GET FREE CONSULTATION
850-308-5870
Many states have enacted special licensing for International Medical School Graduates IMGs FMGs. These provisions accept foreign training in lieu of US or Canadian training. Most of the states require all 3 steps of the USMLE, however, Arkansas AR, Idaho ID, and Louisiana LA are three states that offer provisional licensure that do not require…
The Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners recently sent the following information to us regarding the International Medical School Graduate provisional licensure. Here is a link to the bill that passed during Nevada’s 2025 Legislative Session which provides a possible licensure pathway for foreign medical graduates: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/83rd2025/Bills/SB/SB124_EN.pdf. The bill will be effective on July 1,…
As of January 1, 2026, the State of North Carolina will be a full member of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. The North Carolina Medical Board will begin accepting applications for North Carolina Compact licenses from physicians in other Compact states on that date. In addition, physicians licensed in North Carolina who wish to obtain…
Michigan is Leaving the IMLCC in March 2026 Unless legislature votes against it, the Michigan Board of Medicine is leaving the IMLCC March 28, 2026. What are the implications for you as a doctor licensed in Michigan through the IMLCC? If you are licensed in Michigan through the IMLC, you will need to…
Often times the background check process can delay an application for medical licensure. If you’re looking for a state that does not require you to be fingerprinted, here is the list of states that do not require a background check for physician licensing: Alaska Colorado Connecticut Georgia Hawaii Maine Massachusetts Minnesota Missouri Montana New York…
Wisconsin Now has a Pathway to Licensure for International Medical Graduates! Effective July 1, 2024, allows the Board to grant provisional licenses for qualifying International Medical Graduates (IMGs) that: Have an offer for employment as a physician from a FQHC, CHC, hospital, ASC, or any other health care facility approved by the Board A medical…
Here’s a quick list of the states that are currently offering an application to IMGs who would like to apply for licensure based on the new IMG legislature. We will update this list as states provide applications for this pathway to licensure. Arkansas Florida Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Louisiana Oklahoma Texas Wisconsin The following states…
THE LOUISIANA MEDICAL BOARD OFFERS AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners has begun issuing licenses to International Medical Graduates (IMGs) that hold a degree from an international medical program that is “substantially similar” to the education or training required to practice in Louisiana. To qualify for a Foreign Physicians…
THE INDIANA MEDICAL BOARD OFFERS AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. Indiana now has a pathway for licensure for International Medical Graduates (IMGs). This new bill authorizes the Board to issue a limited license to an International Medical Graduate that has: A medical doctorate or substantially similar degree from an international medical program in good standing…
THE IDAHO MEDICAL BOARD OFFERS AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. Idaho is accepting applications for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) that qualify as an international physician, as defined in Idaho Code §54-1803, may receive a provisional license. “International physician” means an individual who: Was not a legal resident of the United States or Canada when they…
THE ARKANSAS MEDICAL BOARD OFFERS AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. There are four pathways through which an International Medical Graduate may receive a license from the Arkansas State Medical Board. The applicant must meet ALL of the requirements in the first, second, third, OR fourth pathway listed below in order to qualify for licensure. If…
THE IOWA MEDICAL BOARD OFFERS AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. Iowa has published the Provisional License Application so there is a pathway to licensure for International Medical School Graduates. We can help you with your application and job hunt. The Pathway Requirements The Iowa Medical Board has passed legislation to grant provisional licenses to International…
You read that right; the Michigan Medical Board just disqualified an applicant because they no longer accept the FLEX exam. They will only accept USMLEs and COMLEX. This will completely disqualify many experienced doctors. Contact us today for more information.
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…
Five Sneaky Pricing Tricks Medical Licensing Companies Use To Disguise High Prices Beware. Many medical licensing companies pull customers in with a low initial service fee only to surprise them later with additional fees that can raise the total cost of their service to eye-popping levels. If you only take one lesson from reading this,…
NPDB Reports Included in FCVS for These States The FCVS (Federation Credentials Verification Service) in association with the FSMB (Federation of State Medical Boards) Packet includes an NPDB (National Practitioners Data Bank) Report for some states but not for all states. Here is a list of state medical boards where the NPDB Report is…
States Requiring State Controlled Substance Licensure If you plan to write prescriptions in any state, you will have to have a DEA certificate for each state. Some states also require a State Controlled Substance License. This is in addition to the DEA which is also required by these state medical boards. Here is a list…
THE TEXAS MEDICAL BOARD HAS AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. Enacted June 20 and effective September 1, 2025, requires (“shall”) the Texas Board to issue a provisional license to qualified “foreign license holding” applicants that have: been granted a degree of doctor of medicine or substantially similar from a program that meets ECFMG requirements; been…
THE WISCONSIN MEDICAL BOARD NOW OFFERS AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. Effective July 1, 2024, AB 954 (2024) allows the Wisconsin Board to grant provisional licenses for qualifying IMGs that have an offer for employment as a physician from a FQHC, CHC, hospital, ASC, or any other health care facility approved by the Board, a…
THE WASHINGTON MEDICAL BOARD DOES NOT YET OFFER AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. The “clinical experience” license works as a “bridge to residency” for qualifying IMGs that are a Washington state resident for at least one year, ECFMG certified, have passed all steps of the USMLE, completed a background check, have an offer from specified…
THE VIRGINIA MEDICAL BOARD DOES NOT YET OFFER AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. Effective July 1, 2024, HB 995 (2024) allows the Virginia Medical Board to grant a provisional license to a qualified IMG for up to two years, that have received a degree from a medical school recognized by the WHO, are licensed in…
THE OKLAHOMA MEDICAL BOARD DOES NOT YET OFFER AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. A new bill the Oklahoma Medical Board enacted makes the ECFMG the arbiter of whether a foreign applicant for full licensure, using the “traditional licensure pathway” (when an ECFMG-certified IMG matriculates through accredited GME prior to licensure), graduated from a satisfactory international…
THE FLORIDA MEDICAL BOARD DOES NOT YET OFFER AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. Florida Medical Board offers Mobile Opportunity by Interstate Licensure Endorsement (MOBILE) Qualifications for Licensure. Here are the requirements to qualify: 1. Must hold an active, unencumbered license issued by another state, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the United States…
THE NEVADA MEDICAL BOARD DOES NOT YET OFFER AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. As of July 1, 2026, Nevada will provide IMGs a pathway to employment in underserved areas. SB 124 (2025) authorizes the Board to issue a limited license to a qualifying applicant that that has (or has held): a valid and unrestricted license…
THE NEW YORK MEDICAL BOARD DOES NOT YET OFFER AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. New York law provides that the Board can grant limited permits for qualifying IMGs that: “Fulfill all requirements for a physician license except those relating to the examination and citizenship or permanent residence in the U.S.; are ECFMG certified or “passed an…
THE NORTH CAROLINA MEDICAL BOARD DOES NOT YET OFFER AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. North Carolina has enacted without pathway section. The original bill would have permitted the Board to issue an “internationally-trained hospital physician employee” license to IMGs that possess an active license in good standing from a foreign country or had such a…
THE MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL BOARD DOES NOT YET OFFER AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine creates a limited license for internationally-trained physician (ITP) that have an ECFMG certificate, unless granted an exemption by the board; passed USMLE Steps 1 and 2; received a degree of doctor of medicine or its equivalent…
THE LOUISIANA MEDICAL BOARD OFFERS AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. CONTACT THE BOARD FOR AN APPLICATION. Effective August 1, 2024, allows the Board to issue licenses to IMGs that hold a degree from an international medical program that is “substantially similar” to the education or training required to practice in the state, are licensed in…
THE IOWA MEDICAL BOARD OFFERS AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. Effective January 1, 2025, allows the Board to grant provisional licenses to IMGs that are graduates of foreign medical schools evaluated by the ECFMG, licensed and in good standing for the immediately preceding five years, without pending disciplinary action; have completed a residency or “substantially…
THE ILLINOIS MEDICAL BOARD OFFERS AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. On January 14, 2025, the IDFPR promulgated rules to implement SB 1298. The rules define IMGs as: Medical graduates trained outside the U.S. whose education has “been certified by the ECFMG;” having passed all steps of the USMLE; having an unencumbered license from another country;…
Effective January 1, 2025, “shell bill” authorizes the Dept. of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to issue limited licenses to qualified IMGs, pursuant to rules the IDFPR must adopt regarding qualifications and fees. According to the Illinois State Medical Society, IMGs “would work for two years with limited practice under supervision in an area with…
THE INDIANA MEDICAL BOARD OFFERS AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. The bill passed in Indiana authorizes the Board to issue a limited license to an ITP that pays a $100 application fee; has a medical doctorate or substantially similar degree from an international medical program in good standing as determined by the Board; has ECFMG…
THE IDAHO MEDICAL BOARD OFFERS AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. Effective January 1, 2025, Idaho State Board of Medicine allows international physicians that have matriculated through an international medical program, defined as any “medical education or training outside of the U.S. or Canada that is substantially similar” to the training required for physicians in Idaho…
THE FLORIDA MEDICAL BOARD IS OFFERING AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. Florida – Qualifying IMGs must have an active, unencumbered license to practice medicine in a foreign country, have actively practiced medicine the entire four-year period preceding their application, completed a “residency or substantially similar postgraduate medical training that is ” substantially similar to a residency…
California – The Physicians from Mexico Pilot Program (MPP) grants a time-limited IMG license to Mexican doctors licensed, certified (by entities listed), and in good standing in their specialty in Mexico that have a passing score on a specialty board review course (equivalent to that needed by U.S. applicants), have specialty specific requirements, completed a…
THE ARKANSAS MEDICAL BOARD OFFERS AN APPLICATION FOR THIS PATHWAY. Foreign Medical School Graduates (FMGs) may be granted a medical license in Arkansas without completing US or Canadian Postgraduate Training. You have to have been offered full time employment at an underserved facility, have an active foreign medical license, have actively practiced medicine during the…
According to the Federation of State Medical Boards, many states are enacting legislature that allows qualifying internationally trained physicians (ITPs) (FMGs) (IMGs) to be granted licensure without US or Canadian postgraduate training. Here are the details: • These twelve (12) states have enacted legislation that allows qualifying internationally-trained physicians (ITPs) to gain full licensure without…
The Colorado Medical Board offers a streamlined expedited endorsement process for physicians who meet specific criteria, including having been in practice for at least two years and actively practicing for 5 out of the 7 years prior to the application. This expedited pathway is similar to a reciprocal license, meaning it’s for physicians already licensed…
The South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners has recently sent a notice out regarding restricting prescribing for doctors who practice via telemedicine. Here’s the notice that was sent: “In follow-up to the BME’s previous eblast regarding prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine: South Carolina state law restricts the prescribing of Scheduled II and Schedule III narcotics…
There has recently been some confusion as to whether or not the state of Michigan is leaving the IMLCC. A client forwarded an email to me that they had received from the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners in March of 2025 that stated that the Michigan Board of Medicine was leaving the IMLC. The…
The state of Tennessee recently approved two bills that could offer foreign medical school graduates alternative paths to licensure. The Tennessee Department of Health has now published an application with a pathway for FMGs to practice in TN without exams or training. YOU MUST SECURE A JOB AT A FACILITY WITH AN ACGME APPROVED TRAINING…
In a significant move to address the growing healthcare needs of the state, the Alabama House recently passed the Physician Workforce Act. The legislation aims to tackle the shortage of doctors in Alabama, recognizing the pressing need for a robust healthcare workforce to meet the demands of the population. The Physician Workforce Act, which received…
In a groundbreaking move, Tennessee has become the first state to revolutionize medical licensing for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) or Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) by allowing them to practice without completing a U.S. medical residency. This decision marks a significant shift in the traditional pathway to medical licensure in the United States and opens new…
Florida Physicians Required to Maintain Clinical Activity: A Crucial Step Towards Ensuring Quality Healthcare In a move aimed at enhancing the quality of healthcare services in the Sunshine State, Florida has implemented a groundbreaking regulation requiring physicians to maintain clinical activity for at least two out of every four years. This progressive step not only…
DEA Registered-Practitioners Dear Registrants: On December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 enacted a new one-time, eight-hour training requirement for all Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-registered practitioners on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders. Below is information on this new requirement. Who is responsible for satisfying this…
Alabama News Regarding the Bridge Year Physician Limited Permit (2023 Physician Workforce Act) The Physician Workforce Act of 2023 provides for limited, supervised practice for physicians who applied to, but were not accepted into, a residency training program for the first year following medical school graduation (“bridge year graduate physicians”). The physician must be a…
Great news for physicians with many existing state medical licenses. Here is a list of states that no longer require applicants to obtain verification of past and present licensure directly from the originating state medical boards. If, for any reason, these states can not pull the license verifications from other sources, they will ask the…
I’m often asked, “Which of the states take the longest to process a state medical license?” Well, the list changes as states change their requirements or update their application processes. Here is the most current list based on our recent observations while managing the medical licensing application process. Arkansas requires applicants for medical licensure to…
Did you take a State Board Examination in lieu of FLEX, NBME, NBOME or the USMLEs? If so, you will need to jump through a few hoops before the Florida Board of Medicine will issue a medical license to you. If you are currently licensed in the U.S. or Canada and have actively practiced pursuant…
You could be practicing in Wyoming on an expedited temporary medical license in as quickly as two weeks. This is a great option if you have an opportunity to do locum tenens in Wyoming. In order to qualify, you only need to have a clean record and submit your application for a Wyoming Medical License,…
Has it been more than 10 years since you’ve passed an examination such as the USMLEs or an American Board Exam? If so, you may be required to take an American Board certification or re-certification exam or SPEX. SPEX is the Special Purpose Examination. It is a clinical examination you would need to actually sit…
If you are a physician who has difficulty getting verification of past or present employment or staff privileges or if you’re just in a hurry to get a medical license; this article is for you. Often times, the states that require verification of employment and/or staff privileges are the ones that take the longest to…
If you qualify for medical licensure based on Endorsement, you can get a temporay Idaho license in just a few weeks. To qualify, you must have been licensed and practicing for the previous five years or more, be currently American Board Certified (ABMS or AOA) and be free of any disciplinary isssues. Once the board…
Both Illinois and California require foreign medical school graduates to get verification of their medical education and clinical clerkship rotations directly from the medical school. Neither Illinois nor California will accept these verification from the FCVS.
State Telemedicine Rules Almost all of the state medical boards require a physician to hold a full unrestricted medical license in order to practice any type of medicine including telemedicine or teleradiology in their state. There are a few exceptions States with Special Telemedicine Options Alabama Medical Board offers a Special Purpose license to practice…
The number of years of postgraduate training required for medical licensure varies from state to state. It also differs for U. S. graduates vs. foreign medical school graduates. U. S. Graduates If you are a graduate of a medical school in the United States, the following states only require you to have completed one year…
There are just a few states which require a Juris Prudence type of exam. Mississippi, Oklahoma, Oregon, Wisconsin and Wyoming all requires some sort of exam about state specific laws and rules.
Many Medical Boards will waive examination or postgraduate training requirements. Here are a few of the boards and the exceptions they offer. The Arizona Medical Board does not require a foreign medical school graduate to have an ECFMG Certificate or to have completed a 5th Pathway Certificate if you have worked for 36 or more…
Although San Juan Bautista Medical School in Caguas Puerto Rico is considered a US school, it did not gain full accreditation until 2007. Most of the medical boards require applicants to have graduated from a medical school that was accredited at the time of graduation. Throughout my research, I’ve found a few states that will…
There are a few states that will waive their postgraduate training requirements if you are American Board Certified. As you may know the Wisconsin Medical Examiners Board only requires one year of accredited postgraduate training for all applicants even foreign medical school graduates.
If you completed your postgraduate training more than 5 years ago, you do not have to verify your postgraduate training in order to get a Virginia state medical license. This is especially great news for those of you who’s postgraduate training programs are closed or who’s records are difficult or too old to find.
If you are currently licensed in another state, you qualify for a 90 Day Temporary Medical License in the state of Indiana.
Many states have rules regarding the number of times an applicant is allowed to take a qualifying examination such as NBME, NBOME, FLEX, or USMLE. If it took you several tries you need to pay special attention to each state’s rules which vary greatly from state to state.
Most states require you to complete all 3 steps of the USMLE or other qualifying examination within 7 years of taking or passing the first step. Many of those states extend the time limit to 10 years if you hold both an MD and PhD degree.
Historically, Mississippi has been one of the toughest states in which to become licensed. Mainly it’s due to their strict verification requirements.
Just wanted to let everyone know that the Minnesota Medical Board is back in business today. It may take them a few weeks to get caught up but for now the government has come to an agreement.
Due to disagreements about whether or not to raise taxes or cut spending to balance their budget, the state of Minnesota has shut down most of their governmental offices.
Since you graduated from a medical school outside of the United States, Puerto Rico or Canada, most state medical boards will require you to complete all 3 steps of the USMLE Exam and either get your ECFMG Certificate or complete a year of 5th Pathway training.
SPEX is the Special Purpose Examination. It is a computerized, multiple-choice examination of current knowledge requisite for the general, undifferentiated practice of medicine. The examination is intended for physicians who hold or have previously held a medical license in the US or in Canada.
The FCVS is the Federation Credentials Verification Service. They are a division of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB).
As I mentioned in a previous article, US Medical Licensing for Foreign Medical School Graduates,
As part of the medical license application process, many state medical boards, Indiana and Alaska to name a few, require certified to be true copies of your medical school diploma, postgraduate training certificate, birth certificate, specialty board certificates, etc.
Many state medical boards require an AMA Profile from the American Medical Association or AMA. The AMA will be able to provide a profile even if you are not an AMA Member.
Many states require an NPDB/HIPDB (National Practitioner Data Bank/Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank) as part of their application process.
Many times a foreign medical school graduate will want to obtain a medical license in one or more US States. Whether or not they ever plan to practice here, it is always a good idea to have the option.
Skin In The Game. Everyone’s heard that cliché. But what does it really mean?
The concept of reciprocity is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Reciprocity of a state medical license used to be a very common practice. Basically, if you held a license to practice medicine in one state, most or all of the other states would give you a medical license based on your existing state license.
Are you a Foreign Medical School Graduate (FMG) wanting to practice medicine in the United States? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
It’s becoming increasingly more difficult for Puerto Rican doctors to get licensed in other states. Many state boards are denying reciprocity with the Puerto Rico State Board Exam due to the fraudulent acts of several unethical and unqualified doctors and a handful of corrupt medical board members.