If you're looking to apply for a Physician's and Surgeon's (P&S) License in California, you've come to the right place. The California Medical Board issues P&S Licenses to individuals who wish to practice medicine in the state, allowing them to diagnose, prescribe, and administer treatment to patients suffering from injury or disease.
To be eligible for a P&S License, you must meet the following requirements:
- Education: You must have attended and graduated from a U.S., Canadian, or internationally approved medical school [[SOURCE 1]].
- Postgraduate Training: You must have received credit for either 12 months (for U.S. and Canadian medical school graduates) or 24 months (for international medical school graduates) of board-approved postgraduate training [[SOURCE 1]].
- Examinations: You must have passed all required examinations [[SOURCE 1]].
It's important to note that board-approved postgraduate training must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) if completed in the United States and its territories, or by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) and/or The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) if completed in Canada. The training must include at least four months of postgraduate training in general medicine [[SOURCE 1]].
If you have already received credit for 12/24 months of board-approved postgraduate training in another state or in Canada and have been accepted into a California ACGME-accredited postgraduate training program, you must obtain your P&S License within 90 days after beginning your postgraduate training program. Failure to obtain the license within this timeframe will require you to cease all clinical service, as continuing to practice without a license constitutes unlicensed practice and may result in disciplinary action [[SOURCE 1]].
Renewal Requirements for P&S License
Once you have obtained your initial P&S License, there are renewal requirements to be aware of. As part of the initial license renewal, you must provide verification of receiving credit for 36 months of board-approved postgraduate training, including 24 continuous months of training within the same program [[SOURCE 1]].
If your training was part of the MD-integrated Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) postgraduate training program, you must provide evidence of receiving credit for at least 24 months of postgraduate training accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) to meet the initial renewal requirement. However, you are not required to provide this documentation of postgraduate training after the issuance of your P&S License if you have already provided verification of receiving credit for 36 months of board-approved postgraduate training or if you are licensed under specific sections of the Business and Professions Code (BPC) [[SOURCE 1]].
Expedited and Priority Review
In certain circumstances, the Board may give your application for a P&S License priority or expedited review. These circumstances include:
- Serving as an active-duty member of the United States Armed Forces and being honorably discharged.
- Receiving and accepting an offer of employment to work in an underserved area or underserved population in California.
- Providing abortions within the scope of practice of your medical license.
- Being a spouse of, or in a domestic partnership or other legal union with, an active-duty member of the United States Armed Forces assigned to a duty station in California.
- Being admitted to the United States as a Refugee, granted Asylum, or having a Special Immigrant Visa Status [[SOURCE 1]].
To receive priority review, you must submit the required documentation with your application. Additional requirements and supporting documents can be found on the Priority Review and Expedited Application Process page of the Board's website [[SOURCE 1]].
Temporary and Limited Practice Licenses
If you are a spouse of, or in a domestic partnership or other legal union with, an active-duty member of the United States Armed Forces assigned to a duty station in California, you may qualify for a P&S Temporary License. For detailed information on this type of license, visit the Physician's and Surgeon's Temporary License webpage on the Board's website [[SOURCE 1]].
If you are eligible for a P&S License but are unable to practice certain aspects of medicine safely due to a disability, you can explore the option of obtaining a P&S Limited Practice License. More information on this can be found on the Limited Practice License webpage [[SOURCE 1]].
How to Apply for a Physician's and Surgeon's License
To apply for a Physician's and Surgeon's License in California, you must complete the following steps using the Board's BreEZe online services system:
- Answer the application questions.
- Pay all required fees.
- Attach a copy of the completed Request for Live Scan Service for electronic fingerprints, if applicable.
- Attach a completed Notification of Name Change if you recently changed your legal name or if some supporting documents may have a variation of your alias or previous legal name, if applicable.
- Attach an Explanation to Application Question (Form EXP), if applicable.
- Attach a Timeline of Activities (Form TOA), if applicable.
- Attach supporting documents verifying the request to expedite the licensing process, if applicable [[SOURCE 1]].
In addition to the above steps, there are specific documents that must be submitted by different entities:
- Fingerprints: You must submit your fingerprints for a background check.
- Certification/Examination Organization: The certification/examination organization must submit documents such as the ECFMG Certification Status Report (for international graduates) and official examination scores.
- Medical School(s): The medical school(s) you attended must submit documents such as the Certificate of Medical Education, official transcript, and official English translation if applicable.
- Training Program(s): The training program(s) you completed must submit documents such as the Certificate of Completion of ACGME/RCPSC/CFPC Postgraduate Training and Current Postgraduate Training Verification [[SOURCE 1]].
Once your P&S License is issued, you can generate and print your own wallet license using the Board's Wallet License Generator. The wall certificate will be mailed to your address of record within two to four weeks [[SOURCE 1]].
It's important to note that this article is intended to provide an overview of the application process for a Physician's and Surgeon's License in California. For detailed and up-to-date information, it is recommended to visit the official website of the Medical Board of California [[SOURCE 1]].
Disclaimer: The information provided here is based on the given URL and general knowledge. It is always advisable to refer to the official website or consult with the relevant authorities for the most accurate and up-to-date information.