So now I'm a doctor I guess...

[nacholibre]

Having completed my last rotation of medical school, it's starting to register that I am actually going to be a doctor in a couple of months. With this thought have come a few questions that I'm surprised have not been answered as of yet by my med school, and that I can't find seem to find straight answers to online.

What am I 'eligible and/or privileged' to do prior to completing residency?
-Can I write prescriptions?
-Can I moonlight?
-Are there any other things I can do with this pre-Step 3 degree?

Should I be doing anything other than just showing up at residency? (i.e. are there certifications or licensures I need to get rolling?)

Thanks.

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[@JackShephard]

I think you need Step 3 to moonlight, but you can write scripts right away.

 

[resxn]

One of my favorite lines from a show came from ER when Noah Wylie's character graduated. He said after a rough first day as a resident, "I'm not any smarter today than I was yesterday, but today they call me doctor."

Is there anything you should be doing? You may need a license as a resident depending on the state you're in. Some states require a resident license. Others don't. You may need a DEA license to write controlled substances. I purposely did not get one because I didn't want the responsibility of having one in residency. It was a good decision for me.

Other than that, find a place to live. If you have a family, get them settled. Happy wife, happy life. Start reading for your internship rotations. Relax and enjoy the most peaceful months you will have since starting medical school until you'll work your tail off in heretofore unseen rigor for the following 5 years.

 

[DrBodacious]

Assuming you participated in the match, your program you will match in to will help you with the certifications you need in that state. I am pretty sure a pharmacy needs a NPI number and potentially a temporary medical license/permit to match with your name in order to fill a script, so no, I don't think you can write scripts the day you get your diploma... Not 100% on that. It is kind of a theoretical situation, you will not need to write any scripts until you start residency. This is probably a question the dean's office gets every year, and maybe JackShepard is correct...

Regarding moonlighting: This requires an independent medical license. An independent medical license requires you meet all of the requirement of the state medical board. This usually means passing USMLE Step 3. In some states you qualify for an independent license as a PGY1, some require you to complete a PGY1 year to have that experience. An individual DEA may be required for moonlighting as well. A DEA number is a separate applications and costs money.