Section 1285.20  Six Year Post-Secondary Programs of Medical Education

The standards for the 6 year post-secondary program of medical or osteopathic education described in Section 11(A)(2)(a)(i) of the Medical Practice Act of 1987 [225 ILCS 60] (the Act) are:

a)         At least 2 academic years of a course of instruction in a college, university or other institution.

b)         At least 2 academic years of study in the basic medical sciences, which shall include formal instruction in at least the following subjects:

1)         anatomy;

2)         biochemistry;

3)         physiology;

4)         microbiology and immunology;

5)         pathology;

6)         pharmacology and therapeutics; and

7)         preventive medicine.

c)         The required basic science courses stated in subsection (b) must be taken and completed as part of a program of medical education taught at a medical school and shall not be accepted or co-validated from courses completed as a student in a secondary school, community college, or college of liberal arts and sciences at which degrees are earned prior to the commencement of the medical education program.

d)         At least 2 academic years of study in the clinical sciences, while enrolled in the medical college that conferred the degree, which shall include at least the following required core clerkship rotations:

1)         internal medicine;

2)         obstetrics and gynecology;

3)         pediatrics;

4)         psychiatry; and

5)         surgery.

e)         The core clerkship rotations must have been taken and completed in clinical teaching facilities owned, operated or formally affiliated with the medical college that conferred the degree or under contract in teaching facilities owned, operated or formally affiliated with another medical college that is officially recognized by the jurisdiction in which the medical school that conferred the degree is located.

f)         Each applicant for licensure who completed rotations in an affiliated teaching facility must submit a copy of each affiliation agreement between the medical college that conferred the degree and each clinical teaching facility in which a core clerkship rotation was completed.  The affiliation agreements to be considered valid pursuant to Section 11(A)(2)(a)(i) of the Act must:  

1)         be in writing;

2)         be dated;

3)         be fully executed by the administrator of the clinical teaching facility and the Dean of medical college;

4)         clearly define the rights and responsibilities of each party, including agreements on the role and authority of the governing bodies of both the clinical teaching facility and the medical college; and

5)         be substantiated by submission of an evaluation form completed by the supervising physician for each core clerkship rotation.

g)         Affidavit in Lieu of Affiliation Agreement

1)         If a written affiliation agreement does not exist, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation-Division of Professional Regulation (the Division) shall accept, in lieu of the agreement, an affidavit signed by the current Dean of the medical college and an affidavit signed by the current medical director of the facility or director of medical education or program director of the clinical teaching facility that verifies the following:

A)        that a verbal affiliation agreement existed between the clinical teaching facility and the medical college at the time the core clerkship rotation was completed;

B)        that the applicant was authorized to complete the core clerkship rotation;

C)        that the core clerkship rotation was completed satisfactorily.

2)         The affidavits shall be substantiated by submission of the evaluation form completed by the supervising physician for each core clerkship rotation.

h)         For the purposes of this Section, "academic year" shall be defined as a minimum period of 9 months that includes no less than 25 clock hours per week of basic sciences as set forth in subsection (b) and no less than 40 clock hours per week of clinical sciences as set forth in subsection (d).

i)          Each clerkship shall be at least 4 weeks in length, shall consist of hands-on experience with patients that is planned, managed and supervised by faculty of the medical school conferring the degree, and shall be performed in accordance with all requirements of the jurisdiction in which it is completed. The 4 week psychiatry core clerkship rotation may be completed as follows: 2 weeks must be obtained formally and distinctly in psychiatry and the other 2 week requirement may be included in other clinical rotations as verified by the applicant's affidavit.

j)          Clinical teaching facilities are defined as those that meet or exceed the requirements of Section 1285.40 or that are part of a residency program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the College of Family Physicians of Canada, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Federation of Medical Licensing Authorities of Canada.

k)         In addition, if the applicant is a graduate of a medical college outside of the United States or Canada, he/she must hold a current certification, at the time of application for licensure/examination, from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).

l)          When the accuracy of any submitted documentation, or the relevance or sufficiency of the coursework or core clerkship rotations is questioned by the Division because of a lack of information, discrepancies or conflicts in information given, or a need for clarification, the applicant shall be requested to:

1)         provide the information as may be necessary; and/or

2)         appear for an oral interview before the Medical Licensing Board (the Board) to explain the relevance or sufficiency or otherwise clear up any discrepancies or conflicts in information.

(Source:  Amended at 29 Ill. Reg. 18823, effective November 4, 2005)