Foreign Physicians May Apply for New Jersey DCA Temporary Emergency License to Administer Care During Pandemic

As of April 17, 2020, the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) has started accepting applications for the issuance of temporary emergency licenses for foreign-licensed physicians living in the United States.  This application is in response to Governor Phil Murphy’s Executive Order No. 112, which granted the DCA authorization to issue temporary medical licenses to foreign-licensed physicians during the COVID-19 health emergency. 

Program Requirements

To satisfy the requirements for the temporary emergency license, a foreign-licensed physician must:

1. be currently licensed, in good standing to practice medicine in a foreign country;
2. have at least five (5) years of experience practicing clinical medicine under such license(s);
3. not had more than a five (5) year (i.e., between 2015 and 2020) lapse from the practice of clinical medicine;
4. be lawfully present and authorized to work in the United States (this is a federal law requirement);
5. complete an application and provide all relevant documents to support the application, including, but not limited to a copy of his or her medical license(s); and
6. certify to the accuracy of statements and documents submitted as part of the application.

Program Limitations

There are several limitations on the scope of practice for temporary licensees under this program. The temporary emergency licenses will only be valid during the time of this current COVID-19 pandemic and will not be extended.  The foreign-licensed physician will be limited to providing in-person, clinical medical services in a New Jersey Department of Health-licensed facility (e.g. hospital, long-term care facilities, or field hospital) or at another location designated as an emergency health care center by the New Jersey Commissioner of Health.  In addition to the expectation that in-person clinical medical services will be provided at licensed facilities, these temporary licensees will not be able to prescribe controlled dangerous substances.

For the DCA website FAQs containing additional information on the Temporary Emergency Foreign Physician Licensure Program, click here.

If you are a healthcare practitioner with questions concerning this alert, please contact Grace Mack, Steven Okoye or any member of our Health Law Team.

• New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs: FAQs for Temporary Emergency Licensure of Foreign Physicians Supporting NJ’s COVID-19 Response

Tags: Coronavirus (COVID-19) • New Jersey Executive Order No. 112 • Governor Phil Murphy