Important Issues

Dr. Laurie Duncan, MSDC Secretary and At-Large Board member, testified Wednesday on behalf of the Society at the DC Health oversight hearing. Dr. Duncan used the annual department performance review hearing before the Committee on Health to call for regional medical licensure and thank DC Health for their work to date on the issue.

Dr. Duncan's verbal testimony began by thanking the scientific and medical guidance of the department, including thanking Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt by name for her leadership this year. Her testimony then emphasized the importance of regional medical licensure and the need to permit local physicians to more quickly be licensed to practice. 

"When it comes to medicine, the borders between Maryland, Virginia, and DC do not exist," said Dr. Duncan. "It is time DC Health recognize this. We are encouraged to see the Board of Medicine actively engage its counterparts in creating a license reciprocity agreement. While physicians would still need to apply for a license in all three states, this agreement would at least allow physicians to be licensed more quickly."

You can see Dr. Duncan's entire written testimony here, which covers numerous other topics.

Dr. Duncan was one of six physicians to testify today at the public witness part of the hearing. These physicians represented various causes, entities, and issues.