices.
New law requires the board to develop the bridge year graduate physician program with
input from the La. State Medical Society, the La. Academy of Family Physicians, a
community physician, a medical student who applied to, but was not accepted into, an
accredited medical residency training program for the first year following medical school
graduation, and a medical student.
Effective August 1, 2022.
(Amends R.S. 37:1271(A) and 1285(A)(intro para); adds R.S. 37:1310.11-1310.12)


Statutes affected:
SB439 Original: 37:1271(A), 37:1285(A)
SB439 Engrossed: 37:1271(A), 37:1285(A)
SB439 Reengrossed: 37:1271(A), 37:1285(A)
SB439 Enrolled: 37:1271(A), 37:1285(A)
SB439 Act 757: 37:1271(A), 37:1285(A)