Applying for a medical license is confusing. New York makes it especially so.

The following is a guide for getting your NYS medical license.

Step 1: Register for and take Step 3. (Get passport pictures taken) MDs: Supposedly, you can’t register for USMLE Step 3 unless you have a license

application on file for NYS. Ugh, three months of waiting for bureaucracy to process

that! Luckily, there is a loophole. If you register on the USMLE website

(http://www.fsmb.org/usmle_apply.html) in Connecticut, you can still take the test at

any testing center, including those in New York. Or New Jersey. Or California. Then

later, when you have your scores, you just send them as a score report via FSMB to NYS

along with your Step 1 and Step 2 scores. The Step 3 application requires passport

photos as well as a notarization. Elizabeth is a notary, or your bank will usually do it for

free.

DOs: Those who are sitting for the Level 3 COMLEX do not have the NYS

license application on file requirement. Register at the NBOME website.

(https://www.nbome.org/online.html) Similarly to USMLE, you can take the test

anywhere, as it is not related to what state you will eventually be licensed it. So consider

CT or NJ if NY dates are full.

Be sure to read the Bulletin of Information for both. The USMLE has some

sections that are a little different from Step 2…plus most of you took Step 2 over 3 years

ago and probably blocked it out.

Passport photos: You’ll need them for USMLE and probably for licensure in

other states, although NYS does not require a picture. Consider this when getting them

done, and purchase enough copies (I needed 4 pics total for 3 states and USMLE)

Approximate Cost: $780 for USMLE, $750 for COMLEX, $10 per 2 passport photos

Approximate Time: 1 month to get scheduling permit, another 2-3 months for an open 2

days in a row (for USMLE)

Approximate Pain Level: 5

Step 2: Do your infection control and child abuse training courses, if

necessary. If you went to med school in NYS: Congratulations! If you graduated after

1990, you received credit for these automatically.

If you went to med school anywhere but NYS: You’re stuck.

Infection Control Training: If you’re moonlighting at Monte, you may have

already done this, as it is required for moonlighting. Dig out that certificate and send it

with your application to NYS. If you haven’t done it, Monte kindly offers it for free. See

below for instructions.

Child Abuse Training: It’s offered a lot of places for New York State, but the one

for free is here. (www.nysmandatedreporter.org)

Approximate Cost: Free

Approximate Time: 5-6 hours each. At least.

Approximate Pain Level: 5

Step 3: Have your med school verify your education. You can do this in one of two ways, unless you are a foreign medical graduate

whose program is not approved by AOA or LCME. FMGs must use the FCVS program.

See below for other FMG requirements.

1. NYS Form 2, sent to your med school registrar’s office. This must be

in a sealed institutional envelope with the address on it and must be

sent directly to NYS.

Approximate Cost: stamp

Approximate Time: Can be considerable depending where you went to med school and

how slow they are. I’ve heard anywhere from 1 week to it got lost and I had to go there.

Approximate Pain Level: 5

2. FCVS, a credentials verification service that then stores the

verification. See below for a further discussion of whether or not to

use FCVS.

Approximate Cost: $390

Approximate Time: About 3 months by the time they verify everything.

Approximate Pain Level: 5

Step 4: Have your scores from USMLE or COMLEX sent to NYS* See above for links. For USMLE, they charge the same amount for two

recipients; so if you’re thinking about licensure in another state or applying in another

state, send them at the same time (not all other states will let you do this without an

application on file).

*If you use FCVS, this is included in the profile. They will request the scores.

You do not need to send them again.

Approximate Cost: $50 for COMLEX, $65 for USMLE

Approximate Time: 1 week from request date

Approximate Pain Level: 2

Step 5: Fill out the NYS licensure application and other forms. The application and other forms can be found here.

(http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/med/medforms.htm) Most people should only need Form

1, Form 2, and Form 2PGT. Form 1 is filled out by you, then signed in the presence of a

notary (Elizabeth). Form 2 and Form 2PGT are only if you’re not using FCVS. Form 2

goes to your med school registrar as above, Form 2PGT is filled out by Elizabeth.

FMGs, see below for more info. Before you send your application, make sure you:

-have verified your med school education

-have had Elizabeth send in Form 2PGT

-have had your exam scores sent to NYS

OR

- have sent your FCVS profile (includes the above three)

-include your certificates for Child Abuse and Infection Control training if needed

They won’t process your application unless all of those things have been sent in.

Approximate Cost: $735

Approximate Time: 3 months. Don’t bother calling before 3 months, they won’t take

your call.

Approximate Pain Level: 7

After you get your license (it will happen eventually): Step 6: Apply for your federal DEA number Go to the website

(http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/reg_apps/onlineforms_new.htm) and click

on begin application. Give them your information (NYS does not have a state

registration number), and pay. I would recommend using Jacobi as your address, because

your script pads will have that address printed on them. As a city employee, you can do

this for free IF you plan to stay a city employee. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay for your

own DEA when you moonlight outside the city system or get an attending job elsewhere.

If you want to use the fee exemption under Jacobi, check the fee exemption box, then list

Elizabeth as the certifying official.

Approximate Cost: $731

Approximate Time: 2 weeks

Approximate Pain Level: 3

Step 7: Register for NYS Narcotics Bureau Go to website (http://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/narcotic/practitioners/).

Click on “Register and Order Official Prescription Forms.” Fill out the registration form

(DOH 4329) as well as the order form (DOH 250). The order should only be for a

month’s worth of prescriptions (don’t order 5000 pads). Mail both forms together to the

address on DOH 4329 (the reg form).

Approximate Cost: stamp

Approximate Time: 2 weeks

Approximate Pain Level: 2

Step 8: Order a stamp You can order a stamp from any company in any way you want. Don’t forget to

include your Name, Titles, NPI Number (look it up here

(http://www.npinumberlookup.org/), and NYS license number. And DEA number if you

want it on there. Staples works well.

Approximate Cost: $20

Approximate Time: 1 week

Approximate Pain Level: 2

Total Costs: $1550-2650

Total Time: About 9 months by the time you’re done

Total Pain Level: 10

Other Considerations:

Do things simultaneously as much as possible. You can send your med

school the verification form at the same time you send in your NYS license

application.

What’s reimbursable from CIR: Luckily, most of it, under your professional education plan benefit. They will reimburse

you for Medical Licensing Examination Fees and Medical License Application Fees.

Therefore, the only major expenses that aren’t reimbursable are FCVS and your DEA

number.

Note that CIR uses an exceeded claim system—if you, for example, do all of the above

during third year, but don’t QUITE have enough to cover the reimbursement in your CIR

account, CIR will hold the remainder of your submitted claim to be paid out the next time

you have funds (i.e. the beginning of fourth year).

About FCVS: What it is: A credentials verification service through FSMB.

What it does: Verifies your identity, med school education, post-grad training, and exam

scores.

What it doesn’t do: Verify state licensure, DEA numbers, send med school transcripts.

When should you use it: If you are an FMG, you must use it. Otherwise, it is useful if

you will be applying in multiple states or you expect to move to another state in the next

few years.

Pros: You don’t have to keep sending your scores or getting your med school education

or post-grad training verified every time you move to another state. Worthwhile if your

med school closes or your residency training program closes (unlikely). Most states

accept it at this point.

Cons: It’s overpriced. $400 for the initial profile and one recipient, $95 for each

subsequent recipient. It’s also probably not necessary.

Foreign Medical Graduates: 1. You must use FCVS to verify your med school education.

2. If your med school is not on the list under Form 2CC

(http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/med/medforms.htm), then you need to send Form

2CC to each hospital outside the med school’s country where you did a rotation.

In other words, all rotations done in the US need to fill out and send this form to

NYS.

3. Otherwise, apply as above!

Getting licensed in other states: You must change your DEA number address to reflect your new practice

location after you are licensed in that state. States have various requirements. This is a

non-comprehensive list of some of those requirements:

-Previous state licensure verification. NYS calls it “certification” and does this

for $20. Send in the form found here

(http://www.op.nysed.gov/documents/confirmoflic.pdf)

-Criminal background checks and fingerprinting ($)

-Passport Photos ($)

-Character Reference Forms from each residency and job

-State controlled substance numbers and/or registration ($)

-AMA physician profiles ($) (order online at the AMA site)

Infection control training through Monte INSTRUCTIONS FOR COURSE REGISTRATION (1) Go to http://mmc.procampus.net.

(2) Click on REGISTER FOR COURSE.

(3) On the next screen, click on NEW REGISTRANT if you are new to this site. If you

have previously taken courses on this site, enter your Username and Password, and click

LOGIN.

(4) Fill in all information on the first page, and click SUBMIT.

(5) Fill in all information on the second page. IMPORTANT: Enter the following code,

exactly as it appears here, into the box titled "Discount Code / BP Code" located at the

bottom of the page: BP-120111337 (6) Click SUBMIT.

(7) Select a Username and Password (if you are new to the site).

(8) Start the course. The registration fee for this course had been paid in full, so if you

are presented with an error OR a payment page, you must return to the previous page and

be sure that the BP code is entered properly. If you require any assistance with

registration, please contact the Customer Service Department at 718-648-8080 ext 701.

Courses do not have to be completed in one session. You can exit at any time and return

later to complete your work. All completed work is saved when you exit.

To resume a course:

(1) Go to the home page at: www.icprofessor.com

(2) Click on LOGIN TO CONTROL PANEL located on the left side of the page, under

the red menu.

(3) Enter the username and password you selected during registration, and click

LOGIN.

(4) On your Control Panel, you will see the course listed under "Courses Pending". Click

on the course link, and it will open in a new browser window. You will be returned to

the part of the course where you exited your last session.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to call 718-648-8080

(toll-free 888-345-6788) or email Customer.Service.Dept@ProCEO.com. Please refer to

the BP-code provided above when contacting Customer Service.