Resident DO medical license in Illinois

[MedicineMan99]

I will be starting a residency in Illinois this summer. I'm currently a 4th year DO student. I got my residency contract today and it states:

"The resident agrees to acquire and maintain the appropriate State of Illinois License as defined by the Illinois Medical Practice Act" by July 1 as listed in Section I.A."

While searching for medical license information in IL, I found many confusing categories. I found this site: http://www.idfpr.com/dpr/apply/physli.asp which lists many different physician license categories. Which should I do? (I'm thinking Physician Temporary License)

Also, I have only taken COMLEX 1 and COMLEX 2 since you cannot take COMLEX 3 until you graduate from medical school. Do I need to take COMLEX 3 before I can get a license and begin residency?? (I really hope not...)

Any input from residents in IL (especially DO residents), would be fantastic! Thank you!

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[J-Rad]

Why don't you contact your residency coordinator who almost assuredly knows the exact answer to this question and may have significant involvement in the process of getting new residents their training licenses (I agree, the temp license seems to be closest to what a lot of states call a training license).

 

[ILEMres]

I will be starting a residency in Illinois this summer. I'm currently a 4th year DO student. I got my residency contract today and it states:

"The resident agrees to acquire and maintain the appropriate State of Illinois License as defined by the Illinois Medical Practice Act" by July 1 as listed in Section I.A."

While searching for medical license information in IL, I found many confusing categories. I found this site: http://www.idfpr.com/dpr/apply/physli.asp which lists many different physician license categories. Which should I do? (I'm thinking Physician Temporary License)

Also, I have only taken COMLEX 1 and COMLEX 2 since you cannot take COMLEX 3 until you graduate from medical school. Do I need to take COMLEX 3 before I can get a license and begin residency?? (I really hope not...)

Any input from residents in IL (especially DO residents), would be fantastic! Thank you!

Yep, the temp physician license! Congrats

 

[MedicineMan99]

Yep, the temp physician license! Congrats

Thank you! Do you know if I need to take COMLEX 3 before I can get this license? I really don't want to have to take COMLEX 3 before internship starts...

 

[Long Way to Go]

Thank you! Do you know if I need to take COMLEX 3 before I can get this license? I really don't want to have to take COMLEX 3 before internship starts...

It doesn't look like it. The OP in this thread was finishing PGY-1 in Illinois and hadn't taken Step III yet. I wasn't aware that any state made you take Step III before PGY-1.

 

[MedicineMan99]

It doesn't look like it. The OP in this thread was finishing PGY-1 in Illinois and hadn't taken Step III yet. I wasn't aware that any state made you take Step III before PGY-1.

I heard something about IL mandating you complete all steps within 7 years of step 1 but I can't find any solid evidence of that. I also find it a bit fishy that it mentions the USMLE but not the COMLEX...

 

[Smurfette]

I heard something about IL mandating you complete all steps within 7 years of step 1 but I can't find any solid evidence of that. I also find it a bit fishy that it mentions the USMLE but not the COMLEX...

Apply for the temporary medical license. You do not need COMLEX 3 for this, only COMLEX 1/2 and documentation of med school and a residency training program. Every fresh med school graduate starting residency training will get a temporary license (which is valid for 3 yrs if I remember correctly).

Your program should provide you with assistance in filling out forms and likely will send you information telling you to fill out the temp license paperwork and other stuff that goes along with it (they usually want the license sent directly to them so they know you are licensed; they also will tell you aspects of the form that may not apply to you....it's not always clear on the website but your program/GME office knows which things do and don't need to be submitted). It takes 2-3 months to get a license, so they will likely get this information to you within the next month or so.

You need to do step 3/comlex 3 in order to get a permanent license....which in IL requires 2 years of GME. Not sure about COMLEX 3 specific requirements but for USMLE 3 you can apply to take it under another state (like California) after 1 year of GME and there are some states that don't require even a full year of GME to take it. However, you cannot get a permanent IL license until you meet the minimum IL criteria which is typically after your PGY2 year and after passing step 3.

Hope this helps...

 

[MedicineMan99]

Apply for the temporary medical license. You do not need COMLEX 3 for this, only COMLEX 1/2 and documentation of med school and a residency training program. Every fresh med school graduate starting residency training will get a temporary license (which is valid for 3 yrs if I remember correctly).

Your program should provide you with assistance in filling out forms and likely will send you information telling you to fill out the temp license paperwork and other stuff that goes along with it (they usually want the license sent directly to them so they know you are licensed; they also will tell you aspects of the form that may not apply to you....it's not always clear on the website but your program/GME office knows which things do and don't need to be submitted). It takes 2-3 months to get a license, so they will likely get this information to you within the next month or so.

You need to do step 3/comlex 3 in order to get a permanent license....which in IL requires 2 years of GME. Not sure about COMLEX 3 specific requirements but for USMLE 3 you can apply to take it under another state (like California) after 1 year of GME and there are some states that don't require even a full year of GME to take it. However, you cannot get a permanent IL license until you meet the minimum IL criteria which is typically after your PGY2 year and after passing step 3.

Hope this helps...

That is exactly the information I was looking for! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!

 

[goooooober]

Thank you! Do you know if I need to take COMLEX 3 before I can get this license? I really don't want to have to take COMLEX 3 before internship starts...

Something to think about, Step 3 (COMLEX or USMLE) only becomes more painful as time passes. I would consider taking this test now while you can pass it with a pencil vs. later when you need the pencil + a motherloving bunch of review books and online qbank. Girls will also think you are hotter when you have taken your Step III.

Just a thought!

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Just want to re-iterate what someone earlier said. Don't apply for anything until you speak to the residency coordinator. Make sure you're doing the right thing. Sometimes the program actually applies for the license for you.