States Facing Doctor Shortages Ease Licensing Rules for Foreign-Trained Physicians

March 3, 2025

A physician writing on a clipboard

(KFF Health News) – A growing number of states have made it easier for doctors who trained in other countries to get medical licenses, a shift supporters say could ease physician shortages in rural areas.

The changes involve residency programs — the supervised, hands-on training experience that doctors must complete after graduating medical school. Until recently, every state required physicians who completed a residency or similar training abroad to repeat the process in the U.S. before obtaining a full medical license. (Read More)