Iowa Code » Chapter 148 — MEDICINE AND SURGERY AND
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Iowa Code § 148.3 (2026)

License to practice

✓ current as of July 2026
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1. An applicant for a license to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery shall present to the board all of the following:

a. Evidence of a diploma issued by a medical college or college of osteopathic medicine and surgery approved by the board, or other evidence of equivalent medical education approved by the board. The board may accept, in lieu of a diploma from a medical college or college of osteopathic medicine and surgery approved by the board, all of the following:

(1) A diploma issued by a medical college or college of osteopathic medicine and surgery which has been neither approved nor disapproved by the board.

(2) A valid standard certificate issued by the educational commission for foreign medical graduates or similar accrediting agency.

b. Evidence of having passed an examination prescribed by the board which shall include subjects which determine the applicant’s qualifications to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery and which shall be given according to the methods deemed by the board to be the most appropriate and practicable. However, one or more examinations as prescribed by the board or any other national standardized examination which the board approves may be administered to any or all applicants in lieu of or in conjunction with other examinations which the board prescribes. The board may establish necessary achievement levels on all examinations for a passing grade and adopt rules relating to examinations.

c. Satisfactory evidence that the applicant has successfully completed one year of postgraduate internship or resident training in a hospital approved for such training by the board. An applicant who holds a valid certificate issued by the educational commission for foreign medical graduates shall submit satisfactory evidence of successful completion of two years of such training.

2. An application for a license shall be made to the board of medicine. All license and renewal fees shall be paid to the board.

3. The board shall give priority to the processing of applications for licensure submitted by physicians and surgeons and osteopathic physicians and surgeons whose practice will primarily involve provision of service to underserved populations, including but not limited to minorities or low-income persons, or who live in rural areas.

4. The issuance of reciprocal agreements pursuant to section 147.44 is not required and is subject to the discretion of the board.

1. [C97, §2582; S13, §2582; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §2540; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §148.3; 82 Acts, ch 1005, §4]

2. [C97, §2576; S13, §2576; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §2540; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §148.3]

3. [C27, 31, 35, 39, §2540; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §148.3] 90 Acts, ch 1086, §9, 10; 92 Acts, ch 1183, §12; 2004 Acts, ch 1168, §7; 2007 Acts, ch 10, §88; 2008 Acts, ch 1088, §48; 2009 Acts, ch 41, §55; 2009 Acts, ch 133, §53; 2010 Acts, ch 1069, §19; 2010 Acts, ch 1163, §2 Referred to in §147.49, 148.8A, 148.11A, 272C.2C \n

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1967–2021 · leading case: Mazurek v. Armstrong, 520 U.S. 968 (1997).
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Mazurek v. Armstrong, 520 U.S. 968 (1997). · cites it 2× “5-3—1 (1995); Iowa Code § 148.3 (Supp. 1997); id., § 707.”
Margoles v. Iowa State Bd. of Med. Examiners, 151 N.W.2d 457 (Iowa 1967). · cites it 2× “4, Code of Iowa, asked that the certificate of examination issued by the national board of medical examiners be accepted in lieu of the examination required by section 148.3. The Iowa State Board of Medical Examiners rejected the application after limited hearing, without…”
Domenico Calcaterra v. Iowa Bd. of Med. (Iowa 2021). “§ 148.3. As part of this responsibility, the Board investigates alleged rule violations by licensed physicians and, if necessary, conducts disciplinary proceedings.”
Domenico Calcaterra v. Iowa Bd. of Med. (Iowa 2021). “§ 148.3. As part of this responsibility, the Board investigates alleged rule violations by licensed physicians and, if necessary, conducts disciplinary proceedings.”
Margoles v. Iowa State Bd. of Med. Examiners, 151 N.W.2d 457 (Iowa 1967). · cites it 2× “4, Code of Iowa, asked that the certificate of examination issued by the national board of medical examiners be accepted in lieu of the examination required by section 148.3. The Iowa State Board of Medical Examiners rejected the application after limited hearing, without…”
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