1. (1) The department may provide a letter of completion to confirm a physician's fulfillment of the three-year service obligation under the Washington state J-1 physician visa waiver program.
2. (2) Requests for a letter of completion must be sent electronically to the department for consideration.

3. (3) The department will consider providing a completion letter based on the following criteria:

   1. (a) The status of an active medical license without any pending enforcement actions;
   2. (b) If the physician and employer complied with the program rules and regulations;

   3. (c) The completion of all annual reports under the three-year service obligation by both the employer and the physician. The submitted annual reports must verify that:

      1. (i) The physician was not absent from the practice for more than four weeks per year;
      2. (ii) The physician worked at least 32 hours per week providing patient care services; and
      3. (iii) The employer had a current sliding fee discount schedule in place to reflect the most recent federal poverty guidelines.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 70.185.040. WSR 24-18-072, § 246-562-145, filed 8/29/24, effective 10/1/24.]