Foreign-trained physicians will soon have a new full licensing pathway in Massachusetts, thanks to a recent law aimed at addressing the state’s healthcare workforce shortage. On January 15, Massachusetts governor Maura Healey signed the Physician Pathway Act (PPA), which allows international physicians to practice medicine in Massachusetts after spending at least three years practicing at healthcare centers and facilities in underserved areas.
Massachusetts is now one of nine states to have established a streamlined permanent pathway for internationally-trained physicians. In the other 41 states, international physicians are forced to repeat their clinical training in a U.S. or Canadian residency program, a duplicative requirement for physicians who already completed residency overseas. This change allows international doctors to prove their competence by training under supervision, rather than repeating a costly and time-consuming process….
Eric Lu, Niskanaen Center, March 3, 2025
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