New legislation will help expedite medical licensing for the health and medical services industry in Nevada.
The Expedited Licensure Law, which went into effect July 1 and was sponsored by the governor on behalf of the economic development office and passed by the Nevada Legislature, allows for medical professionals currently in good standing in another state to receive licenses to practice in Nevada within 60 days.
“With an increased focus on enhancing STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and graduate medical education, two new medical schools in Las Vegas, and the expansion of the University of Nevada School of Medicine, this new law will assist the state with workforce development and recruitment efforts,” Vance Farrow, health and medical services industry specialist for the economic development office, said in a statement.
“As a result of the law, Nevada can actively begin to not only fill our health care shortage areas with the recruitment of medical professionals, but also create jobs that will bring money into Nevada’s economy and align industry needs with the state’s education and workforce training systems,” he added.
The bill will streamline the process that all medical licensing boards will follow, as well as ensure the route to licensing happens in a limited amount of time.
“Las Vegas will soon be able to boast that it has three medical schools and the framework to double or triple physician residencies,” Doug Geinzer, CEO of Las Vegas HEALS, said in a statement. “This bill removed our biggest barrier for faculty recruitment, which was the timeliness to get physicians licensed in Nevada. We can now move forward swiftly to attract faculty and highly trained specialists to develop future fellowship programs.”
Senior physicians in key medical specialties are vital to provide quality faculty to these expanded education programs and the expedited process for all physicians with flawless records in other states could help encourage experienced physicians to move to Nevada.
The Expedited Licensure Law not only affects doctors, but all medical professionals, including nurses, social workers and therapists.
“This law passed through the Legislature with a focus on creating jobs and propelling growth in Nevada’s health care industry,” Farrow said. “As a result of the law, we hope to see an increase in the number of quality medical professionals who call Nevada home, both from a recruitment standpoint and as a result of the graduate medical residents who stay to practice in Nevada following graduation.”
