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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>76962</law_id><section_number>54.1-2930</section_number><catch_line>Requirements for licensure</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="54.1">Professions and Occupations</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="29">Medicine and Other Healing Arts</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="3">Licensure of Physicians of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine, Chiropractors, and Podiatrists</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> may <span class="dictionary">issue</span> a license to practice medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic, and podiatric medicine to any candidate who has submitted satisfactory <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> verified by <span class="dictionary">affidavits</span> that he:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Is 18 years of age or more; <a id="paragraph-276223" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2930/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Is of good moral character; <a id="paragraph-276224" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2930/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Has successfully completed all or such part as may be prescribed by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>, of an educational course of study of that branch of the <span class="dictionary">healing arts</span> in which he desires a license to practice, which course of study and the educational institution providing that course of study are acceptable to the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>; and <a id="paragraph-276225" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2930/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Has completed at least 12 months of satisfactory postgraduate training in one program or institution approved by an accrediting agency recognized by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> for internships or residency training. At the discretion of the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>, the postgraduate training may be waived if an applicant for licensure in podiatry has been in active practice for four continuous years while serving in the military and is a diplomate of the American <span class="dictionary">Board</span> of Podiatric Surgery. Applicants for licensure in chiropractic need not fulfill this requirement.
			In determining whether such course of study and institution are acceptable to it, the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> may consider the reputation of the institution and whether it is approved or accredited by regional or national educational or professional associations, including such organizations as the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, Liaison Committee on Medical Education, Council on Postgraduate Training of the American Osteopathic Association, Commission&#xA0;on Osteopathic College Accreditation, College of Family Physicians of Canada, Committee for the Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools, Education Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or their appropriate subsidiary agencies; by any appropriate agency of the United States government; or by any other organization approved by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>. <a id="paragraph-276226" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2930/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 54-305; 1952, c. 211; 1954, c. 626; 1972, c. 824; 1975, c. 508; 1982, c. 605; 1985, c. 605; 1988, cc. 89, 132, 765; 2013, c. 144; 2015, c. 525; 2017, cc. 59, 117.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
