10 Medical Licensing Mistakes to Avoid
The medical license application process can be quite complicated and often long and drawn out. Each state medical board has their own set of rules and requirements that must be met before they will issue your medical license to you. Be sure we have your credentialing information and documents together before we apply to make the process as quick and painless as possible. Often times, medical boards are months behind in processing their mail. We don’t want to wait months for an update from the medical board only to find out your file is incomplete. Avoid these 10 common mistakes to ensure you get it done right the first time:
- Missing Requirements
Each medical board is different regarding what credentials they require to be verified. We must read the instructions carefully and be sure to send direct source verification requests to each place required by the medical board. Most states require your medical education, postgraduate training, past and current state licenses and examinations to be verified. Many states also require verification of past and present employment and staff privileges. In addition, they may want copies of documents such as your birth certificate, training certificates, medical school diploma, and malpractice case court documents. MedPro Central has the procedures in place to streamline the entire process.
- Sending Requests to the Wrong Place
Be sure we have the correct contact information before we send requests to verify your credentials. When verifying postgraduate training, employment and staff privileges, we contact each place beforehand to make sure we have the correct mailing address. If the board requires a form that must be signed by the program director or chief of staff, we will send the request directly to the department. Many times forms are ignored and the verifying entity will sent a letter instead which will not be accepted by the medical board. Frustrating, but it happens all the time. We make sure to convey to the verifying entity that the form must be completed or you will not receive your license. We at MedPro Central has an extensive database of contacts for places all across the country.
- Not Tracking your Documents
Medical Boards are often weeks or even months behind in processing their mail and updating application files. We send your verification requests with a trackable service such as Priority Mail, Express Mail, FedEx, or UPS so you’ll know when each requests reaches its destination. MedPro Central always sends a trackable pre-paid forwarding envelopes so we know when items deliver to the medical board. It’s a good idea to spend extra money on trackable shipping to save a ton of time in the end. You’ll know when your verifications deliver before the medical board does.
- Leaving a Gap in Your Professional Chronology
Many times applications require a complete chronology of your professional history. Be sure to include beginning and ending month and year for all activities requested on the form. Include periods of school vacation, travel, study, leaves of absence, or other time off; no matter how brief they may be. If you leave a gap in time, the medical board will ask you for an explanation of your activities during the gap which will delay the processing of your application. We’ll make sure there are not gaps before the application is submitted.
- Losing Track of Malpractice Documents
Regardless of whether you were dropped, acquitted, convicted or you settled out of court, you will need a copy of your court documents for each and every malpractice case. Most medical boards want a detailed explanation of each malpractice suit brought against you. They will also want a copy of the Initial Complaint and the Final Order. These documents may be obtained from your lawyer, malpractice insurance carrier, or directly from the court. If you are unsure if you have ever been named, request a NPDB Report to find out if any cases have been reported to them. MedPro Central is able to track down your malpractice court documents for you if you do not have copies.
- Omitting Information
One of the biggest mistakes you can make on your medical license application is to omit or fail to disclose all information regarding disciplinary actions or legal issues. If you’ve ever had any sort of trouble in your past, no matter how small or insignificant, no matter if it has been expunged; you should report it to the medical board. This includes disciplinary actions during medical school, postgraduate training, employment or staff privileges. It also includes any actions taken against other state medical licenses, criminal charges, substance abuse, and any issues with the DEA. It’s always best to voluntarily disclose the information and send a detailed explanation of what happened than for the Medical Board to discover something. If the medical board has to ask what happened and why you did not disclose the incident, your application will be red flagged and sent for review. This will significantly delay your application time. Be sure to discuss any concerns with your Medical Licensing Specialist at MedPro Central. They know what has to be disclosed and what is private.
- Not Allowing Enough Processing Time
The medical license application process can take anywhere from 4 weeks to a year depending on applicant response time, how quickly 3rd party verifications are received, and the speed at which the board processes the application. Many boards are quick to process where other may take months to even begin working on your application. Be sure you give the medical boards enough time to process your application. Medical licensing is serious business and there is no way to rush the processors at the medical board. Contact us at MedPro Central for estimated timeline for various states.
- Failure to Follow-up
It is up to us to contact the medical board and respond to their requests. We may need to contact a place several times before they send the correct required verification to the medical board. Often times, the verifying entity will send a letter in lieu of completing a required form. Sometimes, they simply don’t respond to the request at all. If at first you don’t succeed try try again and then ask to speak to a supervisor. Here at MedPro Central we will sit on the phone until we get through to someone who can take care of the verification. Patient persistence is key. Follow up is an ongoing process.
- Being Rude to the Processors at the Medical Board
No matter how tedious or silly the medical board’s rules, regulations or requirements may seem, the processors take them very seriously. They have to make sure your file is complete before they present it to the board members. Ultimately, it is up to the members of the board to grant or delay or deny your medical license. Your best strategy is to do whatever it takes to get the board what they want. Keep in mind that the processors at the board hold your future in their hands. Be polite and accommodating and your application process will go much faster and smoother.
- Putting the Cart Before the Horse
Do not close your practice, quit your job, sell your house, enroll your children in school, sign an employment contract, schedule patients or begin practicing until after your license is granted. Medical licensing is a privilege, not a right and a board has the power to deny or delay a medical license at will. Apply for your medical license at least 3-6 months before you need it. There are ways to expedite the application process but there is no way to cram for it. Contact MedPro Central to discuss timelines and medical licensing options.
No matter how many medical licenses you’ve applied for in the past, remember that every state medical board is different. Let MedPro Central dot your I’s and cross your T’s.
