4621.1 The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) allows an eligible physician to become licensed in multiple states in a streamlined process. The Interstate Commission is the governing body of the IMLC. The District of Columbia is a member of the IMLC and able to license physicians pursuant to the IMLC.
4621.2 A physician licensed in the District of Columbia is eligible to apply for licensure pursuant to the IMLC if he or she:
(a) Is a graduate of a medical school that is: (1) accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education,(2) accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, or(3) listed in the International Medical Education Directory or its equivalent;(b) Has passed each component of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA) within three (3) attempts, or any of its predecessor examinations accepted by a state medical board as an equivalent examination for licensure purposes;(c) Has successfully completed graduate medical education approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the American Osteopathic Association;(d) Holds specialty certification or a time- unlimited specialty certificate recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties or the American Osteopathic Association's Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists;(e) Possesses a full and unrestricted license to engage in the practice of medicine issued by a member board;(f) Has never been convicted, received adjudication, deferred adjudication, community supervision, or deferred disposition for any offense by a court of appropriate jurisdiction. For the purpose of this section only, "offense" means a felony, gross misdemeanor, or crime of moral turpitude;(g) Has never held a license authorizing the practice of medicine that has been subjected to discipline by a licensing agency in any state, federal, or foreign jurisdiction, excluding any action related to non-payment of fees related to a license;(h) Has never had a controlled substance license or permit suspended or revoked by a state or the United States Drug Enforcement Administration; and(i) Is not under active investigation by a licensing agency or law enforcement authority in any state, federal, or foreign jurisdiction.4621.3 A physician may designate the District of Columbia as the state of principal license for purposes of registration for expedited licensure through the IMLC if the physician possesses a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the District and the District of Columbia is:
(a) The state of primary residence for the physician;(b) The state where at least twenty- five percent (25%) of the physician's practice of medicine occurs;(c) The location of the physician's employer; or(d) If no other state qualifies under paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of this subsection, the state designated as the physician's state of residence for purposes of federal income tax.4621.4 An eligible physician seeking licensure through the IMLC with the District of Columbia as his or her state of principal license shall file an application for an expedited license with the Board.
4621.5 A physician who changes his or her state of principal license from the District of Columbia, or who no longer meets the requirements for having the District of Columbia as their principal state of licensure, shall notify the Board of this change within thirty (30) days of the change
4621.6 The Board shall evaluate the application for an expedited license and issue a letter of qualification, verifying or denying the physician's eligibility, to the Interstate Commission. The Board shall consider the following when evaluating an application of expedited license:
(a) Static qualifications, which include verification of medical education, graduate medical education, results of any medical or licensing examination, and other qualifications as determined by the Interstate Commission through rule, shall not be subject to additional primary source verification where already primary source verified by the state of principal license.(b) The results of a criminal background check of an applicant, including the use of the results of fingerprint or other biometric data checks compliant with the requirements of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the exception of federal employees who have a suitability determination in accordance with 5 CFR § 731.202.(c) An appeal on the determination of eligibility shall be made in accordance with the requirements of §4102.3 of this title.4621.7 If the Board verifies the physician's eligibility for an expedited license, the physician shall complete the registration process established by the Interstate Commission to receive a license in a member state, including the payment of any applicable fees.
4621.8 If the Board receives verification of eligibility and required fees for a physician applying through the Interstate Commission from a different state of principal license, the Board shall issue the physician an expedited license. This license shall authorize the physician to practice medicine in the District of Columbia pursuant to all applicable laws and regulations.
4621.9 An expedited license shall be valid for the same licensure period in the District of Columbia and in the same manner as required for other physicians holding a full and unrestricted license within the member District of Columbia.
4621.10 An expedited license obtained though the IMLC shall be terminated if a physician fails to maintain a license in the state of principal licensure for a nondisciplinary reason, without redesignating a new state of principal licensure.
4621.11 The Interstate Commission is authorized to develop additional rules regarding the application process, including payment of any applicable fees, and the issuance of an expedited license.
4621.12 A physician seeking to renew an expedited license granted in the District of Columbia shall complete a renewal process with the Interstate Commission if the physician:
(a) Maintains a full and unrestricted license in a state of principal license;(b) Has not been convicted, received adjudication, deferred adjudication, community supervision, or deferred disposition for any offense by a court of appropriate jurisdiction;(c) Has not had a license authorizing the practice of medicine subject to discipline by a licensing agency in any state, federal, or foreign jurisdiction, excluding any action related to nonpayment of fees related to a license; and(d) Has not had a controlled substance license or permit suspended or revoked by a state or the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.4621.13 Physicians shall comply with all continuing professional development or continuing medical education requirements for renewal of a license issued by the District of Columbia.
4621.14 The Interstate Commission shall collect any renewal fees charged for the renewal of a license and distribute the fees to the District of Columbia.
4621.15 Upon receipt by the District of Columbia of the renewal fees collected in accordance with § 4621.14, the physician's license shall be renewed.
4621.16 Physician information collected by the Interstate Commission during the renewal process will be distributed to the District of Columbia.
4621.17 The Interstate Commission is authorized to develop rules to address renewal of licenses obtained through the IMLC.
4621.18 When a physician licensed through the Interstate Compact has disciplinary action or an investigation taken against his or her license, the Board:
(a) Shall report any public action or complaints to the Interstate Commission;(b) Shall report any nonpublic complaint, disciplinary or investigatory information in accordance with rules of the Interstate Commission, and may report any such information not required by rule;(c) Shall share complaint or disciplinary information about a physician upon request of another member board;(d) May participate with other member boards in joint investigations of physicians licensed by the member boards;(e) Shall deem any disciplinary action taken by a member board against a physician licensed through the Compact as unprofessional conduct which may be subject to discipline by the Board, whether or not such conduct constituted a violation of the District of Columbia Health Occupations Revision Act of 1985, D.C. Official Code §§ 3-1201.01et seq. (HORA);(f) Shall automatically place the license status of a physician licensed through the Compact whose license in the state of principal license has been revoked, surrendered or relinquished in lieu of discipline, or suspended, in the same status without needing any further action;(g) Shall automatically suspend for ninety (90) days the license of a physician licensed through the Compact whose license in a member state ha s been revoked, surrendered or relinquished in lieu of discipline, or suspended, without needing any further action, in order to complete any investigation and take any other authorized action; and(h) May deem any disciplinary action taken by a member state against a physician licensed through the Compact conclusive as to matters of law and fact and take appropriate action.D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 17, r. 17-4621
Final Rulemaking published at 66 DCR 16563 (12/27/2019); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 67 DCR 204 (1/10/2020)