Applying for a Florida medical doctor license can be very time-consuming and labor intensive, but it is a necessary step in order to practice medicine in the state. The Florida Board of Medicine uses the application process to help ensure that every physician licensed to practice in Florida is physically, mentally and morally competent to practice medicine, so the application itself is very detailed. It requires extensive supporting documentation, as well as a history of your medical education, examinations, licensure, employment, criminal offenses, military service and health.
Because the Florida medical doctor license application requires so much time and effort, applicants can experience issues completing it thoroughly and correctly. Applicants may, for example, inadvertently omit information that the Board deems essential or they may make errors in reporting specific information.
Mistakes or Omissions on Your Application Have Consequences
Applying for a medical license is complicated. Mistakes on your application can cause delay of licensure or even denial. The denial of a medical license must be avoided at all costs, as it is considered to be a form of license discipline, is reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), and could be the basis for discipline in other states where you are already licensed.
You’ve worked long and hard for your career in medicine, and errors or omissions on your licensure application should not prevent you from practicing medicine in Florida. Contacting a lawyer experienced in healthcare and administrative law before issues arise can help expedite the process and avoid mistakes that could result in delay, withdrawal, or denial of your application. Attorney Jonathan Rose has over twenty years of successful experience and has helped numerous physicians successfully obtain and protect their medical licenses, careers and futures.
Mistakes on Florida Medical License Applications
Because the Florida medical license application is long and requires extensive documentation, errors and omissions are not uncommon. Some of the more frequent mistakes applicants make are:
- Incomplete Documentation
When completing your application, you need to read all instructions carefully and provide all required documents. Florida requires your medical degree verification form, postgraduate training verification form, past and current state licenses and examination score report. In addition, you must submit a copy of your military discharge document (if applicable), a copy of your NPDB self-query response and supporting documentation for specific circumstances, such as having graduated from a medical school outside the U.S. Failing to submit all of the necessary documentation can significantly delay the approval process. - Inaccurate Information
The Florida Board of Medicine requires third-party verification of your medical degree, examination scores, state license(s), post-graduate training and other applicable reports. If the information you provided on your licensure application is not exactly the same as that provided on the third-party verifications (e.g., dates on the application are not the same as dates on the verification reports), you could be questioned about inconsistencies and the processing of your license could be delayed. - Incomplete Professional Chronology
The application for licensure requires a complete chronological professional employment history. You must include the beginning and ending month and year for all places of employment/practice in the specified format (MM/YY). If there are gaps in your list or inconsistencies in the dates provided, the medical board will ask for an explanation, which could delay the processing of your license. - Not Disclosing Information
The Florida Board of Medicine requires applicants for licensure to report all information regarding disciplinary actions and legal issues. This includes disciplinary actions during medical school, postgraduate training, employment or staff privileges and actions taken against other state medical licenses or by a specialty board, as well as malpractice settlements and judgments. It also includes all criminal offenses in any jurisdiction other than a minor traffic offense, even if adjudication was withheld, as well as any issues with the DEA.
Although not disclosing negative information may seem tempting, doing so is a huge mistake. It is much better to be forthcoming with all information, helping the Board obtain records and providing them with an explanation of mitigating circumstances. If the Board discovers that you withheld information or made a false statement, significant delay is a certainty and the withdrawal or denial of licensure is a real possibility.
Help Obtaining Your Florida Medical License
The Florida Board of Medicine reminds medical license applicants that “the practice of medicine is a privilege granted by the state,” not a right. To be granted that privilege, you must demonstrate that you are morally, mentally and physically fit and competent to practice medicine in service to the people of Florida.
The licensure process is purposefully lengthy and time-consuming, and many issues can arise while you are responding to questions on the application, providing required documentation and responding to the Board’s requests for explanations. With so much at stake, it is wise to get help from an attorney who is experienced in advocating on behalf of physicians to the Board.
To obtain and protect your medical license and your career in medicine, contact attorney Jonathan Rose today. He has over twenty years of legal experience and has helped numerous physicians throughout Florida obtain their licenses and successfully challenge administrative complaints, license suspensions and other legal matters. He has the experience and expertise in healthcare and administrative law you need to overcome challenges to your medical license.