State Board of Medicine Newsletter

Board Member Spotlight

Taliba Foster, MD

The State Board of Medicine is proud to spotlight our newest physician member, Taliba Foster, MD, a board‑certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist whose distinguished career spans academic medicine, community mental health, clinical leadership, and statewide policy. Dr. Foster brings deep clinical expertise, a strong commitment to public health, and decades of service to children, families, and communities across Pennsylvania.

Dr. Foster earned her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and her M.D. from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, followed by internship and adult psychiatry residency at St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center in New York. She completed fellowship training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where she also served as Chief Fellow.

Her career includes significant clinical and academic leadership roles. Dr. Foster served as Medical Director of the Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at CHOP and as an Assistant Professor within the CHOP/University of Pennsylvania Health System. She has additionally served as Chief Medical Officer at both the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and The Black Brain Campaign and continues in her longtime role as Chief Medical Officer of Main Line Psychiatric, LLC. In 2025, she was appointed to the Pennsylvania State Medical Board, underscoring her growing influence on statewide medical standards and public health initiatives.

Dr. Foster’s academic and educational impact is equally extensive. Her peer‑reviewed publications include work on psychiatric complications in medically ill children, telemedicine in child and adolescent populations, and early gene therapy and cardiology research. A respected and engaging educator, she has delivered Grand Rounds at major institutions including the University of Pennsylvania, CHOP, Temple University, and Drexel University, and has supervised medical and mental health trainees in diverse clinical settings. She is also an active member of leading professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, where she has held committee and leadership roles.

Beyond her clinical and academic work, Dr. Foster is widely recognized for her public‑facing advocacy on mental health, parenting, child development, trauma, social media and depression, and overall youth well‑being. She has been featured on CBS News, Fox 29, WURD Radio, Yahoo Finance, Yahoo Life, and in regional and national print outlets. Her contributions have been honored with recognitions from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Philadelphia City Council, and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, including the Liberty Bell Award.

Dr. Foster’s broad experience, public leadership, and unwavering dedication to improving the mental health and well‑being of children and families continue to strengthen the Board’s work and advance its mission to protect the health and safety of all Pennsylvanians.

PA Board of Medicine Recent Disciplinary Actions

Delaware County

Amy Mazza MacIntyre, M.D., license no. MD418660, of Bryn Mawr, Delaware County, had her medical physician and surgeon license revoked and was ordered to pay the costs of investigation for engaging in unprofessional conduct, practicing the healing arts fraudulently or with reckless indifference to the interests of a patient, violating record-keeping requirements, and improperly prescribing.  (05/28/26)

Northampton County

Matthew DeGirolamo, M.D., license no. MD072007L, of Easton, Northampton County, was suspended for no less than three years because of his felony convictions.  (05/21/26)

Out of State

Erica Borrell McDonald, PA-C, PA license no. MA053090, of Berlin, Maryland, had her physician assistant license reprimanded retroactive to May 21, 2026, for providing medical services without a written agreement. (06/15/26)

Federal State Medicine Boards 2026 Nationwide Meeting

The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) is a national organization whose members represent the 69 allopathic and osteopathic medical boards across the US states and territories.  Its mission is “to serve as a national voice for state medical boards, supporting them with services and initiatives that promote patient safety, the integrity of the practice of medicine, access to high-quality health care and regulatory best practices. In the early 20^th century, the Pennsylvania Board of Medicine was one of the original charter members of FSMB and it continues to work closely, as does the Pennsylvania Board of Osteopathic Medicine, with this national organization and with fellow member boards.   

Each year, the FSMB holds a national conference featuring a series of educational programs focused on topics that are of importance to the regulatory community. The meeting also marks the occasion for the release of several reports addressing timely issues in medical practice and regulation, intended to inform licensing authorities and draw attention to matters deserving focused review by regulators.

At the conclusion of its 2026 meeting, FSMB released reports addressing the following important topics:  

• Physician Collective Bargaining and Unionization
• Oversight of Clinical Decision Making
• Guidance on Recent Trends in Prescribing and Dispensing
• Assistant Physicians Legislative Developments for unmatched medical graduates in the US

For more information, visit the FSMB website: https://www.fsmb.org/

Board Counsel Corner

Licensure Pathways for International Medical Graduates in Pennsylvania

International medical graduates play an important role in health care systems across the United States. As physician workforce needs continue to evolve, many states are examining how internationally trained physicians may enter practice while maintaining appropriate safeguards for patient care. In Pennsylvania, the State Board of Medicine has existing pathways that allow qualified international medical graduates to be considered for licensure based on their education, training, examination history, professional experience, licensure history, and other cumulative qualifications.

Licensure by Endorsement Under the Medical Practice Act

Under Section 27 of the Medical Practice Act of 1985 (“Act”), the Board may grant a license by endorsement to an applicant who does not meet every standard requirement for licensure, but who has achieved cumulative qualifications that the Board determines are equivalent to Pennsylvania’s licensure requirements.

This authority allows the Board to evaluate each international medical graduate application on a case-by-case basis. Because applicants may have different educational backgrounds, postgraduate training experiences, licensing histories, examination histories, areas of practice, and years of clinical experience, the Board considers the full record rather than relying on any single factor.

In reviewing an international medical graduate application, the Board may consider, among other factors:

• The country or jurisdiction where the physician is licensed;
• The physician’s medical education and postgraduate training;
• The physician’s specialty or area of practice;
• The length and nature of the physician’s clinical experience;
• Whether the physician holds ECFMG certification;
• Whether the physician has completed and passed any or all steps of the USMLE; and
• Whether the physician has had U.S. or Canadian clinical, academic, or training exposure.

Where the Board determines that an applicant’s cumulative qualifications are equivalent to Pennsylvania’s requirements, the Board may issue an unrestricted license by endorsement without requiring the applicant to satisfy additional licensure requirements.

Licensure by Endorsement Under Act 41

In addition to the Board’s existing endorsement authority under the Medical Practice Act, Act 41 of 2019 provides another pathway for professional license portability in Pennsylvania.

Act 41 authorizes Pennsylvania licensing boards and commissions to issue a license, certificate, registration, or permit by endorsement to an applicant who holds a current license from another state, territory, or country, provided the applicant satisfies the criteria set forth in the law. Among other requirements, the Board must determine that the other jurisdiction’s licensing requirements are substantially equivalent to or exceed Pennsylvania’s requirements, and the applicant must meet the applicable standards for good standing, discipline, criminal history, and practice experience.

For international medical graduates, Act 41 may be relevant when the physician is already licensed in another jurisdiction and seeks licensure in Pennsylvania through endorsement. Like other endorsement pathways, Act 41 requires the Board to review the applicant’s credentials and determine whether the statutory criteria are met.

Act 41 does not eliminate the Board’s separate authority under Section 27 of the Medical Practice Act. Rather, it provides an additional mechanism through which the Board may consider qualified applicants who are licensed in another jurisdiction.

U.S. or Canadian Exposure as Part of the Cumulative Qualifications Review

As part of the Board’s cumulative qualifications review, the Board considers whether an international medical graduate has had exposure to the U.S. or Canadian health care system. This may include, for example, fellowship experience, non-ACGME-approved training, academic medical experience, or other clinical experience in the United States or Canada.

Relevant U.S. or Canadian exposure may support a determination that the applicant’s cumulative qualifications are equivalent to Pennsylvania’s licensure requirements and that the applicant qualifies for an unrestricted license by endorsement.

Where an applicant has otherwise strong cumulative qualifications but limited or no U.S. or Canadian exposure, the Board may consider whether the institutional license pathway is appropriate.

Institutional License Pathway

The institutional license pathway may be appropriate for an international medical graduate who has strong education, training, licensure, examination history, professional experience, and other qualifications, but who does not have sufficient U.S. or Canadian exposure to support a determination that the applicant’s cumulative qualifications are equivalent to Pennsylvania’s requirements for unrestricted licensure.

Pennsylvania regulations provide for an institutional license under 49 Pa. Code § 17.3. An institutional license authorizes a qualified physician to teach and practice medicine within a Pennsylvania medical college, its affiliates, or a community hospital, subject to the limitations of the license and the areas for which the Board determines the physician has achieved the requisite skills.

The institutional license allows the physician to practice in an approved institutional setting while gaining experience within the Pennsylvania health care environment. The license may be issued for a period specified by the Board, not to exceed three years.

After a period of successful practice under an institutional license, the Board may consider whether the physician’s cumulative qualifications, including the experience gained through the institutional license, support issuance of an unrestricted license by endorsement under Section 27 of the Medical Practice Act.

Importantly, the institutional license is distinct from graduate medical training. Pennsylvania’s regulations state that an institutional license will not be issued to authorize a physician to train in a graduate medical training program. Rather, it is a license to practice within a defined institutional setting.

A Flexible, Case-by-Case Approach

Pennsylvania’s framework recognizes that international medical graduates may come to the Board with a wide range of qualifications. Some applicants may have extensive independent practice experience abroad. Others may have completed fellowships or other clinical experiences in the United States or Canada. Some may have completed all USMLE steps, while others may present a combination of ECFMG certification, professional licensure, postgraduate training, and substantial clinical experience.

For this reason, the Board’s review is individualized. Depending on the applicant’s background, the Board may consider licensure by endorsement under the Medical Practice Act, licensure by endorsement under Act 41, the institutional license pathway, or whether additional requirements must be satisfied.

Supporting Access While Maintaining Standards

The Board’s role is to protect the public while ensuring that qualified physicians have a fair and appropriate pathway to practice. The existing licensure framework for international medical graduates allows the Board to consider each applicant’s full professional background while maintaining the standards required for safe and competent medical practice in Pennsylvania.

As interest in international medical graduate licensure continues to grow, it is important for applicants, employers, health systems, and other stakeholders to understand the available pathways in Pennsylvania. Through licensure by endorsement, Act 41, and the institutional license pathway, Pennsylvania has tools in place to evaluate qualified international medical graduates and, when appropriate, support their transition into practice in the Commonwealth.