Doctors seek more help to get back in practice; refresher programs considered

As more physicians take extended family leave or retire early and regret it, medicine looks for ways to facilitate their return.

By Myrle Croasdale, AMNews staff. July 24/31, 2006.

Many physicians who chose to take a lengthy break from clinical practice find that it isn't easy to re-enter the work force.

Their licenses may be current, but they feel their skills are out of date. They run into trouble getting hospital privileges or credentials. They also can face state medical board requirements for retraining but be left without a clear path to getting it.

Though some states have remedial programs for physicians who have had problems, retraining is a different issue, experts said.

It also requires a different approach. A practicing physician has patient charts that can be examined and colleagues who can be interviewed. A physician who has been out of practice doesn't have these evaluation benchmarks.

In the end, some experienced physicians find they are unable to return to practice because they can't get the refreshers they need, while others are left to devise their own retraining options.

But there are hints of change on the horizon. While there are no statistics on how many doctors seek re-entry, physician leaders say the number is growing. Consequently, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Medical Association, a handful of state medical boards and other groups have begun to study what can be done to help doctors who chose to leave practice and now want to return.

"This is a real concern of state medical boards," said James Thompson, MD, president and CEO of the Federation of State Medical Boards. "It's becoming increasingly important because of rapid changes in science and because of the changing lifestyles of physicians."