Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2092, H.D. 2, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the licensure requirements for physicians and surgeons educated and trained outside of the U.S. by allowing medical licensure of persons:

This measure further clarifies that the scores on the various examinations must be deemed satisfactory to the Board of Medical Examiners.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Board of Medical Examiners, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawaii Pacific Health, Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, and four individuals. Testimony in opposition was received from Hawaii Coalition for Health, Hawaii Independent Physicians Association, and fifty medical doctors.

Your Committee finds that most medical educators in the United States recognize accreditation from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada as equivalent to a residency accredited by the U.S. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Your Committee recognizes that acknowledging Canadian medical training will not diminish the standards for physicians intending to practice medicine in Hawaii, but rather will increase the pool of qualified physicians that are able to practice medicine in Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2092, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2092, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing.