Section 43-34-33. Institutional licenses

   (a) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, under exceptional circumstances the board may consider applications from institutions on behalf of physicians who are graduates of international medical schools who the institution wishes to employ but who do not have independent licenses to practice medicine in the State of Georgia. The board shall review the credentials of physicians to ensure that they have adequate training and experience and have confirmation of supervisory oversight of any such physician, prior to awarding any such institutional license. The institutional license shall be jointly awarded to the institution and the physician, indicating that the license to practice medicine is limited to that institution and under proper medical supervision in accordance with this Code section. The institutional license may be renewable biennially, so long as the licensee remains in the employ of the institution requesting the license, provided that such institutional license shall not be prima-facie evidence that the holder thereof meets the minimum basic requirements for examination by the board or for the issuance of a permanent license to practice medicine.

(b) A person issued an institutional license pursuant to this Code section shall not engage in the private practice of medicine and shall not receive fees or any other remuneration from his or her patients. Persons practicing medicine pursuant to an institutional license issued in accordance with this Code section shall receive as their sole remuneration for the practice of medicine the salary and other remuneration paid by the institution. The license of any person who violates this Code section shall be subject to revocation by the board after notice and opportunity for hearing.

(c) Any physician applying for an institutional license who meets all other requirements of the board must also furnish documentation of one year of American Medical Association or American Osteopathic Association approved postgraduate training (internship or residency), or other training acceptable to the board.

(d) Institutional license holders shall not be permitted to apply for a Drug Enforcement Agency registration number to write prescriptions to be filled outside the institution.

Ga. L. 1939, p. 319, § 2; Ga. L. 1950, p. 362, § 1; Ga. L. 1953, Nov.-Dec. Sess., p. 179, § 1; Ga. L. 1955, p. 575, § 1; Ga. L. 1958, p. 619, § 1; Ga. L. 1970, p. 301, § 13; Ga. L. 1977, p. 332, § 2; Ga. L. 1977, p. 334, § 9; Ga. L. 1978, p. 223, § 1; Ga. L. 1983, p. 720, § 1; Ga. L. 2009, p. 859, § 1/HB 509.