by Sen. Reginald Tate
Special to the Tri-State Defender

We have an unrivaled jewel in St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. We all know of the incredible work the doctors there do, but sometimes we forget the enormous scope of their fight against childhood cancer and diseases. St. Jude treats more than 260 patients a day, some of them with horrible cancers such as Hodgkin lymphoma and childhood leukemia. Amazingly, survival rates at St. Jude for such diseases is a remarkable 90 percent and above.

In order to continue to save the lives of children here in Memphis and around the world, St. Jude has to be able to attract the best medical talent in the world. St. Jude’s cutting edge research requires highly specialized professionals, to the point that there may be only one doctor in the world who does what St. Jude needs. Last week in the state Senate, we voted unanimously to make it easier for St. Jude to bring the best of the best doctors to Memphis, so that the hospital can continue its remarkable success.

Currently, medical school graduates can take the Tennessee licensure test only if they have had at least a yearlong residency approved by the American Medical Association (AMA). For international graduates, that residency requirement rises to three years. Such residencies are typically available only in the United States, meaning some international doctors may not have completed such a residency. This requirement creates a barrier to doctors who have sterling credentials, but don’t have the time in the United States necessary to take the state licensure test.

Under a bill I co-sponsored with other members of the Shelby County delegation, including sponsor Sen. Jim Kyle, the state board of medical examiners can create a special license for doctors during the time they work for St. Jude. The bill still requires all doctors to take the state exam, but would waive the residency requirement for the St. Jude’s license. If the doctor ever left St. Jude, his or her special license would expire. It doesn’t cost the state any money, and we can make the path easier for experienced, expert doctors to take the test and get right where we need them: in the halls of St. Jude.

The bill still has to go through the House, but I am confident it will receive the support it needs to become law. We must continue helping our neediest children by giving them the best possible medical care available in the world, right here in Memphis. Cancer waits for no one, and we shouldn’t wait to fight it.

Race to the Top forum scheduled March 6

Mark your calendars: I will host a town hall meeting on Tennessee’s Race to the Top application on March 6 from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Miracle Temple Ministries, 3750 Millbranch Road. Residents in zip codes 38109, 38114, 38115, 38116, 38118, 38138 and 38141 are encouraged to attend. For more information, call my legislative office at (615) 741-2509.

(Sen. Reginald Tate represents portions of Memphis and Shelby County. Contact him at sen.reginald.tate@capitol.tn.gov or 615-741-2509 or 320 War Memorial Building, Nashville, TN 37243-0033.)