Becoming Licensed in several States?

[DOquestions]

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I have some clinical/research interests that could force me to be licensed in several states. I'm interested in the field of ped/medical genetics or internal medicine/medical genetics and I will do a fellowship after that (I know things could change if I were to get into a medical school). I don't want to go into detail with what my specific clinical interests are, but if reality comes true for what I want to do, I could be forced to communicate with a certain medical professional in the state the patient is from (I already researched the legalities of this). Therefore, how does a person go about becoming licensed in several states (if not all?)?

I will give a little insight into what my clinical/research idea is so people don't think I'm some troll. I'm looking into a way where newborns can have their genome scanned and have treatment plans developed (this is very complicated but I know how to do it) in several states (the more the better for society) for future potential health conditions.

Edit: Just so everyone understands why I ask this question. Physicians have to be licensed in each and every state that they provide medical care......EVEN Telegentics care.

 

[CardioPlus]

I believe you would just have to take each state that you want practice in's licensing exam. So if you wanna work out of nj,ny,pa,de, etc you would have to pass those state's licensing exams, etc.

 

[tkim]

No, you do not have to take each state's 'licensing exam'. Please do not provide false information. If you don't know, don't guess.

OP, the licensing exams for physicians are the USMLE and COMLEX. Once you pass that set of exams, you can apply for state licensure. Most states require at least a year's internship before applying for licensure.

You can apply for licensure in as many states as you want, you merely have to send the same paperwork from your school, testing service, and residency each time. There are crazy fees. There's a centralized service that will submit your credentials if you pay them to store them so you won't have to request the same documents over and over.

Here's some info:

http://www.fsmb.org/usmle_eliinitial.html

http://www.fsmb.org/fcvs.html

 

[group_theory]

I believe you would just have to take each state that you want practice in's licensing exam. So if you wanna work out of nj,ny,pa,de, etc you would have to pass those state's licensing exams, etc.

tkim is correct. Individual states no longer administer individual exams (with some exceptions). In order to get a license in each state, you must meet the requirements of each state that you want a license in.

Pennsylvania requires an AOA-approved PGY1 year and COMLEX. NJ does not. Texas requires you to take a legal exam (no joke). They will all want records from NBOME, your medical school, and your residency. Some will require more info, others less. Fees for initial licensure can be cheap or expensive.

Once you get your license, you must also do what each state requires to maintain that license/renew that license - that is obtain the appropriate CME credits along with any additional requirements that each state requires

 

[MossPoh]

It'd just be a pain in the arse. Some states have small mountains of paperwork that have to be filled out. The easy way is to hire a company to do it for you. The cheap way is to do it yourself. It was a huge process to fill out the paperwork in Florida. It really isn't much of an issue but it is something that isn't even worth thinking about till you reach that point. You're talking 8+ years before you even need to entertain the idea.

 

[235750]

Physicians have to be licensed in each and every state that they provide medical care......EVEN Telegentics care.

I know from experience working with physicians that you don't necessarily have to be licensed in the state you practice in.

Hear me out

The armed forces are an example. I work with docs who have never set foot in my state before and yet they practice here a couple hours after flying in.

Now, the armed forces is the only group I have experience with. There might be other organizations you can work with that might lend you the same exceptions. Maybe the national health service corps or some other group from the department of health and human services (HHS). I have no idea. Call specific groups that specialize in the field you're interested in.

All I am saying is: there is an exception to the the rule. If you investigate you might find more

Good luck!

 

[group_theory]

I know from experience working with physicians that you don't necessarily have to be licensed in the state you practice in.

Hear me out

The armed forces are an example. I work with docs who have never set foot in my state before and yet they practice here a couple hours after flying in.

Now, the armed forces is the only group I have experience with. There might be other organizations you can work with that might lend you the same exceptions. Maybe the national health service corps or some other group from the department of health and human services (HHS). I have no idea. Call specific groups that specialize in the field you're interested in.

All I am saying is: there is an exception to the the rule. If you investigate you might find more

Good luck!

If you are practicing on federal land, then you are under the rules of the federal government (and out of state jurisdiction). That's why as military docs, you don't need to meet that state's rule for medical practice - you just need to meet the rules the federal government set up. Once you are outside federal jurisdiction, you cannot practice.

Example - if you are a VA doctor but do not have a state license for that particular state that you are in, you cannot practice outside the VA. If you are a military doc stationed in South Carolina but have a license from Texas, you cannot practice in South Carolina outside military bases. Basically once you are outside the federal government's jurisdiction (and into state's jurisdiction), that state law applies to you.

Some state may recognize limited rights from neighboring state's physicians. Some may not.

Each state determines their own medical practice acts. The federal government will determine it's own medical practice acts for lands under their jurisdiction (ie military bases, VA hospitals, foreign country embassy, etc).

Even if you are fulfilling obligations for the National Health Service Corps, if you are working on non-federal government land, you are under the jurisdiction of that state and must abide by that state's rules and regulations (including appropriate licensure)