USMLE bill vetoed by the Governor
A measure that would have waived the requirement for LBJ Hospital physicians from being US certified under the US Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) has been vetoed by Governor Togiola Tulafono.
The veto comes after Governor Togiola publicly announced his support of the LBJ Hospital Board’s decision requiring LBJ doctors to take and pass the USMLE.
The bill, sponsored by all 18 senators, would have ‘grandfathered’ non-US certified doctors working at the LBJ Medical Center, meaning they would be exempted from taking the USMLE, and the same would have applied to all current physicians who graduated from a foreign school of medicine before December 31, 2007.
In an October 30 letter to the Fono leadership, Governor Togiola said that as long as appropriate laws are in place for physicians’ licensing, especially when they are aimed at improving the conditions of LBJ and the quality of health care delivery to our people, those laws must be followed.
He added, “To be absolutely clear on this point, I insist that the current laws be followed, where appropriate rules are in place for the proper implementation of physician licensing requirements, those rules necessitate our compliance.”
Togiola explained that while he understands the push to have the current medical personnel grandfathered in to the system, this would represent a step backward to the progress of medical licensure in the territory.
“To make this exception would be tantamount to admitting our own inability to measure up to standards, which we have set for ourselves. The bill represents a regression in credentials and certification which we as a territory cannot afford,” the Governor wrote, adding that our commitment to the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services moves us to push for USMLE certified professional personnel.
Togiola said that while he understands the majority of service providers at the hospital lack this important certification, he cannot agree that the solution to this problem is to change the laws.
He said current laws were adopted with the express purpose of promoting the public health, safety and welfare. “This purpose is still relevant and controlling” and as such, the measure “is not a candidate for revision at this time.”
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