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Statutes & Rules Overview

Statutes (Medical Practice Act)

The Board’s operating statutes are provided in Chapter 677 of the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS), also known as the Oregon Medical Practice Act. ORS 646 also regulations health professionals.

Administrative Rules

The Board adopts Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) to carry out its prescribed duties and responsibilities. An OAR is generally an applicable administrative directive, standard, regulation, or statement which implements, interprets, or prescribes law. Once established, OARs have the force of law and all persons or entities to which the rule applies must adhere to the rule.
Because rules affect the public, they must be adopted in compliance with the requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act (ORS Chapter 183). The Board may adopt, amend, or repeal a rule either on its own initiative or in response to outside requests. Receive OMB rulemaking notices by going to Subscriber Lists and selecting the link for Administrative Rules.
The Oregon Medical Board’s Administrative Affairs Committee, Acupuncture Advisory Committee, or EMS Advisory Committee review all proposed rulemakings and make recommendations to the Oregon Medical Board regarding rulemakings. Meeting materials, recordings, and minutes are avalible on the Public Meetings webpage.

OMB's Administrative Rules (OARs), chapter 847 

Proposed Rules

Written comments for all proposed rulemakings are due by 5 p.m. on May 21, 2025, submit via email to elizabeth.ross@omb.oregon.gov. All comments received will be posted on this rulemaking webpage.
847-005-0005: Adding Health Professionals’ Services Program passthrough fee for licensees.
The Oregon Medial Board’s 2025-27 Governor's Recommended Budget adds an annual passthrough fee of $25 per licensee to sustain the Health Professionals’ Services Program (HPSP) starting in July 2025. HPSP is a consolidated statewide program to assist health care providers with substance use or mental health disorders so they may continue practicing safely in Oregon. The passthrough fee would be first paid by most OMB licensees during the license renewal in the fourth quarter of calendar year 2025. To implement this fee starting July 2025, this rulemaking is being reviewed at the same time the legislature is considering the OMB’s 2025-27 budget in House Bill 5022. The rulemaking will align with any changes in the bill. The proposed rule also updates the terminology for limited licenses to clarify the fee includes registration. Lastly, to conform with rule construction standards, the proposed rule removes footnotes and inserts the relevant information within the rule section where applicable.

847-008-0025: Removing inactive 1-year status for physicians in a postgraduate training program outside of Oregon.
The Inactive - One Year status is for physicians practicing in a postgraduate training program outside of Oregon. Currently only two licensees hold this status. To save agency resources, proposed rulemaking would remove this status and only offer Inactive status with a two-year renewal cycle. The two current licensees will be transitioned to the two-year cycle.

Permanent Rules 

Adopted April 3, 2025
847-007-0010: Creates criminal conviction determination process to implement SB 1552 (2024).
The rule implements SB 1552 (2024) section 44 allowing a person to petition a licensing board for a determination as to whether a criminal conviction would prevent the person from receiving a license. Section 44 and the rule become operative on July 1, 2025. No public comments received.

847-008-0030: Adds Emeritus status licensee may not receive indirect compensation.
The rule adds that an emeritus status licensee may not receive indirect monetary compensation for their practice in Oregon.

847-026-0500: Implements Servicemembers Civil Relief Act for servicemembers and their spouse or domestic partner to practice. 
The Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022 (HB 7939) was signed into law on January 5, 2023, and amended on December 23, 2024, at 50 U.S.C. § 4025a as part of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) supporting servicemembers and their spouses. The rule implements licensing portability for servicemembers, or their spouse or domestic partner licensed in another state and relocated to Oregon by military orders. No public comments received.

847-035-0030: Clarifications for AEMT and EMT-I scope of practice related to cardiac arrest and epinephrine administration. 
The rule allowed an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) to prepare and administer vasodilators: nitroglycerine. The rule amendments added for “cardiac chest pain sublingual," to clarify not by other routes. Second, the rule stated an AEMT could prepare and administer epinephrine for anaphylaxis, which was also repeated in the EMT scope of practice. The rule amendments removed the duplicative language in the AEMT scope of practice to clarify, similar to an EMT, an AEMT may prepare and administer subcutaneous and intramuscular epinephrine for anaphylaxis. Lastly, for EMT-Intermediates (EMT-I) the rule allowed preparation and administration of vasoactive medications epinephrine and vasopressin. The rule amendments added “for cardiac arrest" to clarify. No public comments received.

Adopted January 9, 2025
847-017-0010: Adds office-based surgery accrediting agency criteria and ACHC as a Board-recognized accreditation agency.
The rule amendment adds the Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc. (ACHC) as a Board-recognized accreditation agency for facilities where Level II or Level III office-based surgeries are performed. The amendment also adds criteria to review future accrediting agency requests. No public comments received.

847-017-0003: Updates office-based surgery requirements for lipoplasty procedures.
The rule amendment updates the requirements for lipoplasty procedures involving more than 500 cc volume of supernatant fat to add, “whether temporarily or permanently removed, or surgeries involving prone, semi-prone, or any positioning which would compromise the patient’s airway must be performed as a Level II or Level III surgical procedure.” Already by rule lipoplasty procedures may not result in the removal of more than 5% of total body weight or 4500 cc or more volume of supernatant fat, whichever is less. The rule amendment clarifies this includes temporary or permanent removal. No public comments received.

847-001-0024: Delegates authority to the Executive Director or Medical Director to issue Orders for Evaluation.
The rule amendment puts into rule the delegation of authority to the Executive Director or Medical Director to issue Orders for Evaluation, which was authorized by the Oregon Medical Board at its meeting on July 6, 2023. No public comments received.

847-070-0016: Updating licensure requirements for acupuncturists who passed the NCCAOM exam in a foreign language.
The rule amendment adds the Occupational English Test as an approved exam to demonstrate basic English fluency if an acupuncturist passed the NCCAOM exam in a foreign language. The Occupational English Test is an English language test for healthcare professionals. Also, the amendment adds the score required if an applicant chooses to take the TOEFL internet-based test (IBT). No public comments received.

Adopted October 3, 2024
847-010-0073; 847-010-0070: Clarifies a reporting timeframe, updates NCCAOM code of ethics, and amends definition of unprofessional conduct.

The rule amendment: (1) Clarifies that a licensee and health care facility must report a voluntary withdrawal from practice, resignation, or limitation of privileges while the licensee is under investigation within 30 calendar days. The 30-day requirement aligns with the ORS 677.172(1) requirement that all licensees notify the Board of any practice address changes within 30 days. (2) Updates the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine's (NCCAOM) code of ethics to the 2023 version. (3) Updates the definition of “unprofessional conduct" to include within the practice of acupuncture the failure to meet the standard of care. (4) Updates the definition of “unprofessional conduct" to include discrimination in the practice of medicine, podiatry, and acupuncture, which would make discrimination a ground for discipline. The amendment is an action item in the Board's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan. (5) Updates an outdated “Board of Medical Examiners" reference in OAR 847-010-0070. Public comments available upon request. 
 
847-010-0051: Increasing maximum registration period for postgraduate Limited License.
The rule amendments increase the maximum registration period for a postgraduate limited license from one year to up to five years, not to exceed a postgraduate trainee's enrollment in the postgraduate program. Most GME programs in Oregon are 3-4 years. If a postgraduate physician needed additional years, they could reapply. The current postgraduate limited license fee of $185 per year remains the same; however, the annual registration fee will be paid up front when the license is issued rather than annually with each reapplication. For postgraduate physicians who wish to continue utilizing the current annual application for a one-year limited license, nothing in the rule would prevent them from doing so. No public comments received.

847-005-0005, 847-008-0005, 847-008-0010, 847-008-0068, 847-008-0070, 847-010-0066, 847-010-0068, 847-010-0110, 847-010-0200, 847-015-0050, 847-017-0005, 847-025-0000, 847-025-0010, 847-025-0020, 847-025-0030, 847-025-0050, 847-028-0020, 847-035-0030, 847-050-0010, 847-050-0015, 847-050-0020, 847-050-0021, 847-050-0022, 847-050-0023, 847-050-0029, 847-050-0035, 847-050-0041, 847-050-0043, 847-050-0046, 847-050-0060, 847-050-0080, 847-050-0082, 847-065-0010, 847-065-0015: Implementing HB 4010 (2024) to update physician assistant title to physician associate.
HB 4010 (2024) changed the title “physician assistant" to “physician associate" throughout Oregon statutes on June 6, 2024. The rule amendments implement the PA title change throughout Oregon Medical Board rules. No public comments received.
 
847-035-0001, 847-035-0020: Updating Qualifications for EMS Supervising Physicians and Agents
The rule amendments update the EMS supervising physician application process to align with current practice. The rule also updates EMS supervising physician and agent qualifications by removing the requirement they be a resident or actively practicing in the EMS area, but adds they hold an Active or Emeritus status MD/DO license with the Oregon Medical Board. A license status qualification can easily be determined on OMB's License Verification webpage. Active status licensees must actively practice in Oregon, with a current Oregon practice address. It can also be granted within certain Oregon bordering regions in California, Idaho, Nevada, or Washington. Emeritus status licensees practice in Oregon for no pay or any other type of compensation; these licensees volunteer their medical skills only. No public comments received.

Administrative Rule Making Process

OAR Process.jpg 


Items to Note:
  • After first review by the Board, the rule is filed with the Secretary of State and interested parties are notified of the proposed rulemaking.
  • Public comments are accepted for 21 days after the notice is published in the Secretary of State Bulletin.
  • If the Board or Committee makes significant changes to the rule at any point in the process, it will be sent back to the Committee as a first review to start the process again.
  • Temporary rules follow the same process as regular rules, but are adopted after the Board’s first review and approval of the rule.
  • Sign up as an interested party by going to Subscriber Lists and selecting the link for Administrative Rules.