User:DMcMPO11AAUK/Licensing of Physicians

Licensing of Physicians

Many jurisdictions require that physicians undergo some form of licensing in order to practice medicine. The requirements of such licensing are usually combine a minimum standard of academic education and an amount of supervised medical practice undertaken at recognised and accredited educational institutions and teaching hospitals, and many medical schools are associated with a teaching hospital, such as the University of Oxford and Radcliffe Infirmary (later John Radcliffe Hospital) in the United Kingdom, or Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States.

Qualification

The usual qualification is a Doctor of Medicine, this is normally based on a minimum of 4 years of academic study combined with clinical experience.

Experience

In addition to the clinical experience obtained while studying for the academic qualifications, it is common for jurisdictions to require a period of of supervised practice before granting licenses.

Qualifying Examination

Some jurisdictions also require that prior to the granting of a license, applicants pass a test of their skills in diagnosis and treatment. Additional tests may be required for students seeking to practice in a jurisdiction where the primary language is not the applicants native language, or where the applicant has obtained their qualification outside of the jurisdiction in which they intend to practice.

Licensing Requirements

Canada

Each province or territory regulates the practice of medicine within their jurisdiction, however there are common standards for qualification and post-graduate residency.

The educational requirements are normally a Bachelors degree in an appropriate subject, followed by four years at a recognised medical school leading to an MD degree in allopathic medicine. Towards the end of their medical school education, students normally sit part one of the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examinations (MCCQE).

Postgraduate residency training may be from two to seven years duration, depending on specialisation. After the first year of residency, applicants may sit the second part of the MCCQE. Completing the MCCQE leads to the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC). Following postgraduate training, physicians may obtain certification as either a Family physician or a specialist from an appropriate certifying authority. These are the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), and the Collège des médecins du Québec (CMQ). Certification is by way of a certification examination.

Applicants who have either studied or trained outside of Canada, or who are not Canadian by birth, may be required to demonstrate that their education and training is comparable to that required in Canada, and to sit the appropriate Canadian examinations for medical licensing and certification. They may also be required to demonstrate proficiency in English.

Following the completion of the required training and certification, and compliance with any other requirements, an applicant may apply to the licensing authority of the territory or province in which they wish to practice for a certificate of Registration for Independent Practice.

United Kingdom

Registration with the General Medical Council is required to practice medicine.

An appropriate qualification (normally Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery) from a UK medical school recognised by the GMC, an equivalent EEA qualification as identified in a relevant European Directive, or a qualification that (a) is awarded by an institution listed in the WHO Directory with a physical address or is otherwise acceptable to the GMC, and (b) is awarded following a course of at least 5,500 hours or four years of full time study, and (c) is granted following study wholly or substantially in the country granting the qualification, and (d) has not involved a course of study undertaken wholly or substantially by correspondence. Entry to a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery course usually requires a suitable first degree, normally BSc in Chemistry or Biology, although other options may be available at some institutions.

Provisional registration is granted to applicants who meet the academic and where appropriate PLAB requirements. Full registration may be granted following at least one year of supervised practice. Following full registration, practice may be undertaken in an "Approved Practice Setting".

Applicants for GMC registration who are not native speakers of English, or who have qualified outside of the UK or EEA, may be required to pass the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test.

United States of America

Individual states often have their own requirements, but there is some collaboration and common standards re promoted by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB). States may accept or reject qualifications based on whether any other (or a specific other) state has accepted or rejected that qualification.

Applicants are required to pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). Applicants who qualify outside of the United States may need to obtain Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) Certification that their qualification meets appropriate standards before taking the USMLE.

Alabama

The Medical Licensure Commission of Alabama has the exclusive power and authority to issue, revoke and reinstate all licenses to practice medicine or osteopathy in the State of Alabama.

Indiana

The Medical Licensing Board of Indiana licenses physicians in the state of Indiana in accordance with Indiana Code 25-22.5-2-7.