As a local Family Medicine physician and co-founder of the Refugee Physician Advocacy Coalition, I want to express my strong support for the Board’s decision to move forward with establishing rules for a Provisional License pathway for International Physicians. For many years, I have worked directly with refugee and immigrant physicians in Virginia -- talented, compassionate individuals who bring deep clinical experience and cultural humility, yet face enormous structural barriers to contributing their skills in the U.S. health system.

The establishment of this pathway is not just a step toward workforce expansion -- it is a step toward equity, inclusion, and recognizing the untapped potential of our communities. These physicians are already embedded in our neighborhoods, raising families here, supporting patients as interpreters, health navigators, and volunteers. With the right support, supervision, and structured pathways like the Provisional License, they can play a critical role in addressing healthcare shortages and improving outcomes for our most underserved populations.

I commend the Board of Medicine for its leadership and thoughtful consideration of this issue, and I urge you to continue working with community partners, academic institutions, and advocacy groups like ours to ensure that the forthcoming rules are practical, equitable, and grounded in both patient safety and human dignity. We stand ready to support this important work in any way we can.