Licensure news
Physicians seeking licensing increasingly find a standard application
AMNews, Aug. 17, 2009
More state medical boards are adopting a uniform application as a way to simplify the licensing process, particularly for physicians seeking licenses in more than one state.
States called lax in reviewing inactive doctors
AMNews, Feb. 23, 2009
A majority of medical boards don't track clinical activity or require competency tests upon renewing licenses, a study show.
Stricter requirements sought for relicensure as medical boards draft proposal
American Medical News, Dec. 24/31, 2007
The FSMB wants physicians to prove competence through a process similar to maintenance of board certification. Doctors see even more paperwork ahead.
Grant aids effort to share licensing data
AMNews, Nov. 13, 2006
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.
California to track, post doctors' race, languages spoken
AMNews, Oct. 23/30, 2006
Information collected and shared under a new law will help determine the number of physicians with cultural and linguistic competency.
Database on foreign med schools in works
AMNews, Sept. 4, 2006
The new information source would help state medical boards assess the education IMGs receive.
FSMB data show modest dip in disciplinary actions
AMNews, May 22/29, 2006
The figures for one year are in contrast to a five-year increase of 35 percent.
Monitoring the profession: An interview with FSMB chief James N. Thompson, MD
AMNews, May 8, 2006
More medical boards are cracking down on sexual misconduct, and they are concerned that some medical school graduates are coming from questionable international schools.
Students who need disciplining often need it again as doctors
AMNews, Feb. 6, 2006
Unprofessional behavior in medical school was a stronger predictor of disciplinary action down the road than measures such as poor grades.
Quality concerns spur scrutiny of Caribbean medical schools
AMNews, Jan. 16, 2006
State medical boards worry about the caliber of graduates' training as they seek U.S. medical licenses.
Boards get tougher on physician sex offenses
AMNews, Dec. 19, 2005
Washington state forbids doctors from dating patients, and the Federation of State Medical Boards is revising its policies on sexual boundaries.
South Dakota board separates from medical society
AMNews, Sept. 19, 2005
The medical board is looking for office space and plans to relocate.
Iowa doctor fights making charges public
AMNews, Sept. 12, 2005
The state's medical board has been to court twice in the past 12 months over public disclosure of allegations against physicians.
California medical board could be facing real changes
AMNews, Feb. 14, 2005
A report recommends teaming investigators and prosecutors early in cases against doctors. Physicians may pay more in fees to fund the work.
Iowa board seeks ruling on question of public charges
AMNews, Jan. 31, 2005
The medical board said a case against one doctor could affect what is disclosed about physicians.
$1,000 licensing fee hard to swallow
AMNews, Aug. 9, 2004
The West Virginia State Medical Assn. was against the assessment, but most doctors are adjusting to the fee.
Federation to review foreign schools after educational standards are questioned
AMNews, June 7, 2004
State medical boards lack the resources to evaluate every international medical school on their own.
More doctors disciplined as states bolster medical boards
AMNews, April 26, 2004
Backlogs in some states are being cleared as a result of procedural changes.
Judging and being judged: The thankless job of doctor discipline
AMNews, April 12, 2004
Physicians who serve on state medical boards aren't always popular, but they're necessary.
Study compares traits, discipline
AMNews, April 12, 2004
Older men and those with an international medical education are most likely to face disciplinary action.
Texas medical board funding will help root out bad doctors
AMNews, July 21, 2003
Physicians hope a state law helps improve medical competency review.
Medical boards feel pressure, get tougher
AMNews, April 21, 2003
Internet prescribing also comes into play.
California fines out-of-state doctors for prescribing
AMNews, March 3, 2003
More medical boards may start crossing state lines to police online prescribing.
States eye tougher stance on doctor discipline, competency testing
AMNews, March 3, 2003
The climate in some states is adversarial; in others, consensus bills are on the table.
Texas medical board wants physician competency tes
AMNews, Nov. 25, 2002
The state medical association isn't sold on the idea, though, so the two groups are trying to reach agreement before the Legislature meets.
Relocating doctors face licensing hassles
AMNews, Feb. 4, 2002
Headaches from licensure regulations and insurance credentialing are common for doctors who cross state lines. These barriers also may contribute to supply woes.
NBME moves ahead with clinical exam plan
AMNews, Jan. 21, 2002
2004 is the target date for the start of testing of clinical skills by the National Board of Medical Examiners.
California requires doctors take CME in pain management
AMNews, Nov. 19, 2001
Physicians support more training, but are skeptical about it being a law.
Few licensing boards conduct criminal background checks
AMNews, Nov. 5, 2001
The Federation of State Medical Boards says increased access to state and national data banks could help states develop screening systems.
Maryland examines doctors' influence
AMNews, Oct. 15, 2001
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.
Pennsylvania and Virginia are the latest states to offer physician data online
AMNews, Aug. 13, 2001
Health care professionals are again questioning what information about physicians should appear on state Web sites.
California Legislature considering temporary licenses
AMNews, Aug. 13, 2001
A bill in the California Legislature would give 70 Mexican physicians and 50 dentists temporary licenses to treat underserved patients at nonprofit clinics.
Debt deadbeats risk losing medical licenses
AMNews, Aug. 13, 2001
A growing number of state medical boards are leveraging licensure against student loan repayment.
Special medical licensing exam to be phased out in Florida
AMNews, Aug. 6, 2001
A two-year experiment aimed at giving certain foreign doctors a special medical licensing examination will be phased out this year.
Special licensing test still under fire in Florida
AMNews, March 26, 2001
Controversy has plagued the nation's only alternative exam for foreign-trained doctors to gain medical licensure in the United States.
Colorado center teaches doctors to be better doctors
AMNews, March 19, 2001
Since April 2000, the Institute for Physician Evaluation has served as a place where physicians come to learn how to do the right thing.
FSMB grants public access to its physician data bank
AMNews, March 5, 2001
Information on disciplinary actions against physicians will now be available to the general public, but at a cost.
