The process of applying for a medical license varies greatly from state to state. Throughout my years of consulting physicians about the medical license application process, the same questions have come up time and time again; which states are the fastest, which states are the easiest and which states are the least expensive? If you’re looking for your first medical license or trying to decide which career path to choose, this information may be most helpful to you.
Pennsylvania is a Fast and Inexpensive State for Medical Licensure
Pennsylvania is the least expensive of all of the state medical boards. The application fee is only $35 for a MD License, $85 for foreign medical school graduates and $45 for a DO License. Pennsylvania is also one of the fastest states to process an application and issue a medical license. In order to qualify you must have passed all 3 steps of your qualifying exam such as USMLE, NBME, COMLEX or NBOME within 7 years of passing the first step. The Pennsylvania Medical Board allows only 3 attempts on Step 3 of your qualifying exam. Also, if you are a DO and you have not passed COMLEX 2 PE then you will be required to take the Pennsylvania OMT Exam which is given to test spinal manipulation technique. The Pennsylvania Board requires 2 years of approved postgraduate training for US medical school graduates and 3 years for foreign medical school graduates.
Get a Michigan Medical License by way of Reciprocity
Michigan is the only state to still offer reciprocity of another state’s license. In order to qualify for reciprocity a physician must have been continuously licensed and practicing in another state for the past 10 years without any disciplinary issues. If you qualify for reciprocity you only have to complete an application, pay the $150 application fee and verify all past and present medical licenses. That’s it! I would still recommend Michigan even if you do not qualify for reciprocity. It is still a fast, easy and very inexpensive state in which to apply for a medical license. The Michigan Board of Medicine requires 2 years of approved postgraduate training for both US and foreign medical school graduates. They do not have any exam attempt limit but do require you to pass Step 3 within 5 years. Each additional year it takes you to pass Step 3 requires an additional year of approved postgraduate training to be completed.
Start Practicing Medicine in Hawaii in No Time without Breaking the Bank
The medical license application process in Hawaii only takes a couple of months. Their application fee is pro-rated costing anywhere between $170 for a 1 year permit and $290 for a 2 year permit. It is easy to qualify for a Hawaii Medical License. The Hawaii Board of Medical Examiners requires 1 year of approved postgraduate training for US medical school graduates and 2 years for foreign medical school graduates. They do not have any exam attempt rules, however, you must complete all 3 exam steps within 7 years of passing the first step.
Applying for a West Virginia Osteopathic Medical License is a Snap
Osteopathic physicians can get a medical license in West Virginia with very little hassle. Their application process is simple and they only charge $200 for their application fee. The West Virginia Board of Osteopathy only requires 1 year of approved postgraduate training. They do not have any exam attempt limit but do require you to have passed all 3 exam steps within 7 years of passing the first step.
Getting a Medical License in Nebraska is Fast and Easy
The Nebraska State Medical Board only charges $202 application fee and can process an application and issue a medical license in just a few months. They require 1 year of approved postgraduate training for US medical school graduates and 3 for foreign medical school graduates. Nebraska requires you to pass all 3 exam steps within 7 years of passing the first step and allow 4 attempts per step.
Indiana Medical Board is Quick to Process Applications for Licensure
Even though the Indiana medical license application fee isn’t one of the cheapest and they now require a background check, it is still one of the fastest and one of the lowest charging $250 for their application fee. Indiana requires 1 year of approved postgraduate training for US medical school graduates and 2 years for foreign medical school graduates. The Indiana Board of Medicine requires you to pass all 3 exam steps within 7 years of passing the first step and allow 5 attempts per step.
More Difficult Yet Inexpensive States
Other inexpensive states are Wisconsin at $110, North Dakota at $200, South Dakota at $200, Utah at $200, and New Hampshire at $250. These states may not be quite as fast to process or as easy to qualify for but they are all quite affordable. Some of the more expensive states include California, Florida and Nevada; all costing over $1,000 for application and initial licensing fees. All other medical boards charge somewhere in between. Contact us today for your free initial consultation and complete estimate.