I Don't Understand How Federal/State DEA License/Registration Works (moonlighting in FL, to start working in TX)

[theWUbear]

Hi all,

I understand that the DEA license is a federal license. I believe I understand that prior to working in a state, you have to register your license with that state. I think I was told that if you are going to start working in a second/different state, you have to somehow "switch" your DEA from one state to another. How does working in two states at once work then?

Before doing my first moonlighting shift down here in Florida, I "registered" (I think?) my DEA number by going to the Florida board of medicine website and adding my DEA number to my medical license file with them. I did not register as a "controlled substance prescriber" because the definition they gave of that is prescribing "for the treatment of chronic nonmalignant pain", which is a hell no for me as an ED guy. Did I do the right thing? Are there controlled substance prescribing CME I must do? (I'm a resident, but I heard there was in like 2018 mandatory CME for accessing the prescription drug monitoring program website and abiding by the laws.

I start working in TX in July. Do I have to wait to July to do whatever "switching" is needed?

I have no idea how any of this works!
Thank you for your guidance

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[deleted109597]

You have to have state medical licenses for every state you work in.
You need a DEA for every state as well.
If you're going from one to the other permanently, you can switch.
If you're bouncing back and forth, you need to get a second. Otherwise it's painful to switch frequently.

 

[gutonc]

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[mega_colon]

How long does it take to get a second one? I have a registration (under my name not the institution) that I used my residency for to avoid paying the $750 fee. I know I need to switch mine for my first attending job but trying to delay that so I can use some of my professional fund from my first attending job.

 

[deleted109597]

How long does it take to get a second one? I have a registration (under my name not the institution) that I used my residency for to avoid paying the $750 fee. I know I need to switch mine for my first attending job but trying to delay that so I can use some of my professional fund from my first attending job.

Nearly instantaneous. You just register a second state. It's not a second medical license that requires notarized attendance records from your best friend in medical school and the rest of the dumb stuff.

 

[Oligodinero]

OP, luckily Texas did away with their requirement to ALSO have a DPS number in addition to the DEA number. I think they did this in 2016.