1. (1) The Committee on the Professions may accept graduation from a professional program which is either registered by the department or nationally accredited in lieu of a maximum of six semester hours of preprofessional education.

2. (2) The Committee on the Professions may accept postsecondary study satisfactory to the department and performed after completion of professional study requirements in lieu of a maximum of 30 semester hours of required preprofessional study.

   (b) Professional education.

   As the equivalent of a professional program registered by the department, the Committee on the Professions may accept a professional program which is:

3. (1) offered by an institution accredited by an accrediting organization acceptable to the department or recognized by appropriate civil authorities of the country in which the school is located as an acceptable program of preparation for professional practice;
4. (2) designed and conducted by the degree-granting institution to prepare graduates for the professional practice of the profession in the State or country in which the institution is located; and

5. (3) demonstrated to be the substantial equivalent in scope, content and resources to a program meeting the requirements established by Part 52 of this Title for the registration of a professional licensure qualifying program in the State.

   (c) Waiver of citizenship requirement for an alien physician.

   The Committee on the Professions shall be authorized to grant a one-time three-year waiver of the citizenship requirement for medical licensure to an alien physician, provided that such applicant:

6. (1) applies for medical licensure;
7. (2) meets all requirements for a medical license except citizenship;
8. (3) agrees to maintain lawful immigration status; and
9. (4) agrees to practice in an area which has been designated by the State Education Department as medically underserved.

The Committee on the Professions shall review and determine questions of the preprofessional or professional education of applicants for licensure or other authorizations to practice in accordance with the following standards.

(a) Preprofessional education.