Senate Bill (SB) 6, signed into law by Governor DeWine on June 29, authorizes the State Medical Board of Ohio (SMBO) to enter into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. Ohio becomes the 35th state to become a member of the Compact. Physicians from any state with Compact membership, including Ohio, who meet the qualifications will be eligible for licensure in any other participating state. SB 6 gives the SMBO until Thursday, September 29, 2022, to implement the system to begin processing and issuing licenses through this path.
The Compact only includes the licensing of physicians with an MD or DO. Additionally, physicians who choose to obtain licensure through the Compact, whether as an Ohio physician who wants to practice outside of Ohio or as an out-of-state physician who wants to practice in Ohio, will have a licensure process different than the path currently followed by physicians seeking licensure in Ohio today. Out-of-state physicians can continue to seek licensure directly through the state of Ohio today and after implementation of the Compact.
The SMBO looks forward to working as part of the Compact to create an additional avenue for the licensing of physicians. Watch future editions of the Weekly Family Medicine Update for implementation plans as they develop over the next year. A ‘go live’ date for Ohio, as well as instructions on how to participate, will be announced at a later date.