malpractice insurance for ER rotation

[sin]

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My wife completed her PGY-2 in ob/gyn in June 2003. She quit her residency in order to take care of our newborn baby. She is now interested in returning to residency, but has decided on trying to get into emergency medicine. However, many in the field have suggested that she do a rotation in EM. She has not yet taken step III, so she doesn't have a medical license. She also isn't currently in a residency. She has been told that she needs to get malpractice insurance, but

1) is it possible to get coverage w/o having a medical license?
2) is it possible for her to get a temporary license, such as the type that active residents have? (so that she doesn't have to take step III?)
3) any other suggestions?

 

[Been there]

1) The answer is No


2) No


3) Study for step III then get a license. This mean she will be an ER moonlighter and get paid for it. During that time, she can apply for an ER residency spot as an advance candidate (PGY2)

or

3) Call her med school to see if they will let her do an ER rotation as a student (that way in most states no mal-practice is needed--just like when she was back in med school)

 

[Apollyon]

1. The answer is yes (for example, we had to have it for paramedic school, and as med students); may be VERY pricey, though.

2. Depends on what state you're in (more than half don't have resident licenses); most that require training licenses require you to be in a program to get it.

3. Assuming she's a US grad, she should be able to get licensed, so, as been there said, study and get the full license. However, with 2 years of Ob/Gyn, she will be hard-pressed to find an ED that is not in the boondocks that will let her moonlight at all, much less regularly; also, as a PGY-2 moonlighter, it's unlikely she'd be in a department with anyone who could write her a rec (ie, if it's busy enough to be double-covered, it will be 2 attendings, or senior residents or fellows).

The best option is to do an "externship" month or two at one or two hospitals to get recs, after searching around for malpractice coverage.

Good luck!

 

[sin]

Thanks for the reply...

A few more questions:

1) What exactly does an "externship" entail?

2) Can she do an externship even though she's not in medical school or in residency?

3) Doesn't she still need malpractice insurance to do an externship?