Registration of new medical practitioners

(1) A person who, after the commencement of this Act– (a) is not qualified to be registered under section 8; (b) applies to the Medical Council to be registered as a medical practitioner; and (c) satisfies the Medical Council that he is18 Medical Practice Act (i) qualified to be so registered; (ii) physically and mentally fit to practice medicine in Belize; (iii) of good character, with no criminal record or record of professional misconduct in any jurisdiction or country; (iv) a citizen of a country which is a Member State of the Caribbean Community, including the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, and who is fluent in English; and (v) academically qualified, and has successfully completed one year of internship and social service requirements, where applicable, shall, upon compliance with any other requirements of registration provided under this Act and upon payment of the prescribed fee, be entitled to be registered by the Registrar in the Register as a medical practitioner. (2) For the purpose of sub-section (1), a person is qualified to be registered as a medical practitioner if he holds a diploma, degree, fellowship, membership, licence, certificate or other status or form of registration or recognition granted by a University, College or Board empowered to confer authority to practice medicine by the law of the country or place where it is granted and that diploma, degree, fellowship, membership, licence, certificate or other status or form of registration or recognition is, in the opinion of the Medical Council, evidence of satisfactory medical training. (3) The Medical Council shall, for the purpose of sub- section (2), maintain a list of accredited institutions and the Medical Practice Act 19 Chairperson of the Medical Council, or a person nominated by him, shall– (a) make the necessary investigations to verify and ensure the suitability of any institution to be accepted; and (b) publish the list annually in the Gazette. (4) An application for registration as a medical practitioner shall be made in the prescribed form to the Medical Council, and every applicant shall furnish to the Secretary– (a) satisfactory evidence of his qualifications and experience, if any; (b) proof of his identity; and (c) such other information as the Medical Council (5) The Medical Council shall, if it is satisfied that the applicant fulfils the requirements for registration specified in sub-section (1), notify the Registrar in writing to– (a) enter the particulars specified in section 7(1) in the Register; and (b) issue a Certificate of Registration in the prescribed form to the applicant and issue a Certificate of Registration to him. (6) The Registrar shall, upon receipt of the notification referred to in sub-section (5), register the applicant and issue a Certificate of Registration upon payment of the prescribed fee and cause to be entered in the Register, the name and other particulars of the applicant. 20 Medical Practice Act (7) Every person whose name has been entered in the Register shall on an annual basis, pay to the Medical Council at the specified dates, the prescribed practising fee and the Medical Council shall then issue to the applicant a Practising Certificate. (8) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Medical Council may approve and recommend to the Registrar– (a) the provisional registration of a person who satisfies the Medical Council that he is employed as an intern in a hospital in Belize and such registration shall be effected without payment of any fee and to last only for the period of the internship; or (b) the temporary registration for a period not exceeding one year, of a person who is a duly qualified, fit and proper person who satisfies the Medical Council that– (i) he will be employed on a full time basis in the public service; (ii) he will be doing full time work with a non-profit organization or a hospital in Belize; (iii) he will be engaged on a contractual basis with a private institution in Belize; (iv) he will be practising as a specialist in a field of medicine in which such specialist services are not available in Belize; or (v) he will be providing voluntary health care. Medical Practice Act 21 (9) A person registered pursuant to sub-section (8)(b) (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) for a period of more than three months shall pay the prescribed practising fee. (10) The Medical Council may renew the temporary registration of a person registered pursuant to sub-section (8)(b) on the fulfilment of the conditions specified in sub-section (8)(b) (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) and the payment of the prescribed practising fee.