Bill proposed to ease restrictions on recruitment of foreign medical graduates to Guam

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

Sen. Telo T. Taitague has introduced a bill seeking to alleviate Guam’s longstanding shortage of physicians and specialists by expanding licensure pathways for foreign medical graduates, streamlining credentialing processes and establishing a Guam Conrad 30 J-1 Physician Waiver Program.

Bill 206-38 directs that licensed foreign medical graduates prioritize service at the Guam Memorial Hospital and other government-run clinics and facilities where workforce gaps have most severely impacted patient care.

“At a time when national visa policies threaten to make recruitment even harder, Guam must take bold steps to modernize our laws, expand our workforce, and improve the quality of care available here at home,” Taitague said.

The Trump administration’s new policy that sets a $100,000 fee for each H1-B petition is anticipated to take its toll on Guam’s health care industry.

Taitague said dismantling the barriers that hamper the recruitment of foreign medical graduates “is just one of many actions we must take, but it is an essential one if we are to secure a healthier future for Guam.”

Guam law has long included provisions that allow graduates of foreign medical schools to become licensed to practice medicine locally.

However, Taitague noted, the current statute is outdated and overly restrictive. The proposed measure, she added, would update the law to align with national standards and modern best practices while making the licensure process more efficient and responsive to Guam’s healthcare needs.

Key reforms include:

·      Updates the definition of foreign medical graduates and ensures recognition of degrees from credible institutions listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools.

·      Authorizes the Guam Board of Medical Examiners to accept internationally recognized licensing examinations and credentials, such as those certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.

·      Allows the Guam Board of Medical Examiners to recognize appropriate international training standards for licensing foreign medical graduates.

·      Directs the Board and the Department of Public Health and Social Services to create rules for the active recruitment of foreign medical graduates in areas where Guam faces critical provider shortages.

·      Directs licensed foreign medical graduates to serve first in public healthcare facilities such as GMH and community health centers, where care for Guam’s most medically vulnerable populations is most urgently needed.

Many of Guam’s most persistent healthcare challenges, including long wait times, limited access to specialists and patient transfers off-island, are rooted in workforce shortages at GMH and government-run clinics.

Expanding the physician workforce will also strengthen Guam’s ability to meet Medicaid and Medicare requirements and potentially increase federal reimbursement for services provided.

By modernizing Guam’s licensing laws and creating new recruitment tools, this bill helps ensure that Guam remains competitive and prepared to meet the healthcare needs of its population.

While this bill will not solve every healthcare problem Guam faces, it is a vital step toward building a stronger system for our people.

A lack of doctors has made care harder to access, driven patients off-island for treatment, and slowed other needed reforms.

Several physicians have pointed to the shortage of qualified providers as a key reason for their opposition to repealing Guam’s mandatory medical arbitration law, saying it would make recruitment even more difficult.

By tackling one of the central problems—the shortage of qualified physicians—this bill sets the stage for broader improvements that will strengthen care and improve outcomes for patients, Taitague said.

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