- Physician-in-Training
- In-House Physician
- Limited License
- Temporary Certificate
Florida has a series of administrative requirements in place for the seeker of a medical license including fingerprinting, background checks, as well as proof of financial responsibility assuming you are a first time applicant. Applicants with an out of state driver’s license will also be required to present financial proof and undergo fingerprinting.
Education is obviously another factor to consider as applicants will need to present both proof of a degree and school transcripts. This school must be current and accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. There are 17 members in the LCME, six from the AMA, six from the AAMC, and five who are doctors or other professionals. If you are a student who has received a medical degree from a school outside of the united states, you must submit your paperwork along with certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. These requirements might seem a bit steep, but they are in place to ensure that the graduate performs his or her job with a reasonable level of competence.
In order to obtain license from Florida you will need to pass a few examinations. Such tests include the Federation Licensing Examinations, The National Boards, or the United States Medical Licensing Examination. Proof of examination and scores must be presented when applying for a Florida medical license, and as with the accreditations, it ensures that the individual is actually skilled in their art.
In addition to the above requirements, physicians who wish to apply for a Florida medical license need to make sure they have completed certain postgraduate training. This training will consist of the ACGME or RCPSC Accredited programs. The post-graduate programs, unlike the degree and certification programs, award a physician with real world clinical experience. This will ensure that they can operate under pressure in an emergency room environment. Florida will require a copy of the training certificate, or a letter from the program director to the Florida Board of Medicine confirming that the physician has indeed completed the three year requirement.
If you have a license from another state, you will be able to transfer to Florida so long as you meet the qualifications. The State of Florida currently uses the Federation Credentials Verification Service, or FCVS. These checks ensure that the physician in question has the right qualifications to apply for a license in the State of Florida.
There are several steps that one must take if they are to become certified within Florida, though these steps will ensure that physicians are properly certified. When dealing with the medical care of human beings, there is no room for error, so keep your paperwork in order!