Question about getting licensed in California

[Jaded Soul]

I've been to the CA Medical Board website and had a really hard time finding licensing that addresses my questions. Hope someone here knows from experience.

I was speaking to an attending and he said getting licensed in California is relatively difficult if you don't do residency here. He said if you're licensed in another state and want to come here to practice, you'd have to take an exam as part of the process to get the CA license. Conversely, he said if you are licensed in CA and want to practice in another state, you don't have to take any special exams because other states don't require it. This apparently all has to do with CA being the most strict state when it comes to medical licensing.

My question is, what exactly do you need to do to get licensed in any state? Do you just take Step 3 there? Do you have to have a certain number of years of training in that state? Do you have to be a resident of the state for X number of years? The attending told me for California, when getting licensed for the first time, you have to do at least 1 year of training and take Step 3 here. Is that true?

I ask all of this because I'm from California and for family reasons I want to practice here. However, I'm applying in for competitive residency which may take me out of state. Since I have to do a prelim/transitional year before that residency, I'd want to do it in CA and get licensed here (assuming everything the attending told me is true). If it's not true, though, it would open up my options for the prelim/transitional year.

I'd appreciate if anyone can clarify. Thanks.

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[flighterdoc]

I've been to the CA Medical Board website and had a really hard time finding licensing that addresses my questions. Hope someone here knows from experience.

I was speaking to an attending and he said getting licensed in California is relatively difficult if you don't do residency here. He said if you're licensed in another state and want to come here to practice, you'd have to take an exam as part of the process to get the CA license. Conversely, he said if you are licensed in CA and want to practice in another state, you don't have to take any special exams because other states don't require it. This apparently all has to do with CA being the most strict state when it comes to medical licensing.

My question is, what exactly do you need to do to get licensed in any state? Do you just take Step 3 there? Do you have to have a certain number of years of training in that state? Do you have to be a resident of the state for X number of years? The attending told me for California, when getting licensed for the first time, you have to do at least 1 year of training and take Step 3 here. Is that true?

I ask all of this because I'm from California and for family reasons I want to practice here. However, I'm applying in for competitive residency which may take me out of state. Since I have to do a prelim/transitional year before that residency, I'd want to do it in CA and get licensed here (assuming everything the attending told me is true). If it's not true, though, it would open up my options for the prelim/transitional year.

I'd appreciate if anyone can clarify. Thanks.

Yes, you have to complete step 3.

Here is the place to start http://www.medbd.ca.gov/applicantinfo.htm

 

[docB]

As I recall there wasn't anything special about the process in CA. I found the process in NV to be much more annoying and a friend of mine who got liscensed in NC said that was just over the top crazy. I don't think you have to have done anything in the state to qualify. You just have to have completed Step 3 and have done 1 year of post grad training. Maybe you could email the board with your specific questions.

 

[stillfeelgone]

I was in a similar situation as you. I grew up in Cali, went to med school there and then did my internship and residency outside of California. I applied for a California license about a year ago. There are alot of small things that you have to do, but there aren't any tests that you have to do that are specific to California. It just that it is more expensive than most states and also takes longer to get it completed. I think it took about 6 months. Just get started early. Otherwise, I wouldn't stress over it.

 

[Sessamoid]

Licensure in California isn't anything especially difficult in my experience. Then again, I've got no malpractice history and no bad records with any other state boards. I came from Texas and Florida licensure previously. California licensure was actually much easier than either of those and faster to boot. Make sure you do the electronic fingerprinting, as the background check gets done in a few days as compared to a couple months with paper fingerprints.

 

[Jaded Soul]

You guys are awesome. I thought the process was a little outrageous when the attending was explaining it. I guess he was just mistaken.

 

[Surfer75]

Just wanted to clarify, but you DO have to take Step 3 in CA then? I was always confused about choosing which state to take Step 3 in and what that ultimately meant.

S

 

[docB]

Just wanted to clarify, but you DO have to take Step 3 in CA then? I was always confused about choosing which state to take Step 3 in and what that ultimately meant.

S

I don't think so. I happened to take it in CA but I don't recall that being a requirement. Check with the CA board.

 

[flighterdoc]

Just wanted to clarify, but you DO have to take Step 3 in CA then? I was always confused about choosing which state to take Step 3 in and what that ultimately meant.

S

I think you just have to take it, it doesn't matter where.

 

[Sessamoid]

Just wanted to clarify, but you DO have to take Step 3 in CA then? I was always confused about choosing which state to take Step 3 in and what that ultimately meant.

No, as has been noted in another post, it doesn't matter where you take Step 3. It's a test valid nationwide.