It could get easier to be a doctor in Missouri under a proposed law to add the classification of “assistant physician” to the state medical license.

Under the measure, an assistant physician would be a graduate of a four-year medical school program who has passed licensing exams but has not completed residency training. Residency programs are the three to seven years after medical school that doctors spend in primary and specialty clinical training.

Assistant physicians who are licensed by the state board of healing arts would be allowed to practice primary care and prescribe drugs in rural and underserved areas of the state. Their practice would be overseen by a physician who would be required to be on-site only for the first month.

The measure was approved by the Missouri Legislature. Gov. Jay Nixon has not said whether he will sign it.

“I question whether four years of medical school is enough to go out and take care of patients,” said Rosemary Gibson, a board member of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. “People in rural and under-served areas deserve a fully trained, competent physician just like everyone else.”