1. (1)    BOARD. The Board of Medical Examiners of the State of Alabama.
2. (2)    BRIDGE YEAR GRADUATE PHYSICIAN. A person who meets the requirements for issuance of a Bridge Year Graduate Physician permit by the Board to practice medicine under the supervision of a physician approved by the Board.
3. (3)    DIRECT MEDICAL INTERVENTION. Physical presence of a physician to attend the patient.
4. (4)    FCVS. Federation Credentials Verification Service. A credentials verification service provided by the Federation of State Medical Boards that bridge year graduate physicians may use to verify core medical credentials in connection with applications for permits. The Board of Medical Examiners will accept those verified primary source records of credentials provided by FCVS in lieu of equivalent documentation required to be submitted with an application for a permit where designated in these rules. Applicants are responsible for payment of all fees charged by FCVS. Use of FCVS by an applicant is optional.
5. (5)    LEGEND DRUG. Any drug, medicine, chemical or poison, bearing on the label the words, "Caution, Federal Law prohibits dispensing without prescription" or similar words indicating that the drug, medicine, chemical or poison may be sold or dispensed only upon the prescription of a licensed medical practitioner, except that the term legend drug shall not include any drug, substance or compound which is listed in Schedules I through V of the Alabama Uniform Controlled Substances Act and the State of Alabama Official Controlled Substances List adopted by the Alabama State Board of Health.
6. (6)    LICENSED TO PRACTICE MEDICINE. Both the practice of medicine by a doctor of medicine and the practice of osteopathy by a doctor of osteopathy.
7. (7)    DOCTOR. Referring to doctors of medicine and doctors of osteopathy.
8. (8)    PHYSICIAN. A person who is fully licensed to practice medicine in this state and is approved by the Board to supervise bridge year graduate physicians.
9. (9)    PHYSICIAN SUPERVISION. A formal relationship between a bridge year graduate physician and a licensed physician under which the bridge year graduate physician is authorized to practice as evidenced by a written job description approved by the Board. Physician supervision requires that there shall be at all times a direct, continuing and close supervisory relationship between the bridge year graduate physician and the physician by whom that bridge year graduate physician is supervised. The term supervision, at a minimum, shall include on-site supervision.
10. (10)    PRESCRIBE OR PRESCRIBING. The act of issuing a prescription for a legend drug.
11. (11)    PRESCRIPTION. An order for a legend drug which is issued and signed by a bridge year graduate physician authorized to prescribe and administer the drug and which is intended to be filled, compounded, or dispensed by a pharmacist. The term "prescription" does not include an order for medication which is dispensed for immediate administration to the ultimate user. (e.g., an order to dispense a drug to a bed patient for immediate administration in a hospital is not a prescription.)
12. (12)    PRINCIPAL PRACTICE SITE. The main location at which the supervising physician is engaged in the practice of medicine.

Author: Alabama Board of Medical Examiners

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §34-24-75.2 and Act No. 23-233.

History: New Rule: Published May 31, 2024; effective July 15, 2024.