All Branch Topic (ABT) What state did you choose for your medical license?

[ahowardmd]

I'm working on getting my medical license before going out to GMO-land. I keep hearing that Nebraska and Indiana are popular states for military docs to get a license. Does anybody who recently went through this process have tips and/or pointers?

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[HighPriest]

It's pretty straight forward unless you have a felony, or problems getting licensed elsewhere. If this is your first license going into GMO, it should be fairly smooth. Nebraska is going to cost you the least due to military exemptions. If you have no preferences for any other reasion, that's the one I'd do.

 

[TurtleDO2012]

Do Nebraska. Cheapest, easiest rule for CME requirements. If you are a current intern and will be exiting to GMO land for july 1 then you are really hitting this extremely early. I did mine I think around March or so. Fingerprints are the really only slow annoying thing to do. Just go to local police station where they can do the digital finger prints. Then basically wait till residency director gives you a letter saying you finished intern year. Submit the documents and sooner license is approved the sooner you can sign that 15k bonus.

 

[Clap MD]

...and sooner license is approved the sooner you can sign that 15k bonus.

It can actually be signed/submitted once the license is applied for. Had to explain this in very slow, basic language to my credentialing personnel who refused to believe the words written on the form to sign me off. Wouldn't want to tack on an extra 3+ months of time to the backside of your last year in just because you were waiting for the license to be issued. I went with Virginia for my license because I'd heard it was on the cheaper side, was one of the fastest (which it ended up being, but didn't matter because of, again, inept credentialing personnel), and has easy-to-meet CME reqs.

 

[sonofva]

I just got Virginia. No fingerprints required. Only basic forms to fill out. ~300$. Staff at licensing office very helpful

 

[HighPriest]

From PCSing and moonlighting, I've been licensed in Indiana, Kansas, North Dakota, Arizona, and Texas. Indiana was very easy and inexpensive as was Kansas, although Kansas requires an insane number of annual CMEs. (Which is definitely another thing to take into account.) Texas is a huge pain in the ass, and it is ridiculously expensive - like extortiony expensive. It's over a grand to apply (not including all of your random out-of-pocket expenses like fingerprints, background checks, a JP exam, lots of fed ex packages, what-have-you), and then when you get the license you pay another $900 to register it....because registration isn't included in the initial $1,000 fee...because apparently it costs $900 for the guy who already has my packet to open a web-based app and click a box...it's insane, and in my opinion it's blatant racketeering.

 

[jabreal00]

I got a VA license as an intern. It was easy to get with minimal paperwork. It costs about $300. I also have a MD license. That was was a bit more involved and more expensive $790. I plan on staying in MD once I get out so I wanted to get a head start.

 

[deuist]

Another vote for Virginia. I had my license less than three weeks after applying.

 

[cgk]

It can actually be signed/submitted once the license is applied for. Had to explain this in very slow, basic language to my credentialing personnel who refused to believe the words written on the form to sign me off. Wouldn't want to tack on an extra 3+ months of time to the backside of your last year in just because you were waiting for the license to be issued. I went with Virginia for my license because I'd heard it was on the cheaper side, was one of the fastest (which it ended up being, but didn't matter because of, again, inept credentialing personnel), and has easy-to-meet CME reqs.

I also chose Virginia. Can you advise where I can find out about the CME reqs.? Are they really less stringent than other states? That would be great news!

 

[HighPriest]

There is an experimental website out there called "Google," I believe it is pronounced "Joo-gel" that provided the following information about CME requirements by state:

http://www.acep.org/uploadedFiles/ACEP/CME/CME-State-CME-Requirements_2013.pdf

 

[narcusprince]

I would plug virginia. I have a florida license it took me 27 days from date of application. Also I would add a plug for fcvs they made the process infinitely easier.

 

[HighPriest]

I would strongly, strongly advocate against FCVS. They took so long to process my application that I just bypassed them entirely and completed the application myself. I had my license in hand for three months before they finally e-mailed me and told me that they were ready to submit my application documents on my behalf. When I applied for my next state license, they had the nuts to ask me for another $70 to update my sources. So I just did it myself again, and since I had everything from my previous application, it took very little time without their "help." I personally think they're an enormous scam. In fact, this would be the first time I've heard of them actually making things easier for someone. I can immediately think of four of my colleagues who had the exact same experience that I did.

 

[narcusprince]

I can tell you initially fcvs was a pain in the butt roughly 6 years ago. However when I recentky applied for a florida license. All I had to send in was my npdb forms, fingerprints. Fcvs took care of the rest and I received my license 27 days after application. My collegues have yet to recieve their florida license.

 

[cgk]

I can tell you initially fcvs was a pain in the butt roughly 6 years ago. However when I recentky applied for a florida license. All I had to send in was my npdb forms, fingerprints. Fcvs took care of the rest and I received my license 27 days after application. My collegues have yet to recieve their florida license.

I second your enthusiasm for FCVS. I registered with them 5 years ago, and even though it was a process, once it's completed, the service is terrific! So much paperwork was eliminated when applying for my Virginia license. It was a breeze thanks to FCVS. And no more worries or hassles when registering for licenses in other states in the future. I highly recommend utilizing FCVS. I think some states even require that you utilize FCVS.

 

[HighPriest]

I can tell you initially fcvs was a pain in the butt roughly 6 years ago. However when I recentky applied for a florida license. All I had to send in was my npdb forms, fingerprints. Fcvs took care of the rest and I received my license 27 days after application. My collegues have yet to recieve their florida license.

The first time I used them was three years ago. I've had colleagues that used them two years ago and last year who had the exact same issue that I did. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to hear that it works sometimes. But I can say that in the N of 4 close friends that I have (and myself) who have used FCVS, we have all been screwed out of time and money. And frankly, after 5 state licenses I can say that once you have your documentation together it takes about two days to do everything that FCVS does for you.

 

[ahowardmd]

Thanks for all the input guys. I ended up choosing Nebraska. $300 one time, and then free q2 year renewals while on AD! The only pain in the ass was finding a place to get old-school ink and paper fingerprints in GA. My local county Sheriffs Dept has farmed-out all fingerprinting to private contractors that only do live-scanning, and only for the state of GA...but I diverge. Now I just have to wait to send in my graduation certificate and I'm gold.

Do Nebraska. Cheapest, easiest rule for CME requirements. If you are a current intern and will be exiting to GMO land for july 1 then you are really hitting this extremely early. I did mine I think around March or so. Fingerprints are the really only slow annoying thing to do. Just go to local police station where they can do the digital finger prints. Then basically wait till residency director gives you a letter saying you finished intern year. Submit the documents and sooner license is approved the sooner you can sign that 15k bonus.

I'm graduating off-cycle, so I'm heading off to GMO land in <1 month.

 

[jabreal00]

I also chose Virginia. Can you advise where I can find out about the CME reqs.? Are they really less stringent than other states? That would be great news!

Honestly, I've had my VA license since 2006 and I have never been asked to furnish any CME certificates. While in training one does not have to worry about it because ground rounds and morning reports counts as CME. However as staff, as part of being and remaining credentialed one has to have CME. I have my CME saved to my cloud so if I am ever asked to provide proof and can readily find and email.

 

[Jeffrety]

From PCSing and moonlighting, I've been licensed in Indiana, Kansas, North Dakota, Arizona, and Texas. Indiana was very easy and inexpensive as was Kansas, although Kansas requires an insane number of annual CMEs. (Which is definitely another thing to take into account.) Texas is a huge pain in the ass, and it is ridiculously expensive - like extortiony expensive. It's over a grand to apply (not including all of your random out-of-pocket expenses like fingerprints, background checks, a JP exam, lots of fed ex packages, what-have-you), and then when you get the license you pay another $900 to register it....because registration isn't included in the initial $1,000 fee...because apparently it costs $900 for the guy who already has my packet to open a web-based app and click a box...it's insane, and in my opinion it's blatant racketeering.

I guess that is how Texas subsidizes the TMDSAS schools. Nebraska is the ideal state license for the reasons stated above (very low cost and lax CME requirements).