A medical license granted by a U.S. state or jurisdiction is required of every practicing physician. But medical licensing boards can be complex, and their requirements can vary from state to state, depending on each jurisdiction’s resources, regulations and laws.
While there is a trend toward uniformity of requirements among medical licensing boards, few allow license reciprocity between state medical boards. This means that current medical licensure processes require physicians to obtain separate medical licenses for each state in which they seek to practice medicine in any form, including telemedicine (PDF).
The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLCC) is an agreement among 43 member states to streamline the process of physician licensing for those seeking to practice in multiple states. Though obtaining a license in another participating state will be easier and faster, physicians who qualify still need to select and pay for their licenses in every state where they will practice.
When to apply, what to expect
In most states, physicians can apply for their medical licenses after they have passed all the required examinations and completed at least a year of graduate medical education (GME) training, though international medical graduates (IMGs) may be required to have finished additional time in U.S. residency training first. Physicians seeking their first medical license while in residency training should check the requirements in the state where they plan to practice.
When applying for a state medical license—which you can do online in all 50 states—primary verification of your education and GME training will be reviewed. Additionally, your exam scores, references, hospital privileges and current and past licenses will also be included in your application. Although each state’s licensing processes may be different, the applications and requested information are usually similar. Save time by retaining digital copies of completed materials to reuse on multiple applications.
All states require physicians to submit proof of successful completion of all three steps of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) or all three levels of the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA). A number of states have also passed legislation that empowers medical boards to have jurisdiction over the practice of medicine across state boundaries or the treatment decisions made by medical directors of managed care organizations.
A physician seeking initial licensure or subsequently applying for a license in other states should anticipate a lengthy process due to the necessary investigation of credentials and past practices. Physicians should allow at least two months from the time they submit an application for licensure to be granted, though some states urge applying even further in advance of any projected start date. For better estimates of the amount of processing time you should expect, visit the website of the specific state medical board where you plan to practice.
IMGs should anticipate waiting longer for license processing.
Tips for navigating the process
- When researching a licensing board for the first time, seek out its licensing requirements and a current estimate of the average time it is taking to process applications.
- Submit to the licensing board a résumé or curriculum vitae—whichever is requested. This will allow a licensing board to evaluate potential problem areas early in the process.
- Exercise patience and courtesy in the licensing process.
- Follow up with medical schools, training programs and appropriate hospitals, which can motivate these institutions to verify credentials more expeditiously.
- If you are licensed in another state, check in with the licensing boards, which may assist in shortening the wait time for licensure. Roughly 30 days after your initial request, you can write a short email to the organization processing your request seeking information about its status, but avoid frequent phone calls.
- Know that even physicians with uncomplicated histories and complete, accurate applications may experience delays in obtaining a medical license.
- Keep in mind that the peak period for licensure applications is April through September, so the volume of applications submitted during this time may affect processing times.
- Remember that a full and unrestricted license must be awarded before a physician can receive hospital credentialing or qualify for medical malpractice insurance.
Disclosing negative information
A physician should never try to hide negative information from a licensing board. It is much better to come forward with any blemishes that occurred during your education or training, help the board obtain records and other necessary data, and provide any justifications for the incidents that may prevent the denial of a license.
Full disclosure of all information requested is by far the best approach to successful licensure. A physician should remember that, in most states, making a false statement on an application for licensure is grounds for denial or future restriction.
Save time and effort
The Federation Credentials Verification Service (FCVS) was created by the Federation of State Medical Boards to provide a centralized, uniform process for state medical boards—as well as private, governmental and commercial entities—to obtain a verified, primary source record of a physician’s core credentials.
The FCVS repository of information enables a physician to establish a confidential, lifetime professional portfolio that can be forwarded, at the physician’s request, to any entity that has established an agreement with the FCVS. A list of participating boards is available on the FSMB website.
The FCVS also offers a service to USMLE candidates who complete their Step 3 application online. As a convenience to examinees, information entered on their Step 3 online application can be used to begin a personalized FCVS physician information profile containing their primary source verified credentials. As a USMLE Step 3 applicant, you will benefit from enrolling in FCVS by having your credentials verified and accessible when you are ready to apply for your first full and unrestricted license to practice medicine.
The majority of licensing authorities accept FCVS-verified documents for licensure. Learn more about how to make use of these services during your state licensure process and double-check the most current rules about them by visiting the FCVS website or calling the Federation of State Medical Boards at (888) 275-3287.
