Medical License Question - moving to another state for fellowship

[Hassler]

This question may have been answered before, but looking at prior posts, nothing specific to my situation.

I'm currently a PGY-3 in California, and am starting fellowship in New York in 7/2013. My State of California license is about to expire in 3/2013. For anybody who has been through this process before, my questions is do I need to pay the full $800 to renew the California license even though I only need it for 3 more months (and then pay another couple hundred bucks on a new New York license)? Is there anyway to transfer the license from California to New York, or do I have to start from scratch in terms of applying for a New York license?

Thanks.

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[Winged Scapula]

Some states have reciprocity; California and New Jersey do not.

Therefore, if your residency program requires you to have a California State license, the you must go ahead and renew it and get a new license for NJ (which, BTW, is a PITA to get).

BTW, you didn't ask, but never let any of your licenses expire; put them on inactive status and it will easier if you ever decide to go back there and practice.

 

[Hassler]

Some states have reciprocity; California and New Jersey do not.

Therefore, if your residency program requires you to have a California State license, the you must go ahead and renew it and get a new license for NJ (which, BTW, is a PITA to get).

BTW, you didn't ask, but never let any of your licenses expire; put them on inactive status and it will easier if you ever decide to go back there and practice.

Thanks for your response. What about New York? They apparently have full and limited licensure, where the limited version is much cheaper. However, I'm assuming the limited permit won't allow you to moonlight during fellowship? Any thoughts?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Doh! I'm sorry, I see you asked about New York not New Jersey.

You would have to check with your fellowship program as to what the requirements are for licensure during training. It is my understanding that the limited New York medical license requires working in an underserved area and is only for training program work. Therefore you may not be eligible.

 

[gutonc]

Thanks for your response. What about New York? They apparently have full and limited licensure, where the limited version is much cheaper. However, I'm assuming the limited permit won't allow you to moonlight during fellowship? Any thoughts?

The limited license is for supervised practice only (residency/fellowship) and won't allow you to moonlight. Your fellowship program may require a full license as well. It's best to just start the application process now to make sure you have it in time (6 months is barely enough time in some states...I don't know about NY specifically).

As for the CA license...yes, you're going to have to suck it up and pay the full price.

 

[bala1]

Hassle if you need your license for the remainder of the four months in california you must renew the calif license for the full term. There is NO four month renewal.

If you want to practice in NY state. You must obtain a NY state license. There is no ways around it or easy way to get it. You start from scratch and apply and you will get it. The good news is that NY believe it or not is not the hardest place to get a license. It sucks but they are in the business of making money not for your convenience. You are preaching to the choir if you complain about it becuase i am with you on that one.

Some states have wised up and figured out that physicians are not applying/renewing licenses. For example, I renewed my pa license recently. The fee was ZERO dollars. Impressive huh?

 

[shift_roro]

BTW, you didn't ask, but never let any of your licenses expire; put them on inactive status and it will easier if you ever decide to go back there and practice.

Can you explain why? Are there repercussions to letting a license expire in a state that you've moved out of? Or does it just take a long time to get a new license the second time around? Seems like a waste of money to keep paying a renewal fee once you've already settled down in another state...

 

[samsoniter]

Ditto, I just posted about whether or not to keep my state licenses throughout my ENTIRE rads residency for a couple states I have no intention to return to...seems like a waste of the little cash I will have as a resident. BUT, I have pretty much been told unanimously the right thing to do is keep them, so I probably will -as experience seems to trump all!

 

[twright]

Can you explain why? Are there repercussions to letting a license expire in a state that you've moved out of? Or does it just take a long time to get a new license the second time around? Seems like a waste of money to keep paying a renewal fee once you've already settled down in another state...

I haven't moved around enough to know whether it takes _longer_ the second time around, but it takes a long time in general.

 

[michaelrack]

I haven't moved around enough to know whether it takes _longer_ the second time around, but it takes a long time in general.

It takes longer the 2nd time around because by then you have had a longer career- more things for the licensing board to check out.

 

[Smurfette]

The longer you have been in practice, the longer it takes to verify your 'track record' and the bigger the hassle of getting the license. So if there is any chance of going back to a state you've been licensed in, it could save you months of "down time" waiting for your license to be approved before you can start working there. Some states take months and months to process a new grad with no practice history; add years of actual practice to the process to verify your status and it can be a major PITA.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Can you explain why? Are there repercussions to letting a license expire in a state that you've moved out of? Or does it just take a long time to get a new license the second time around? Seems like a waste of money to keep paying a renewal fee once you've already settled down in another state...

I didn't recommend renewing your license.

I recommended putting it on Inactive status; that doesn't require any renewal fees AFAIK (at least not in the 3 states where I have inactive licenses).

It would presumably be easier to keep it Active (ie, as you would update it as you went along) but certainly more expensive.

 

[bala1]

It took me longer to get my license reactivated after i let it expire for 2 monthsthan to get it in the first place. So i missed the deadline by two months to renew and it took me 2 years to re activate it if you can believe that horse SHt

 

[Winged Scapula]

It took me longer to get my license reactivated after i let it expire for 2 monthsthan to get it in the first place. So i missed the deadline by two months to renew and it took me 2 years to re activate it if you can believe that horse SHt

Yep...a friend had the same trouble in Texas and she used FCVS I believe (see my notes on FCVS previously) which was supposed to make it faster.

FYI: use of profanity is a violation of the SDN Terms of Service as are attempts to evade it by using text changes. Might fly in the Gas Forums but not here.