Forums > Social Chat > The California State Medical Board: a Rant
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HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted:
So, as I made a big deal about last year, I got this great fellowship in San Francisco doing Adolescent Medicine.
So to practice medicine in any given state in the U.S. you have to be licensed by that state's medical board. So a doctor from California can't just go to, say, Texas and set up shop. You have to apply for licensure in Texas. These applications are quite lengthy and complex and parts have to come from your medical school, other parts from your residency program, etc. You also have to submit court records of every law you've ever broken (traffic tickets, etc.). And it costs around US$1000 per state, varying from state to state.
So about 4 months ago, I submitted my application to the California State Medical Board so that I could practice medicine once my fellowship started. I still don't have my license.
Over the last two months I've called the Board over 30 times to find out what the delay is. Here's what I learned:
*They received my application on 11 September
*They have not even opened it to start processing
*All the pieces of the application have been received
The Board *NEVER* returns my messages. I have only spoken to the analyst in charge of my application once and she was very helpful because she ("against the rules") opened my application to ensure that it was all there. But since then she has done nothing with it.
And meanwhile, I can't take call, I can't write prescriptions, I can't write orders, and I can't even sign my own notes in clinic. Everything I do has to be repeated by another doctor and I'm absolutely at wit's end.
So I've hired a lawyer to try to force this government agency to do its job. And that's going to cost me a lot more money. And in the mean time, my colleagues all have to pick up my slack because I can't do my job.
So, as I made a big deal about last year, I got this great fellowship in San Francisco doing Adolescent Medicine.
So to practice medicine in any given state in the U.S. you have to be licensed by that state's medical board. So a doctor from California can't just go to, say, Texas and set up shop. You have to apply for licensure in Texas. These applications are quite lengthy and complex and parts have to come from your medical school, other parts from your residency program, etc. You also have to submit court records of every law you've ever broken (traffic tickets, etc.). And it costs around US$1000 per state, varying from state to state.
So about 4 months ago, I submitted my application to the California State Medical Board so that I could practice medicine once my fellowship started. I still don't have my license.
Over the last two months I've called the Board over 30 times to find out what the delay is. Here's what I learned:
*They received my application on 11 September
*They have not even opened it to start processing
*All the pieces of the application have been received
The Board *NEVER* returns my messages. I have only spoken to the analyst in charge of my application once and she was very helpful because she ("against the rules") opened my application to ensure that it was all there. But since then she has done nothing with it.
And meanwhile, I can't take call, I can't write prescriptions, I can't write orders, and I can't even sign my own notes in clinic. Everything I do has to be repeated by another doctor and I'm absolutely at wit's end.
So I've hired a lawyer to try to force this government agency to do its job. And that's going to cost me a lot more money. And in the mean time, my colleagues all have to pick up my slack because I can't do my job.
-Mike
Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella
A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura
SILVER Member
there's no charge for awesomeness... or attractiveness
3,764 posts
Location: limbo, Australia
there's no charge for awesomeness... or attractiveness
3,764 posts
Location: limbo, Australia
Posted:
wow, doc. I'm not quite sure what to say, other than that I understand your frustration and *cross my bits* for a speedy resolution.
I find it rather bizarre that you even need to go through all of that just to practise medicine interstate; stupid government red tape.
wow, doc. I'm not quite sure what to say, other than that I understand your frustration and *cross my bits* for a speedy resolution.
I find it rather bizarre that you even need to go through all of that just to practise medicine interstate; stupid government red tape.
--pogo (pat) [forever and always]
SILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia
Posted:
thats really lame.
i dont know about doctors in australia but i know regestration for nursing is state by state too, although i doubt it would take that long to get sorted.
hopefully a nicely forceful letter with a big lawyers letterhead can get the job done
thats really lame.
i dont know about doctors in australia but i know regestration for nursing is state by state too, although i doubt it would take that long to get sorted.
hopefully a nicely forceful letter with a big lawyers letterhead can get the job done
"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"
jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley
Future Mrs Pogo
4,728 posts
Location: The wrong place
4,728 posts
Location: The wrong place
Posted:
Awww, boolah...stupid government...believe me, Pat and I know about government red tape, so we feel your pain...altho ours is of a different nature, it's still just as frustrating.
Give 'em hell, Doc...that's just ridiculous!!!
Awww, boolah...stupid government...believe me, Pat and I know about government red tape, so we feel your pain...altho ours is of a different nature, it's still just as frustrating.
Give 'em hell, Doc...that's just ridiculous!!!
"Absence is to love what wind is to fire...it extinguishes the small, enkindles the great."
--Comte Debussy-Rebutin
BRONZE Member
stranger
1 post
Location: USA
stranger
1 post
Location: USA
Posted:
Welcome to the wonderful world of human (and veterinary) medicine licensure. Litigation will likely *not* make it move any faster, if that's any help. And seeing how it's CA, it'll likely just make them drag their heels even harder...
As one indoctorinated with the first state board I ever dealt with, I now give them, oh, at least six months to even begin to process an app, let alone approve and issue it.
Deep breaths...
Welcome to the wonderful world of human (and veterinary) medicine licensure. Litigation will likely *not* make it move any faster, if that's any help. And seeing how it's CA, it'll likely just make them drag their heels even harder...
As one indoctorinated with the first state board I ever dealt with, I now give them, oh, at least six months to even begin to process an app, let alone approve and issue it.
Deep breaths...
GOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted:
So my solution at this point is to start working my way into the Board. Slowly but surely, I am going to try to get on the licensure committee. And once I am, I am shaking some things up.
And my new life's mission is to fire that one operator lady.
So my solution at this point is to start working my way into the Board. Slowly but surely, I am going to try to get on the licensure committee. And once I am, I am shaking some things up.
And my new life's mission is to fire that one operator lady.
-Mike
Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella
A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura
SILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia
Posted:
is that a good life mission to state in public, what if she finds out and sues for wrongful dismissal!?!?! do they even have that in the US?
betting on the licensure board is a clever idea, but can you get on if you're not licensed in that state?
is that a good life mission to state in public, what if she finds out and sues for wrongful dismissal!?!?! do they even have that in the US?
betting on the licensure board is a clever idea, but can you get on if you're not licensed in that state?
"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"
jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley
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