334.040. Examination of applicants, how conducted, grades required, time limitations, extensions.
Examination of applicants, how conducted, grades required, timelimitations, extensions.
334.040. 1. Except as provided in section 334.260, all personsdesiring to practice as physicians and surgeons in this state shall beexamined as to their fitness to engage in such practice by the board. Allpersons applying for examination shall file a completed application withthe board at least eighty days before the date set for examination uponblanks furnished by the board.
2. The examination shall be sufficient to test the applicant'sfitness to practice as a physician and surgeon. The examination shall beconducted in such a manner as to conceal the identity of the applicantuntil all examinations have been scored. In all such examinations anaverage score of not less than seventy-five percent is required to pass;provided, however, that the board may require applicants to take theFederation Licensing Examination, also known as FLEX, or the United StatesMedical Licensing Examination (USMLE). If the FLEX examination isrequired, a weighted average score of no less than seventy-five percent isrequired to pass. The passing score of the United States Medical LicensingExamination shall be determined by the board through rule and regulation.The board shall not issue a permanent license as a physician and surgeon orallow the Missouri state board examination to be administered to anyapplicant who has failed to achieve a passing score within three attemptson licensing examinations administered in one or more states or territoriesof the United States, the District of Columbia or Canada. The steps one,two and three of the United States Medical Licensing Examination shall betaken within a seven-year period with no more than three attempts on anystep of the examination; however, the board may grant an extension of theseven-year period if the applicant has obtained a MD/PhD degree in aprogram accredited by the liaison committee on medical education (LCME) anda regional university accrediting body. The board may waive the provisionsof this section if the applicant is licensed to practice as a physician andsurgeon in another state of the United States, the District of Columbia orCanada and the applicant has achieved a passing score on a licensingexamination administered in a state or territory of the United States orthe District of Columbia and no license issued to the applicant has beendisciplined in any state or territory of the United States or the Districtof Columbia. Prior to waiving the provisions of this section, the boardmay require the applicant to achieve a passing score on one of thefollowing:
(1) The American Specialty Board's certifying examination in thephysician's field of specialization;
(2) Part II of the FLEX; or
(3) The Federation portion of the State Medical Board's SpecialPurpose Examination (SPEX).
3. If the board waives the provisions of this section, then thelicense issued to the applicant may be limited or restricted to theapplicant's board specialty. Scores from one test administration shall notbe combined or averaged with scores from other test administrations toachieve a passing score. The board shall not be permitted to favor anyparticular school or system of healing.
(RSMo 1939 § 9983, A.L. 1941 p. 418, A.L. 1945 p. 1147, A.L. 1951 p. 727, A.L. 1959 S.B. 50 § 3, A.L. 1981 S.B. 16, A.L. 1993 H.B. 564, H.B. 590 (H.B. 590 repealed 1996 H.B. 1473), A.L. 1997 S.B. 141, A.L. 2000 H.B. 1848)