The Hospital Authority Board in American Samoa has decided to extend the deadline for doctors to sit and pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination.
It has also decided to foot all of the expenses incurred for the doctors' travel, accommodations and exam materials and fees.
The Board had set June 28 as the deadline for all doctors who are not US certified to have passed parts 1 and 2 of the exam or they would lose their jobs.
But according to the new chairman Moananu Va the board decided to extend the deadline because of the Pacific Arts Festival in July.
He said it did not want to cause any disruptions in medical services while the Territory host such a major regional gathering.
Moananu said after the festival the board will give a time frame for all doctors to commit to taking the exam.
He said if a candidate does not pass the first part of the exam the first time, they will be given another chance to sit it again under the hospital's sponsorship.
But if they fail a second time, they would then have to pay their own expenses.
