NRS630.160. Requirements for license to practice medicine; action by Board if Board receives information concerning applicant that differs from information previously received by Board.

      1.  Every person desiring to practice medicine must, before beginning to practice, procure from the Board a license authorizing the person to practice.

      2.  Except as otherwise provided in NRS 630.1605, 630.161 and 630.258 to 630.266, inclusive, a license may be issued to any person who:

      (a) Is a citizen of the United States or is lawfully entitled to remain and work in the United States;

      (b) Has received the degree of doctor of medicine from a medical school:

             (1) Approved by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education of the American Medical Association and Association of American Medical Colleges; or

             (2) Which provides a course of professional instruction equivalent to that provided in medical schools in the United States approved by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education;

      (c) Is currently certified by a specialty board of the American Board of Medical Specialties and who agrees to maintain the certification for the duration of the licensure, or has passed:

             (1) All parts of the examination given by the National Board of Medical Examiners;

             (2) All parts of the Federation Licensing Examination;

             (3) All parts of the United States Medical Licensing Examination;

             (4) All parts of a licensing examination given by any state or territory of the United States, if the applicant is certified by a specialty board of the American Board of Medical Specialties;

             (5) All parts of the examination to become a licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada; or

             (6) Any combination of the examinations specified in subparagraphs (1), (2) and (3) that the Board determines to be sufficient;

      (d) Is currently certified by a specialty board of the American Board of Medical Specialties in the specialty of emergency medicine, preventive medicine or family practice and who agrees to maintain certification in at least one of these specialties for the duration of the licensure, or:

             (1) Has completed 36 months of progressive postgraduate:

                   (I) Education as a resident in the United States or Canada in a program approved by the Board, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the Coordinating Council of Medical Education of the Canadian Medical Association; or

                   (II) Fellowship training in the United States or Canada approved by the Board or the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education;

             (2) Has completed at least 36 months of postgraduate education, not less than 24 months of which must have been completed as a resident after receiving a medical degree from a combined dental and medical degree program approved by the Board; or

             (3) Is a resident who is enrolled in a progressive postgraduate training program in the United States or Canada approved by the Board, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the Coordinating Council of Medical Education of the Canadian Medical Association, has completed at least 24 months of the program and has committed, in writing, to the Board that he or she will complete the program; and

      (e) Passes a written or oral examination, or both, as to his or her qualifications to practice medicine and provides the Board with a description of the clinical program completed demonstrating that the applicant’s clinical training met the requirements of paragraph (b).

      3.  The Board may issue a license to practice medicine after the Board verifies, through any readily available source, that the applicant has complied with the provisions of subsection 2. The verification may include, but is not limited to, using the Federation Credentials Verification Service. If any information is verified by a source other than the primary source of the information, the Board may require subsequent verification of the information by the primary source of the information.

      4.  Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, if, after issuing a license to practice medicine, the Board obtains information from a primary or other source of information and that information differs from the information provided by the applicant or otherwise received by the Board, the Board may:

      (a) Temporarily suspend the license;

      (b) Promptly review the differing information with the Board as a whole or in a committee appointed by the Board;

      (c) Declare the license void if the Board or a committee appointed by the Board determines that the information submitted by the applicant was false, fraudulent or intended to deceive the Board;

      (d) Refer the applicant to the Attorney General for possible criminal prosecution pursuant to NRS 630.400; or

      (e) If the Board temporarily suspends the license, allow the license to return to active status subject to any terms and conditions specified by the Board, including:

             (1) Placing the licensee on probation for a specified period with specified conditions;

             (2) Administering a public reprimand;

             (3) Limiting the practice of the licensee;

             (4) Suspending the license for a specified period or until further order of the Board;

             (5) Requiring the licensee to participate in a program to correct alcohol or drug dependence or any other impairment;

             (6) Requiring supervision of the practice of the licensee;

             (7) Imposing an administrative fine not to exceed $5,000;

             (8) Requiring the licensee to perform community service without compensation;

             (9) Requiring the licensee to take a physical or mental examination or an examination testing his or her competence to practice medicine;

             (10) Requiring the licensee to complete any training or educational requirements specified by the Board; and

             (11) Requiring the licensee to submit a corrected application, including the payment of all appropriate fees and costs incident to submitting an application.

      5.  If the Board determines after reviewing the differing information to allow the license to remain in active status, the action of the Board is not a disciplinary action and must not be reported to any national database. If the Board determines after reviewing the differing information to declare the license void, its action shall be deemed a disciplinary action and shall be reportable to national databases.

      [Part 8:169:1949; A 1953, 662; 1955, 103]—(NRS A 1969, 211; 1971, 220; 1973, 508; 1977, 1564; 1985, 2229; 1987, 193, 1673; 1989, 416; 1991, 1068, 1884, 1887; 1993, 2298; 1997, 680; 2001, 761; 2003, 437, 1886; 2007, 1824, 3042; 2009, 1105, 2950; 2011, 887)