Recent regulatory changes by the Florida Board of Medicine and state policymakers are altering several aspects of medical practice in the state. Key updates include prescriptive authority for physician assistants, recurring deficiencies in office surgery inspections, licensure changes related to the MOBILE Act, and the elimination of a committee tasked with evaluating graduate medical education (GME).
During its February meeting, the Board of Medicine addressed whether physician assistants with an area of critical need (ACN) license can prescribe medication under Florida law. The relevant statute allows supervising physicians to delegate prescriptive authority only to fully licensed physician assistants. The board’s rules define “fully licensed” as those who have passed approved examinations and hold a standard license—not a temporary one. This rule does not reference Section 458.315, F.S., which recently began including physician assistants due to legislative changes.
Concerns were raised after noticing that many ACN applicants came from Puerto Rico, where physician assistants do not receive training in pharmacology or prescriptive authority. On June 13, the Board proposed clarifying that ACN-licensed physician assistants may not be given prescriptive authority. At the same time, HB 1299 was passed to ensure that only those with valid licenses from any U.S. state could receive an ACN license.
At meetings in April and June, the Surgical Care and Quality Assurance Committee reviewed repeat deficiencies found during office surgery inspections. Registrants often corrected issues such as incomplete crash cart supplies but were cited again for similar problems at later inspections. These repeated issues led to questions about accountability and enforcement effectiveness. The committee suggested a joint session with the Board of Osteopathic Medicine for consistent regulations across disciplines and considered automatic administrative complaints for repeated inspection failures.
The Mobile Opportunity by Interstate Licensure Endorsement (MOBILE) Act sought to streamline licensure by endorsement but ended up removing specific statutes tailored for each profession. As a result, some qualified health professionals faced barriers practicing in Florida, particularly new residents who were barred from practicing for three years—a measure seen as harmful to recruitment efforts. In response, collaboration between FMA, the Board of Medicine, and specialty societies led to amendments in HB 1299 restoring residency training as qualifying active practice and reducing this waiting period from three years to two.
On March 28, 2025, AHCA held its first Graduate Medical Education (GME) Committee meeting following creation under SB 7016 legislation passed in 2024. The committee aimed to evaluate how state investments affect Florida’s physician workforce through annual reports containing detailed analysis on GME programs and workforce projections—including concerns over an expected significant drop in obstetricians over two years. However, despite drafting sections of its first report by May 15, lawmakers eliminated the GME Committee within months; it is unclear if AHCA will release any reports created during its brief existence.
The Physician Workforce Advisory Council met on March 13 with a panel focused on GME challenges and recommendations for improving Florida’s physician pipeline. Panelists included Medicaid Chief Medical Officer Chris Cogle and representatives from the Council of Florida Medical School Deans (CFMSD). They discussed recent expansion through initiatives like Slots for Docs—designed to increase residency slots—and loan repayment programs such as FRAME which aim to retain trainees within Florida’s workforce.
Panelists also identified ongoing challenges: high costs associated with establishing GME programs—including faculty development—and rising living expenses that may deter physicians from working or training in certain regions.
FMA members seeking more information about regulatory matters affecting their practice are encouraged to contact legal@flmedical.org or call (850) 224-6496.
Mary Thomas serves as executive director of CFMSD and has previously worked over ten years as assistant general counsel at FMA while continuing representation before state regulatory boards.
