Establishes a demonstration program of physician assistant training in underserved areas by students of foreign institutions

BILL NUMBER:S2219A

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a demonstration program of physician assistant training in underserved areas by students of foreign institutions, and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

Purpose

To increase access to physician assistant services in underserved areas by establishing a program that would permit foreign medical school students, having completed a clinical training program in an underserved area, to register with the State Education Department.

Summary of provisions

Section. 1 Creates a physician assistant training demonstration program by amending the Education Law to require the Commissioner of Education to approve programs offered by foreign medical schools. The program would be required to include supervised clinical training in an underserved area and classroom work that is equivalent to that required by Section 6541 of the Education Law for students enrolled in approved domestic programs. Section 1 also sets forth the purpose of the act.

Section 2. Directs the Commissioner of Education to establish a process by which foreign medical school physician assistant program classroom work and clinical training may be approved.

Section 3. Directs the Commissioner of Education to approve a physician assistant graduate exam for those persons completing approved programs described in Section 1.

Section 4. Limits the number of registration applications acceptable pursuant to the program established by this legislation to 250 in any twelve month period.

Section 5. Establishes that the act shall take effect immediately and expire in five years.

Justification

It is essential to have a constant supply of medical professionals to provide quality health care. Unfortunately, fewer medical school students are choosing to become general practitioners just as many general practitioners are leaving the profession at an alarming rate. Indeed, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has reported that over 25% of physicians are 60 years of age or older and projected that the United States will experience a shortage of over 130,000 full time equivalent physicians by 2025. Furthermore, a study by the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS), the finding of which were released in its 2011 Physician Advocacy Survey, found that 109 state hospitals report a shortage of a total of 763 doctors. This growing shortage of medical professionals is occurring just as the estimated 78 million baby boomers begin to reach the age of 65.

Physician assistants practice medicine under the direction of physicians and surgeons and are formally trained to examine patients, diagnose injuries and illnesses and provide treatment. These

professionals often provide primary care services that are suitable to the alternative of general practice medical doctor services.

This bill would ease the burden on our State's medical professionals by increasing the supply of primary care services by allowing foreign medical school physician assistant students to perform clinical training in underserved communities. Currently, the State Education Department does not register graduates of foreign medical school physician assistant programs. This legislation would establish a foreign student registration system with standards equivalent to those used to review students that complete domestic programs and then seek to register in the State.

Legislative history

2012 S.7609

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

Immediately.