Not renewing state medical license.

[littlefred]

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Has anyone here not renewed their medical license in a particular state?

I've retained the ones I got during my training/career because they are so hard to get (currently not practicing medicine in those states anyway) so every 2 years I pony up the cash for renewal.

Should I keep doing it? What if I don't pay for renewal?

 

[Sushirolls]

Let it expire.
The worst issue is the all the locums folks will continue to bombard you with opportunities in that state even though your license is expired and all your online data reflects you clearly aren't located there. That is the only consequence.

 

[wolfvgang22]

I also maintain additional licenses like this. I am a bit neurotic, and so I keep them just to avoid having all my eggs in one basket, and like you said, renewing a license is easy but applying anew is a pain. I don't trust state medical boards due to many horror stories I've seen and heard about. They are capricious and right now the website of one is down, and I need to renew!! I think it is a highly personal decision which ones you keep. I like knowing I can hop states to a new job with less hassle, as the threat of quitting is my main leverage as an employee. Perhaps a middle ground is appropriate - keep one extra license. I've come out ahead many times by being prepared in ways like this.

 

[littlefred]

I also maintain additional licenses like this. I am a bit neurotic, and so I keep them just to avoid having all my eggs in one basket, and like you said, renewing a license is easy but applying anew is a pain. I don't trust state medical boards due to many horror stories I've seen and heard about. They are capricious and right now the website of one is down, and I need to renew!! I think it is a highly personal decision which ones you keep. I like knowing I can hop states to a new job with less hassle, as the threat of quitting is my main leverage as an employee. Perhaps a middle ground is appropriate - keep one extra license. I've come out ahead many times by being prepared in ways like this.

Fair advice about not renewing all of them but keeping some as options. One of my licenses up for renewal is MA and their website is down 🤓, maybe that's the one you are thinking of renewing as well. I always wonder how some of the telemedicine medical directors have upwards of 10 licenses. Imagine juggling all that CME and all the different bureaucratic requirements on each of them. Ugh.

 

[wolfvgang22]

Fair advice about not renewing all of them but keeping some as options. One of my licenses up for renewal is MA and their website is down 🤓, maybe that's the one you are thinking of renewing as well. I always wonder how some of the telemedicine medical directors have upwards of 10 licenses. Imagine juggling all that CME and all the different bureaucratic requirements on each of them. Ugh.

For me, CME is mostly the same between my licenses, thank goodness. I think if you work in an area where 2 or 3 states meet (like the several tri-state areas that exist in the U.S.) is an obvious reason to have multiple licenses, too.

 

[nexus73]

Can either let expire/cancel the license, or potentially change to inactive, which makes it easier to activate again if needed. I'd recommend either way contacting the state licensing department to discuss options. I think Oregon I was going to just not renew it and assumed it would automatically expire, but the board called me and said it would be a violation to just let it expire, so I told them to begin the process to terminate it.

 

[littlefred]

Can either let expire/cancel the license, or potentially change to inactive, which makes it easier to activate again if needed. I'd recommend either way contacting the state licensing department to discuss options. I think Oregon I was going to just not renew it and assumed it would automatically expire, but the board called me and said it would be a violation to just let it expire, so I told them to begin the process to terminate it.

Placing a license as inactive apparently you still pay the fee but don't need the CME requirements.

 

[nexus73]

Placing a license as inactive apparently you still pay the fee but don't need the CME requirements.

that might be why i decided not to do that with my oregon license.

 

[alina_s]

I opted to not renew in 1 state after I moved. The board was helpful and noted that I’d moved, in case anyone tried to prescribe for me. They had no inactive status. The only minor hassle is that there are a few sites (AACAP) where there’s no option to delete.

 

[the5thelement]

I had multiple licenses -ky, wv, ca, tx , mi , oh, va . Have let all of them lapse except ca and tx. Tx license was drag to get (they want you to pass their jurisprudence exam) so i am keeping it alive for now.

 

[littlefred]

I had multiple licenses -ky, wv, ca, tx , mi , oh, va . Have let all of them lapse except ca and tx. Tx license was drag to get (they want you to pass their jurisprudence exam) so i am keeping it alive for now.

I have those two last ones you mentioned, planning on keeping the TX one.
Any reason you keep these CA alive ?

 

[the5thelement]

Because i see all my patients in CA.

 

[whopper]

Whether or not you retain the license is up to you. We do live in a different society now with more telemedicine than years ago. As most people already know here if you do telemedicine the patient must be in the state where you retained your license.