Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-6-201 (2026)

• (a) No person shall practice medicine in any of its departments within this state unless and until such person has obtained a license from the board created by § 63-6-101. The provisions in this chapter with reference to obtaining a license from the board do not apply to any person who on July 1, 1947, was duly and regularly licensed by law to practice medicine in any of its branches in this state.

• (b)
  • (1) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions visiting medical faculty licensed in a country other than the United States and employed full time by a college or university operating an accredited medical school in Tennessee are exempt from the requirement of a license; provided, that the visiting faculty member is a graduate of a medical school, a recognized medical authority approved by the board and the practice of the visiting faculty member is limited to and is incidental to the visiting faculty member's employment at an accredited medical school in Tennessee. Such person is entitled to engage in private practice; provided, that the person enrolls and satisfactorily participates in a three-year residency program approved by the board. No physician authorized under this subsection (b) to engage in private practice shall continue to engage in private practice of any form after a period of three (3) years unless such person meets all the requirements of licensure set forth in § 63-6-207.
  • (2) It is the responsibility of the dean of the medical school to apply to the board for an exemption for each such visiting faculty member. Such application for exemption shall be filed annually, and an individual applicant may not receive an exemption for a period in excess of two (2) years. It is also the responsibility of the above-named dean to notify the board upon termination of a visiting faculty member's responsibilities.
  • (3) The board may impose a fee to accompany each application for exemption.

Acts 1901, ch. 78, § 1; 1905, ch. 111, § 1; Shan., § 3609a13; Code 1932, § 6918; impl. am. Acts 1947, ch. 9, §§ 2-4, 9; mod. C. Supp. 1950, § 6918; Acts 1977, ch. 285, § 1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 63-605; Acts 1982, ch. 905, § 3; 1984, ch. 937, §§ 27, 28; 1989, ch. 523, §§ 39, 40; 1990, ch. 1055, § 2; 1994, ch. 732, § 1; 1995, ch. 329, § 5; 2003 , ch. 262, § 1.