International Practice Rights
The following is an International Licensure Summary for U.S.-trained Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, as listed by the American Osteopathic Association:
| Country | Year of Latest Policy | Medical Practice Rights | Requirements for Licensure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 2006 | Unlimited | Foreign physicians must submit credentials to various agencies and then appear before any of the National Universities in order to have their diploma recognized. | |
| Australia | 2009 | Restricted | A U.S. educated D.O. was recruited to head up an ER in Sydney. Through the hospital’s efforts and the endorsement of the Australian College of Emergency Medicine, he secured an unlimited medical license through the then New South Wales Medical Board. Generally a D.O. is not recognised at all by the current Medical Board of Australia | |
| Austria | 2009 | Unlimited | Hospital must have position unable to be filled by Austrian physician. | |
| Bahamas | 2004 | Unlimited | U.S. license recognized. | |
| Bahrain | 2010 | Unlimited | U.S. license recognized. | |
| Barbados | 1995 | Limited | OMM only. | |
| Bermuda | 1997 | Unlimited | Required at least 2 years of GME and examination or interview by the Council’s Examination Committee. Non-Bermudans must have approval from the Ministry of Labour & Home Affairs to work on the island. | |
| Brazil | 2007 | Unlimited | Completion of Brazilian board exam, establishing residency & some training in Brazilian hospital is required. | |
| Canada | Alberta | Unlimited | Requires at least 2 years of GME accredited by the ACGME or AOA and must have passed the Universities Coordinating Council Exam, a basic sciences exam, and have passed all three parts of the LMCC. | |
| British Columbia | Unlimited | Requires at least 1 year of GME approved by the AOA or the ACGME, completed at least 1 year of GME in Canada, passed all three parts of the LMCC. | ||
| Manitoba | Unlimited | U.S. license recognized. | ||
| New Brunswick | Unlimited | Requires at least 2 years of GME approved by the AOA or the ACGME and have passed all 3 parts of the LMCC. Reciprocity pathway for D.O. physicians with a Maine license. | ||
| Newfoundland | Unlimited | The Medical Act 2011 allows full licensure of osteopathic physicians, both for the country’s full registry & its educational registry. | ||
| NW Territories | Unlimited | U.S. license recognized. | ||
| Nova Scotia | Unlimited | Requires a Canadian or ACGME residency. | ||
| Ontario | Unlimited | Requires a Canadian or ACGME residency. | ||
| Prince Edward Island | Unlimited | |||
| Quebec | Unlimited | Requires 1 year of GME approved by the AOA or ACGME, 1 year of GME in Quebec passed the written, oral and clinical board examination of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and must speak French fluently. | ||
| Saskatchewan | Unlimited | |||
| Yukon Territory | Unlimited | U.S. license recognized. | ||
| Cayman Islands (UK) | 1983 | Unlimited | U.S. license recognized. | |
| Central African Republic | 1990 | Unlimited | U.S. licensure and annual attendance at the National Congress for Physicians. | |
| Chile | 1993 | Unlimited | A written exam in Spanish is required, besides a series of practical tests involving common procedures (CPR, intubation, lumbar puncture, etc.). | |
| China | 2009 | Unlimited | U.S.-D.O. physicians are permitted to apply for "Short Term Medical Practice." | |
| Colombia | 1996 | Unlimited | Same requirements as other foreign physicians. | |
| Costa Rica | 1993 | Unlimited | Same requirements as other foreign physicians. | |
| Dominican Republic | 2000 | Unlimited | U.S. license & board certification recognized. | |
| Ecuador | 1990 | Unlimited | Same requirements as other foreign physicians. Reciprocity exists with most Latin American countries. | |
| Finland | 1996 | Unlimited | Same requirements as other foreign physicians. | |
| France | 2009 | Limited | OMM only. French government does not recognize full scope of practice osteopathic medicine. | |
| The Gambia | 2011 | Unlimited | ||
| Germany | 2008 | Unlimited | Same requirements as other foreign physicians. Depends on need. Decisions made on individual basis. | |
| Greece | 2009 | Unlimited | Greek citizenship required, unless in rare instances, there exists a crucial need for certain types of specialist physicians. Further, a work permit must be obtained, a difficult task, and speaking Greek is an unwritten requirement. These are the same requirements as other foreign physicians. | |
| Grenada | 2007 | Unlimited | U.S. license recognized. | |
| Guyana | 1996 | Unlimited | Case-by case basis. | |
| Honduras | 2009 | Unlimited | National Autonomous University must accredit all foreign titles. After accreditation is completed, the applicant must seek registration with the Medical College of Honduras (MCH). | |
| Hong Kong | 1998 | Unlimited | Written examination. Personal interview. Training approval. | |
| Indonesia | 1992 | Unlimited & Restricted | Foreign physicians affiliated with a university project or a mission have unlimited practice rights. No private practice allowed. | |
| Israel | 2007 | Unlimited | Same requirements as other foreign physicians. Hebrew required. | |
| Italy | 2009 | Unlimited | Physicians are discouraged from seeking employment in Italy without firm contracts and work permits. If there is a U.S. state law outlining reciprocity with Italy, a statement to this effect from the Italian Consulate will warrant better chances. | |
| Jamaica | 1994 | Limited & Restricted | D.O. physicians were permitted to supply some services while participating in a specific mission project. | |
| Kenya | 2007 | Unlimited | ||
| Lebanon | 2004 | Unlimited | AOA letter required. Examination required. | |
| Lesotho | 1990s | Unlimited | Applicants must appear before the Medical, Dental and Pharmacy Council to answer some medical questions and present their credentials. The Council will also make a recommendation about where the applicant’s skills would be most helpful in the country. | |
| Liberia | 1990s | Unlimited | Same requirements as other foreign physicians. | |
| Luxembourg | 1987 | Unlimited | The practice of medicine in Luxembourg by a doctor who is not an EU national is very rare. | |
| Malta | 2010 | Unlimited | Accepted on a case by case basis, if training meets the minimum educational requirements for physicians in the EU (Article 24 of Directive 2005/36/EC). Examination required. | |
| Malawi | 1991 | Unlimited | ||
| Mexico | 2011 | Unlimited & Restricted | Health Secretary Quijano of the Yucatán State of Mexico signed a Proclamation recognizing U.S.-trained osteopathic physicians in that state; D.O. physicians can now obtain short-term & long-term licensure through the Health Secretary’s office. All other Mexican states require work permits - only available in conjunction with the association of a short-term medical mission project. | |
| Micronesia | 1993 | Unlimited | Statutes specifically include DOs | |
| Nepal | 2008 | Unlimited | Approval by the Nepal Medical Council & a visa from the Immigration Department. | |
| Netherlands | 2009 | Unlimited | Same requirements as other foreign physicians. | |
| New Zealand | 2008 | Unlimited | Hearing required. Case-by-case basis. | |
| Nigeria | 2010 | Unlimited | U.S. Licensure and completion of specialty training required. | |
| Norway | 2009 | Limited | OMM only. | |
| Pakistan | 2011 | Unlimited | U.S. osteopathic medical schools meet the Medical and Dental Council’s statutory regulations for international medical graduates. Scope is unlimited, but practice setting may be restricted | |
| Panama | 2009 | Unlimited | Panamanian citizenship required. | |
| Papua New Guinea | 2010 | Unlimited | Work permit required. Short-term or a long-term volunteer service license also available. | |
| Poland | 2009 | Unlimited | Examination & Polish required. | |
| Russia | 2006 | Unlimited | Foreign physicians make arrangements to practice through Russian sponsors, such as hospitals or businesses. | |
| Saint Lucia | 2000 | Unlimited | U.S. credentials recognized. | |
| Saudi Arabia | 2009 | Unlimited | Foreign physician must be recruited by a government agency, a corporation or a private health care entity, such as a hospital. | |
| Sierra Leone | 1993 | Unlimited | Notarized U.S. credentials. | |
| South Africa | 2009 | Limited | OMM only | |
| Sweden | 2005 | Unlimited | U.S. license recognized. | |
| Taiwan | 2008 | Unlimited | The ROC government recognizes U.S. D.O. degree. Applicants must take Taiwan Examination Yuan to obtain Taiwanese license. | |
| Tanzania | 1985 | Unlimited | U.S. license & GME recognized. Temporary work permits are available | |
| Uganda | 2008 | Unlimited | ||
| United Arab Emirates | 2009 | Unlimited | Examination required. | |
| United Kingdom | 2005 | Unlimited | U.S.-trained D.O. physicians are eligible for full medical practice rights. Applicants must pass the PLAB examination and work for one year in the National Health Service. Following that year, the applicants will be able to apply for a license to practice privately. For GMC registration as a specialist, postgraduate training will need to be separately recognized by the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB). GOsC registration is also required. | |
| Venezuela | 2007 | Unlimited | Recognized legal status under the "law of the practice of medical." | |
| Vietnam | 1995 | Unlimited | Foreign physicians can fill vacancies in hospitals that are in need of certain specialists. | |
| Zambia | 2009 | Unlimited | U.S. licensure required. | |
| Zimbabwe | 2009 | Limited | OMM only. | |
| Table data from AOA International Licensure Summary (updated February 2011). | ||||
| OMM:Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine | ||||
Read more about this topic: Doctor Of Osteopathic Medicine, International Variations
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