1. (a) Pursuant to Arkansas Code § 17-1-107 and Acts 2015, No. 1066 of the General Assembly, the Arkansas State Medical Board shall not require a person who meets credentialing requirements to participate in the apprenticeship, education, or training required as a prerequisite to licensing registration or certification of a new professional in the field.

2. (b) The Arkansas State Medical Board may reinstate the license of a person who demonstrates that:

   1. (1) He or she was previously licensed, registered, or certified to practice in the field of his or her profession at any time in the State of Arkansas;
   2. (2) Held his or her license in good standing at the time of licensing;

   3. (3) Did not have his or her license revoked for:

      1. (A) An act of bad faith; or
      2. (B) A violation of law, rule, or ethics;
   4. (4) Is not holding a suspended or probationary license in any state;
   5. (5) Is sufficiently competent in his or her field; and
   6. (6) Pays any reinstatement fee required.

3. (c) The Arkansas State Medical Board may require that sufficient competency in a particular field be demonstrated by:

   1. (1)

      1. (A) Proficiency testing, which could include:

4. (i) A clinical skills assessment program evaluation;

   1. (ii) Refresher training;

      1. (iii) A mentorship program based on the Massachusetts State Medical Board’s model;

         1. (iv) Passage of special examinations, i.e., SPEX examination, Part 3 of the USMLE; and/or
         2. (v) Passage of ABMS examination/initial or passage of an ABMS examination recertification.
      2. (B) Any physician re-entering a skills-based medical specialty will require a mentoring program determined on a case-by-case basis;
   2. (2) Letters of recommendation;
   3. (3) Both proficiency testing and letters of recommendation; or

   4. (4) Continuing education or training if the continuing education or training is required for all professionals in the field to maintain the license, registration, or certification, which could include fifty (50) hours of specialty-specific Category 1 credit for each inactive year of medical practice.

      1. (d) A person shall not be required to comply with requirements to obtain reinstatement of his or her license, registration, or certification if the person meets the requirements for reciprocity.
5. (e) If a criminal background check is required of a person currently holding a license, registration, or certification, then the Arkansas State Medical Board may require a person seeking reinstatement under this section to meet the same criminal background check requirements as the person currently holding a license, registration, or certification.

Codification Notes: “ABMS” means American Board of Medical Specialties. "SPEX" means special purpose examination. "USMLE" means United States Medical Licensing Examination.