Iowa § 148.3 - 148.3 License to practice.

§ 148.3. 148.3 License to practice.

1. An applicant for a license to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery shall present to the board all of the following: a. Evidence of a diploma issued by a medical college or college of osteopathic medicine and surgery approved by the board, or other evidence of equivalent medical education approved by the board. The board may accept, in lieu of a diploma from a medical college or college of osteopathic medicine and surgery approved by the board, all of the following: (1) A diploma issued by a medical college or college of osteopathic medicine and surgery which has been neither approved nor disapproved by the board. (2) A valid standard certificate issued by the educational commission for foreign medical graduates or similar accrediting agency. b. Evidence of having passed an examination prescribed by the board which shall include subjects which determine the applicant’s qualifications to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery and which shall be given according to the methods deemed by the board to be the most appropriate and practicable. However, one or more examinations as prescribed by the board or any other national standardized examination which the board approves may be administered to any or all applicants in lieu of or in conjunction with other examinations which the board prescribes. The board may establish necessary achievement levels on all examinations for a passing grade and adopt rules relating to examinations. c. Satisfactory evidence that the applicant has successfully completed one year of postgraduate internship or resident training in a hospital approved for such training by the board. An applicant who holds a valid certificate issued by the educational commission for foreign medical graduates shall submit satisfactory evidence of successful completion of two years of such training. 2. An application for a license shall be made to the board of medicine. All license and renewal fees shall be paid to the board. 3. The board shall give priority to the processing of applications for licensure submitted by physicians and surgeons and osteopathic physicians and surgeons whose practice will primarily involve provision of service to underserved populations, including but not limited to minorities or low-income persons, or who live in rural areas. 4. The issuance of reciprocal agreements pursuant to section 147.44 is not required and is subject to the discretion of the board. 1. [C97, §2582; S13, §2582; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §2540; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §148.3; 82 Acts, ch 1005, §4] 2. [C97, §2576; S13, §2576; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §2540; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §148.3] 3. [C27, 31, 35, 39, §2540; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §148.3] 90 Acts, ch 1086, §9, 10; 92 Acts, ch 1183, §12; 2004 Acts, ch 1168, §7; 2007 Acts, ch 10, §88; 2008 Acts, ch 1088, §48; 2009 Acts, ch 41, §55; 2009 Acts, ch 133, §53; 2010 Acts, ch 1069, §19; 2010 Acts, ch 1163, §2 Referred to in §147.49, 148.8A, 148.11A, 272C.2C Wed Dec 10 23:00:33 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Section 148.3 (24, 0)