Will anyone hire me if my board certification has expired?

[Coazar]

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I graduated med school in '85, did my residency in family practice, and became board certified. I opened my own office and practiced in a small community for 22 years.

Somewhere along the line I allowed my board certification to expire. My license is still good, no problems.

Now I'm thinking about applying for jobs elsewhere.

My main question is, will anyone be willing to hire me without a current board certification?

Also, does anyone know what my official status would be? "Board eligible" seems to be used only for graduating residents, and I'm not currently "board certified" but I used to be.

If I understand the info online, it appears that regaining board certification would be a monumental and very lengthy undertaking (please correct me if I'm wrong!). At the risk of incurring someone's wrath, how about non-ABMS approved boards? Are they an easier, yet still legal, path to some type of "board certification"? Would an employer prefer one of these over no "board certification" at all?

 

[lowbudget]

The two issues are that 1) board certifications are used as a proxy measurements for quality. While we can argue whether or not that is true, that's what people believe. So that would be one barrier you'd have to conquer to convince people during the hiring process that you're a good doctor, especially when there are tons of board certified family physicians out there. That said, if the spot is non-competitive, who cares? I'm sure they'll take whomever they can get.

The other issue is that 2) board certifications are required to get on most insurance plans. So, how does that work for you now? I know someone who has let their board certification lapse and while I thought insurance would simply drop him, his practice manager says that's not the case. I don't know if he's submitting his bill under another physician's name or what, but he seems to be doing fine. When you let your board certifications lapse, did insurance companies balk at it?

 

[Coazar]

Oddly enough, this has not been a problem with insurance companies (that I am aware of) but I've been practicing without being contracted with many companies. I am contracted with one of the biggest carriers around and it has not been a problem.

If I was hired by a clinic or Urgent Care, I wonder if my bills would be submitted under their name rather than under my own, thus eliminating potential issues?

 

[deleted87716]

does anyone know what my official status would be? "Board eligible" seems to be used only for graduating residents, and I'm not currently "board certified" but I used to be.

"Not board certified."

If I understand the info online, it appears that regaining board certification would be a monumental and very lengthy undertaking (please correct me if I'm wrong!).

Not monumental or lengthy. You're likely doing CME already in order to maintain your license. From the ABFM web site:

Physicians who are not currently certified or have never been in the MC-FP process will need to complete the Re-Entry Process in order to be eligible for the exam and gain certification status. This would include physicians who have let their certification expire and lapse for more than three (3) years.

The MC-FP Re-Entry Process requires:

- Completion of fifty (50) MC-FP points (acquired by doing modules)
- Minimum of 1 Part II Module (SAM)
- Minimum of 1 Part IV Module (PPM or approved alternative)
- One (1) additional module of your choice (Part II or Part IV)
- Completion of one hundred fifty (150) credits of acceptable CME (minimum 50% Division I), acquired in last three (3) years
- Compliance with ABFM Guidelines for Professionalism, Licensure, and Personal Conduct which includes holding a currently valid, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the United States or Canada
- Submission of three (3) MC-FP Process Payments; one (1) payment at the start of each module
- Submission of application and accompanying full examination fee for the MC-FP Examination
- Successful completion of the MC-FP Examination

At the risk of incurring someone's wrath, how about non-ABMS approved boards?

As valuable as the paper they're printed on.

 

[Coazar]

Blue Dog, thank you.

Apparently, in all my online research, I've missed the info you provided. That's exactly what I needed to know.