Physician Licensing

Assembling a quality physician population to meet the needs of the public begins with physician licensing.

• If you need legal assistance with a Medical Negligence Claim, click here to consult with a Medical Malpractice Lawyer near you to discuss the details of your case.

Through the licensure process the state ensures all practicing physicians have appropriate education and training, and they abide by recognized standards of professional conduct while serving their patients. Applicants must submit proof of prior education and training and provide details about their work history. Candidates for licensure must also complete a rigorous examination, designed to assess a physician's ability to apply knowledge, concepts and principles that are important in health and disease and that constitute the basis of safe and effective patient care. Finally, the applicant must reveal information regarding past medical history (including the use of habit-forming drugs, emotional or mental illness), arrests and convictions.

After physicians are licensed in a given state, they must re-register periodically to continue their active status. During this re-registration process, physicians are required to demonstrate that they have maintained acceptable standards of ethics and medical practice, and have not engaged in improper conduct. In some states, physicians must also show they have participated in a program of continuing medical education.

Regulation of physicians

The duty of the board goes beyond the licensing and re-registration of physicians.

The board is charged with the responsibility of evaluating when a physician's professional conduct or ability to practice medicine warrants modification, suspension or revocation of the license to practice medicine. Board members devote a great deal of time and attention to overseeing the practice of physicians by reviewing complaints from consumers, malpractice data, information from hospitals and other health care institutions, and reports from government agencies.

When a board receives a complaint about a physician, and there is reason to believe the physician has violated the law, the board has the power to investigate, hold hearings, and if necessary, impose some form of discipline.

Physician Licensing. Assembling a quality physician population to meet the needs of the public begins with physician licensing. Through the licensure process the state ensures all practicing physicians have appropriate education and training, and they abide by recognized standards of professional conduct while serving their patients.

• If you need legal assistance with a Medical Negligence Claim, click here to consult with a Medical Malpractice Lawyer near you to discuss the details of your case. This website is for informational purposes only, and nothing stated here should be taken as legal advice.