Getting medical license after intern year

[palabra]

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Here's my situation. I finished intern year in internal medicine, am taking 2 years off to get an MBA, and I would like to get a medical license in Massachusetts (where I will be for business school) so that I could either moonlight in a clinic or work with a program in the area as suggested by my program director.

Several questions: Can I practice as a "general practice" physician with only one year of residency training?

MA requires medical malpractice insurance - any tips on good insurance that won't break my small bank?

Any advice on anything related would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[southerndoc]

If Massachusetts allows you to become licensed, then yes, you can probably practice as a general practitioner in an urgent care clinic or small ED. However, I do NOT think you are ready for moonlighting because you have inadequate experience. You may find yourself getting into more trouble by not being able to properly manage patients and finding yourself named in a lawsuit or lawsuits.

You may want to verify that Massachusetts only requires one year of GME. I was under the impression it was similar to Connecticut. Connecticut requries 2 years of GME to become licensed. The rules are also different for FMG's.

 

[Bobblehead]

I believe Massachusetts is moving to 3 years for a full license, a move that many of the training programs are opposing because they feel it makes their programs less attractive because it limits the ability of residents to moonlight and generate necessary income for the high cost of living in MA.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Check http://www.fsmb.org for details on the requirements for each state licensure.

While it is technically true that you can work as a licensed physician without completing a residency, I think you will find it difficult to do so. Hospitals that employ residents as moonlighters usually use more experienced physicians and you will find that regardless of being licensed, without being BE/BC most hospitals, HMOs etc will not hire you to work as a physician because MediCare will not reimburse them for your services.

If your PD has a line on moonlighting that residents can do, then you would be eligible for that and you may be covered by your institution or that where you will be working. Otherwise, finding independent malpractice insurance has been the Holy Grail around here...no one has been able to find it, at least at a reasonable price.

 

[sblau001]

Here's my situation. I finished intern year in internal medicine, am taking 2 years off to get an MBA, and I would like to get a medical license in Massachusetts (where I will be for business school) so that I could either moonlight in a clinic or work with a program in the area as suggested by my program director.

Several questions: Can I practice as a "general practice" physician with only one year of residency training?

MA requires medical malpractice insurance - any tips on good insurance that won't break my small bank?

Any advice on anything related would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

I don't know what the requirements are in MA, but I have been taking time off from residency as well in Maryland. After getting my license, I soon found out that it is VERY difficult to actually find permanent work with just 1 year of residency. What I have been doing is mostly employee physicals through temp agencies. These jobs usually last around 3-4 days and come up every few months or so, but the pay is incredible. I make as much money in those 3-4 days as I did in an entire month of residency. Also, you don't have to worry about malpractice insurance because you are covered by the temp agencies, and the risk of being sued is extremely low because you are not diagnosing or prescribing anything. Another job I've been in talks with recently has been with a radiology center looking for a doc to just be present on the premises in case someone has an allergic reaction. They are currently looking into malpractice options for me. Another option is a company called MDSI which does disability physicals, but they are only located in certain states.