A Physician's Guide to Medical Licensure

After what may be days, weeks or (in some cases) months of procrastination, you finally decide to sit down and tackle that pesky medical license application. You sit down at your desk, pen at the ready, and steel yourself for the chore. Suddenly, you break into a cold sweat. You begin to tremble uncontrollably and you start to feel dizzy. A facial tic develops and you begin to spout profanities.

No, it's not the flu, malaria, or Tourette Syndrome. You've just caught the C.O.L.D. (Chronic Overwhelming Licensing Doldrums). I have witnessed grown medical professionals, who perform medical miracles on a daily basis, turn into a quivering pile of goo when presented with a medical license application. It's a scary thing to behold!

Here's the good news. There is a cure for the common C.O.L.D. Whether you're a resident in training, a seasoned medical director, or anything in between, the following tips should help you get through the seemingly endless paperwork and on to a medical license in your chosen state.

First, Get Organized:
This may be the most time consuming part of the licensure process, but it is the single most important step towards avoiding problems down the road. Diligence will definitely pay off here. Gather the following documentation into one place. Labeled file folders and a single storage box or cabinet are helpful.

*Current curriculum vitae listing all activities (even periods of vacation, job hunting, etc.) from graduation of high school to the present. Some boards require all days to be accounted for; most, however, ask for month/year format. Few medical or hospital boards accept just years of training or employment; so don't try to cut corners. At the same time, avoid extraneous information--you don't want to make a medical board wade through pages of non-essential detail to extract what they need.

*List of Addresses, Phone Numbers, and Contact People for verification of all pre-med and medical school training, postgraduate training programs, and hospital affiliations. The Office of the Registrar is generally the department to contact for your pre-med and medical school information; the Office of Graduate Medical Education or the Residency Program Department Chairman can generally provide assistance with postgraduate training verifications. For hospital affiliation verifications, contact the Medical Staff Office of each facility.

*List of Names and Phone Numbers of several physicians who would be willing to provide a written reference to the state medical board. Your current Department Chief or Chief of Staff should be included on your list. Partners or physician "friends" are generally not looked at favorably as references, and under no circumstances should relatives or patients be listed. Do include physicians who have recently (within the last year) seen you "in action."

*List of all Medical or Professional Licenses ever held. Your list should include the state, license number, issue and expiration dates, and their current status (active, inactive, locum tenens, expired, etc.)

*List of all Current Professional Society Memberships with addresses and dates of affiliation.

*List of all Current and Previous Malpractice Insurance Carriers with addresses, phone numbers, dates of coverage, and policy numbers. If you have been covered under a locum tenens agency or through a hospital or other institution, the individual facility should be able to provide you with that information.

*If you have ever been named in a malpractice claim, write up a complete explanation for each case. You want to take a "just the facts" approach--the board is not interested in your defense as much as they are looking for facts to present to the medical director for review. You will be given the opportunity to "defend" yourself at a later time, if needed. Do include the allegations made, a brief synopsis, the final outcome of the case and list the amount and date of any settlement or judgment. Include the malpractice carrier and the names of the attorneys for both sides, as well as the name and address of the court where the case was filed and the docket number, if applicable. You may need to get certified court documents at a later time.

*Documents and Certificates you should have on hand include legible 8 1/2"X11" copies of your medical school diploma, all postgraduate training certificates, all other stats.

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