DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

(Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery)

[Filed January 7, 2025, 8:32 a.m., effective October 1, 2025]

Effective Date of Rule: October 1, 2025.

Purpose: Osteopathic physician exam requirements in WAC 246-853-020. The board of osteopathic medicine and surgery (board) has adopted amendments to update the examination requirements for licensure of osteopathic physicians.

The adopted changes will allow applicants to select one out of the four nationally approved examination series instead of selecting a combination of two or more examinations to qualify for licensure. Additionally, the board removed the osteopathic principles and practices exam as one of the examination options, as this is an underutilized pathway to licensure.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 246-853-020.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.57.005, 18.130.050, and 18.340.020; and 2SHB 1724 (chapter 425, Laws of 2023), codified as RCW 18.130.077.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 24-16-116 on August 5, 2024.

A final cost-benefit analysis is available by contacting Becky McElhiney, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone 360-236-4766, fax 360-236-2850, TTY 711, email osteopathic@doh.wa.gov.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Date Adopted: September 13, 2024.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 15-16-085, filed 7/31/15, effective 8/31/15)

WAC 246-853-020Osteopathic medicine and surgery examination.

(((1))) An applicant for licensure as an osteopathic physician must successfully pass:

(((a)))(1) Parts I, II, and III of the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA) or Parts I, II, and III of the exam administered by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME); or

(((b) The Washington Osteopathic Principles and Practices (OP&P) Examination with a minimum score of seventy-five percent in each section;))

(2) The Comprehensive Osteopathic Variable-Purpose Examination (COMVEX) administered by NBOME with a minimum passing score as established by NBOME; or ((other state administered OP&P exam approved by the board.

(2) In addition to the exams identified in subsection (1)(b) of this section, the applicant must also pass at least one of the following:

(a)))(3) The Federation of State Licensing Board (FLEX) I and FLEX II Examination with a minimum score of 75 on each component. If taken prior to June 1985, passed with a FLEX weighted average of a minimum ((seventy-five))75 percent; or

(((b) The FLEX I and FLEX II Examination with a minimum score of seventy-five on each component; or

(c)))(4) The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Steps I, II, and III after December 1993, with a minimum score as established by the Federation of State Medical Boards and the National Board of Medical Examiners.