Licensure news

Stricter requirements sought for relicensure as medical boards draft proposal
The FSMB wants physicians to prove competence through a process similar to maintenance of board certification. Doctors see even more paperwork ahead.
American Medical News, Dec. 24/31, 2007

Grant aids effort to share licensing data
Leaders of the Federation of State Medical Boards saw a greater need to make it easier to access physician credentials after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
AMNews, Nov. 13, 2006

California to track, post doctors' race, languages spoken
Information collected and shared under a new law will help determine the number of physicians with cultural and linguistic competency.
AMNews, Oct. 23/30, 2006

Database on foreign med schools in works
The new information source would help state medical boards assess the education IMGs receive.
AMNews, Sept. 4, 2006

FSMB data show modest dip in disciplinary actionsM
The figures for one year are in contrast to a five-year increase of 35 percent.
AMNews, May 22/29, 2006

Monitoring the profession: An interview with FSMB chief James N. Thompson MD
More medical boards are cracking down on sexual misconduct, and they are concerned that some medical school graduates are coming from questionable international schools.
AMNews, May 8, 2006

Students who need disciplining often need it again as doctors
Unprofessional behavior in medical school was a stronger predictor of disciplinary action down the road than measures such as poor grades.
AMNews, Feb. 6, 2006

Quality concerns spur scrutiny of Caribbean medical schools
State medical boards worry about the caliber of graduates' training as they seek U.S. medical licenses.
AMNews, Jan. 16, 2006

Boards get tougher on physician sex offenses
Washington state forbids doctors from dating patients, and the Federation of State Medical Boards is revising its policies on sexual boundaries.
AMNews, Dec. 19, 2005

South Dakota board separates from medical society
The medical board is looking for office space and plans to relocate.
AMNews, Sept. 19, 2005

Iowa doctor fights making charges public
The state's medical board has been to court twice in the past 12 months over public disclosure of allegations against physicians.
AMNews, Sept. 12, 2005

South Dakota medical board to get new executive
The board will no longer share facilities and staff with the state medical association.
AMNews, Feb. 14, 2005

California medical board could be facing real changes
A report recommends teaming investigators and prosecutors early in cases against doctors. Physicians may pay more in fees to fund the work.
AMNews, Feb. 14, 2005

Iowa board seeks ruling on question of public charges
The medical board said a case against one doctor could affect what is disclosed about physicians.
AMNews, Jan. 31, 2005

$1,000 licensing fee hard to swallow
The West Virginia State Medical Assn. was against the assessment, but most doctors are adjusting to the fee.
AMNews, Aug. 9, 2004

Federation to review foreign schools after educational standards are questioned
State medical boards lack the resources to evaluate every international medical school on their own.
AMNews, June 7, 2004

More doctors disciplined as states bolster medical boards
Backlogs in some states are being cleared as a result of procedural changes.
AMNews, April 26, 2004

Judging and being judged: The thankless job of doctor discipline
Physicians who serve on state medical boards aren't always popular, but they're necessary.
AMNews, April 12, 2004

Study compares traits, discipline
Older men and those with an international medical education are most likely to face disciplinary action.
AMNews, April 12, 2004

Texas medical board funding will help root out bad doctors
Physicians hope a state law helps improve medical competency review.
AMNews, July 21, 2003

Medical boards feel pressure, get tougher
Internet prescribing also comes into play.
AMNews, April 21, 2003

California fines out-of-state doctors for prescribing
More medical boards may start crossing state lines to police online prescribing.
AMNews, March 3, 2003

States eye tougher stance on doctor discipline, competency testing
The climate in some states is adversarial; in others, consensus bills are on the table.
AMNews, March 3, 2003

Texas medical board wants physician competency testing
The state medical association isn't sold on the idea, though, so the two groups are trying to reach agreement before the Legislature meets.
AMNews, Nov. 25, 2002

Relocating doctors face licensing hassles
Headaches from licensure regulations and insurance credentialing are common for doctors who cross state lines. These barriers also may contribute to supply woes.
AMNews, Feb. 4, 2002

NBME moves ahead with clinical exam plan
2004 is the target date for the start of testing of clinical skills by the National Board of Medical Examiners.
AMNews, Jan. 21, 2002

California requires doctors take CME in pain management
Physicians support more training, but are skeptical about it being a law.
AMNews, Nov. 19, 2001

Few licensing boards conduct criminal background checks
The Federation of State Medical Boards says increased access to state and national data banks could help states develop screening systems.
AMNews, Nov. 5, 2001

Maryland examines doctors' influence
How close is too close? That's a question a state legislature is asking about the relationship between state medical boards and state medical associations.
AMNews, Oct. 15, 2001

Pennsylvania and Virginia are the latest states to offer physician data online
Health care professionals are again questioning what information about physicians should appear on state Web sites.
AMNews, Aug. 13, 2001

California Legislature considering temporary licenses
AMNews, Aug. 13, 2001

Debt deadbeats risk losing medical licenses
A growing number of state medical boards are leveraging licensure against student loan repayment.
AMNews, Aug. 13, 2001

Special medical licensing exam to be phased out in Florida
AMNews, Aug. 6, 2001

Special licensing test still under fire in Florida
Controversy has plagued the nation's only alternative exam for foreign-trained doctors to gain medical licensure in the United States.
AMNews, March 26, 2001

Colorado center teaches doctors to be better doctors
Since April 2000, the Institute for Physician Evaluation has served as a place where physicians come to learn how to do the right thing.
AMNews, March 19, 2001

FSMB grants public access to its physician data bank
Information on disciplinary actions against physicians will now be available to the general public, but at a cost.
AMNews, March 5, 2001