License

[Life goes on]

I am IMG/FMG and currently in 3 rd year of IM residency.

When I was applying for residency, I applied for PTAL in california and was granted the same. As you may know you have to send an update application every year to keep you file current or they close it. currently I am PGY 3 in a Mid western state. This time again I sent an update application for PTAL to keep my file current but I received a letter stating that I should be applying for license and not PTAL.

I am not 100% sure that I will practice in California but I also have not made up my mind about the location I will practice at.

Since California board has already verified my medical education with my country, I was thinking that I could just take the license, just in case I wanted to move to california.

A friend told me that if I apply for license of a particular state but not use it, it may reflect negatively on me in future.

Can any experienced person tell me if it is harmful to apply for another state's license even though I my end up not using it.
Thanks

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[jdh71]

A friend told me that if I apply for license of a particular state but not use it, it may reflect negatively on me in future.

Can any experienced person tell me if it is harmful to apply for another state's license even though I my end up not using it.
Thanks

I have no clue how having a license to practice medicine in another state could ever reflect negatively on you. I mean you'll have to pay them money every year if you want to keep it current, but I see no reason not to apply for it, especially if you plan on living there at some point.

 

[gutonc]

I have no clue how having a license to practice medicine in another state could ever reflect negatively on you. I mean you'll have to pay them money every year if you want to keep it current, but I see no reason not to apply for it, especially if you plan on living there at some point.

I also tried to come up with a downside (other than financial) of having a license in a state where you don't practice, and couldn't come up with one. If you've already jumped through all but the financial hoops, you might as well get the license. Besides, CA is one of the few states that allows IMGs to get a license prior to completing 3y of training...so you might as well.

Most states also have the option of paying for "inactive" license status which is usually cheaper. This means that you can't actually practice, but if you decide in the future that you want to, all you have to do is send them a check and they'll activate your license, rather than making you go through the licensing hassle again. Not sure if CA does this, but if they do, and you think you might want to practice there in the next 2-10 years, it's probably worth the money.