What's happening
This bill requires New York physicians to complete 50 hours of continuing medical education for license re-registration, with certain specialty certifications accepted as alternatives.
Why it matters
Ensures physicians’ medical knowledge stays current,. which may improve patient safety and quality of care by requiring regular, structured learning and professional development.
Provides flexibility for specialists,. allowing physicians who maintain board certification or recertification with approved specialty organizations to use that process in place of the standard continuing education requirement.
Aligns New York with national standards,. as many states and medical boards already require continuing education or specialty certification, helping to maintain the state’s reputation for rigorous medical oversight.
May impact physician workload and costs,. since meeting these requirements could add time and financial burdens, especially for those not already engaged in ongoing specialty certification.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Ongoing Doctor Training
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 4
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require Doctors Ongoing Education
In Assembly Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Amy Paulin
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
815
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 5, 2017
Introduced by Sen. BOYLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to continuing medical education for physicians
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 6524 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 12 to read as follows:
(12)(a) Following his or her first re-registration period, no physician may be re-registered unless he or she, as part of the re-registration application, includes an attestation made under penalty of perjury, in a form prescribed by the commissioner, that he or she has completed at least fifty hours of continuing medical education pursuant to regulations promulgated by the commissioner.
(b) Certification or recertification of the physician by a physician specialty organization may be completed in lieu of compliance with the continuing medical education requirements of paragraph (a) of this subdivision during the cycle in which certification or recertification is granted. As used in this section, "physician specialty organization" means: (i) the American Board of Medical Specialties; (ii) the American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Professional Education; (iii) the American Board of Physician Specialties; (iv) the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; (v) any other entity maintaining standards for and certifying physician specialty certification that: (A) is approved by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education or an equivalent council, (B) requires successful completion of a comprehensive examination to be certified by such entity, (C) requires recertification every ten years or less, (D) requires at least twentyfive hours credit of continuing medical education each year, and (E) is a tax exempt organization described in section 501(c) of the internal revenue code; or (vi) any other entity determined by the commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of health, to be equivalent to the requirements described in this paragraph.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05503-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to continuing medical education for physicians
Purpose or general idea of bill
To require continuing medical education for physicians licensed in New York State.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one amends section 6524 of the education law to provide that in order to re-register, a physician must attest under penalty of perjury that he or she has completed at least fifty hours of continuing medical education. It also provides that certification or recertification of the physician by a physician specialty organization may be completed in lieu of compliance with the continuing medical education requirements during the cycle in which certification or recertification is granted. The section defines physician specialty organization.
Section two provides the effective date.
Justification
Under current law, once a doctor is licensed in New York State no additional training or education is required to retain or renew their medical license. New York is one of only five states without a continuing medical education requirement.
Most doctors within New York State are board certified and must participate in continuing medical education in order to maintain this certification. Yet, many doctors are not board certified and do not have to complete any continuing medical education. In New York State, 5,048 of the doctors practicing internal medicine, 1480 of doctors practicing pediatric medicine, 735 doctors practicing obstetrics and gynecology, 2,282 doctors practicing family medicine, 967 doctors practicing anesthesiology, and 99 doctors specializing in allergies are not board certified. In order to ensure that doctors within New York State provide the highest quality of care, all doctors should be participating in continuing medical education.
Prior legislative history
05/10/16 REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Fiscal implication
None.
Effective date
Immediate.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.