Based on everything you’ve poured into your medical education and training thus far, you’re likely expecting a few more hurdles to clear.
Your last hurdle is no less significant than the rest:
The application process to get your medical license.
If you’re looking to earn your license to practice in Oregon, you’ve got a long road ahead of you.
Gathering exam scores, transcripts, references, and more will eat up a ton of time. But if you follow the guidelines to a T, you’ll be fully-licensed within 12 weeks.
So how do you get licensed with the Oregon Medical Board?
Below, we’ll review the entire process step-by-step. So get ready to learn about the documents you’ll need, the fees you’ll pay, and some tips and tricks along the way!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need Before Applying
You’ve been waiting to send that application for your medical license for what seems like a lifetime now.
But not so fast!
You first want to double-check that you meet the minimum state requirements to be eligible for health care licensure in the State of Oregon.
Let’s review what those are.
Note: There are unique requirements for a physician assistant applicant.
Passed Examinations
You didn’t make it this far in your blossoming physician career without taking the mandatory licensing examinations.
The licensing board accepts the following exams:
- NBME (Parts I, II, & III)
- FLEX (Days I, II, & III or Components I & II)
- USMLE (Steps 1, 2, & 3)
- NBOME/COMLEX (Levels 1, 2, & 3)
- MCCQE (For Canadian applicants; must also become certified with the LMCC)
For most of these exams, you must pass the final stage within three attempts.
Failure to pass within three tries will require you to complete a year of post-graduate training before your final (fourth) try.
Medical School
The medical school requirements are the same for both United States and Canadian applicants.
You must have a degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) or a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) to qualify for licensure to render physician-level medical care in the State of Oregon.
The program you attended must be fully-approved by the AOA or LCME.
Related: The Full Breakdown to Medical School Student Loans
Post-Graduate Training
You must have one year of post-graduate training under your belt before applying for your license with the OMB.
Verify that your post-graduate training is accredited by any of the following:
- ACGME
- AOA
- CFPC
- RCPSC
This one-year post-graduate training must be in a single program and not spread across several to be valid.
International Applicants
Like most states, the process of becoming licensed medical doctors in Oregon is a bit trickier for foreign or international applicants.
The specific country that your medical school is in plays a huge difference.
If you attended medical school in Australia, England, Ireland, Scotland, or New Zealand, here’s what you must know:
- The foreign medical school you attended must get considered “equivalent” to U.S. medical schools.
- You must have your ECFMG certification unless you completed your post-graduate training in Canada.
- You’re required to complete one year of post-graduate training at a U.S. or Canadian program.
If you attended a medical school elsewhere, here’s what you need to know:
- You must be able to write and speak English.
- Your foreign medical school must get accredited.
- Four, eight-month instructional terms must get completed unless you maintain current ABMS or AOA-BOS certifications.
- All applicants would need an ECFMG certification unless they did postgraduate training in Canada.
- In terms of postgraduate training, three years are required in either the U.S. or Canada. (As long as it’s from accredited programs, training can be split up over two specialties.)
Fifth Pathway Program proof is also accepted.
Related: How Long-Term Disability Insurance Can Protect Visa and Green Card Holders
The Documents You Need
The documents you must provide the Oregon Medical Board come in two categories:
1. Those you must send to the board members.
and
2. Those others must send to the board on your behalf.
Let’s lay-out the documents and proof you need to complete your application.
What You Must Submit
The documents you’re responsible for will mostly revolve around your identification and files you already have on-hand, including:
- Copy of birth certificate (passports and driver’s licenses are not accepted)
- Name change verification (marriage license, divorce decree, etc.)
- Naturalization form (if birth certificate not available; copies not accepted)
- Photograph of you (taken within the last 90 days; must be color; headshot)
- Medical school diploma
- Medical Practice Act Examination
- NPDB self-query (must have been finished in the last three months)
- American Specialty Board certificates (only for DPMs & podiatric medicine candidates)
How you send these documents to the OMB is up to you.
You can mail documents to:
Oregon Medical Board
1500 SW 1st Ave., Suite 620
Portland, OR 97201-5847
You can fax documents to:
971-673-2670
You can email documents to:
You may also be able to upload these important documents via the official Board Upload Portal.
What Others Must Submit For You
To prevent tampering of documents by applicants, there are certain forms that others must complete and send to the Board on your behalf.
Be sure to look over these documents before giving them to the appropriate parties. Many require you, the applicant, to complete a portion of the top half.
Many will also require official seals.
The documents you are responsible for submitting are:
- Proof of medical education (completed by your Dean)
- Dean’s letter (the one that’s in your file)
- Postgraduate training verification (residency, internship, or fellowship)
- Employment history (from all past healthcare providers or institutions)
- Proof of licensure in other states or countries (if applicable)
- ECFMG or Fifth Pathway verification (for foreign applicants only)
- Exam transcripts (sent from the testing agency)
Note that requesting these files from the primary sources and then forwarding to the Medical Board will invalidate them. Have all documents and forms sent directly from their source to the Board.
These documents must also be dated in MM/DD/YYYY format. Use official letterheads or Board-produced forms. Then place in official envelopes, and mail to the Board at:
Oregon Medical Board
1500 SW 1st Ave., Suite 620
Portland, OR 97201-5847
Fingerprinting
All license applicants must have a clean criminal record and pass both a state and federal background check.
State law says you must undergo a fingerprinting process.
Make an appointment for electronic fingerprinting via Fieldprint Inc. Register with the code “FPOMBLicenseDAS.”
On the day of your appointment, be sure to moisturize your hands so that your prints show up clearly and that you don’t have to redo them later on.
It may take up to four weeks for the Board to receive your results.
How to Complete Your Application
Now that you’ve got all your ducks in a row, it’s time to start your application.
Let’s review what to expect at this stage of the licensing process.
Register for a Profile on FCVS
Here’s some good news:
The Oregon Medical Board will accept many of your credentials from the FCVS.
This is a paid service where you’ll upload your identifying documents that most state medical boards will require, such as:
- A copy of your birth certificate
- Your medical school diploma
- Proof of passed examinations
- Postgraduate training verification
- Medical school transcripts & verification
Then, you’ll simply pick the Medical Board on the receiving end (Oregon, in this case), and it’ll fast-track the submission of these credentials to the Board.
Now you don’t have to send as many documents directly to the Board. And you don’t have to worry about records getting lost in the mail or sent to a spam folder.
However, it’s important to note that there is a $375 fee for signing up with FCVS.
The good news is you can use FCVS to apply for medical licenses in multiple states like Arizona, Ohio, and Texas.
Similar: How to Get Your Medical License
Tips For Filling Out Your Application
The Oregon Medical Board has laid out strict instructions for physician applicants filling out their initial application.
Here are some tips for a smooth submission and acceptance:
- Verify that all information you provide is 100% accurate, or else you may face a $195 fine or immediate denial.
- Be sure to use your complete and current legal name (first, middle, and last name) on all required fields.
- Be prepared to explain any gaps in your training since graduating from medical school.
- If you answer “yes” to any of the personal history questions, you must explain your response and provide appropriate documentation, as outlined here.
- Be completely honest about any past convictions, malpractice charges, and disciplinary action you’ve experienced.
Since the application aspect is entirely online, you don’t have to worry about your handwriting being illegible or accidentally skipping over a question.
Consider Expedited Endorsement
The OMB also offers something called an “expedited endorsement.”
This helps the Board to fast-track the licensing process for applicants with experience in the practice of medicine.
(Available to those in good standing in other U.S. states.)
But that’s not the only bonus here.
You don’t even have to apply for this expedited process!
After you submit your application and fees, the Board will make a decision on your qualifications for this expedited process.
If you qualify, you can skip the gathering and sending of many documents.
So if you fit the bill, hold off on gathering proof and documents until you hear back from the Board about your eligibility.
Timeline For Getting Your Medical License
The Oregon Medical Board will save your application for up to a year. That means you have a full year to gather documents and fulfill state requirements.
After waiting this long to get licensed, this lofty timeline is often unnecessary.
So how long does it take?
Most applicants will receive their licenses within 8-12 weeks.
Yet, it’s important to note that this timeline starts after you submit your entire application, all supporting documents, and fees.
The document gathering process can take weeks or months on its own.
That’s why it’s essential to start the application process while you have 3-4 months remaining in your post-graduate training.
The Fees of Licensure
The cost of medical school, licensing exams, and textbooks have already cost you a small fortune on your quest for your medical license.
But you’re not done spending money just yet.
Your application with the Oregon Medical Board will sit idle until you pay the mandatory $375 application fee.
That’s in addition to the $48 you’ll spend on a background check.
Once the board members formally approve your application, you’ll be responsible for the following extra fees:
- License Registration: $486
- OHSU Library: $20
- Prescription Monitoring: $50
All in all, your application and licensure will cost around $979.
If you choose to use FCVS to streamline the sending of your credentials, that’ll add an extra $375 to your total.
That’ll cost you $1,354 instead.
Renewing Your License
The process of getting your initial medical license with the OMB is one you likely never want to repeat.
But you’ll never truly get done with administrative rules (until you join the league of retired physicians that is!).
After all, you have to renew your Oregon medical license every two years! And failure to renew your license on time will require you to go through with reactivation.
Here’s what that entails.
Like the original application process, you can renew your license entirely online.
Within every two-year renewal period, all licensees have to commit to 30 hours of continuing education credits.
The medical world is always changing, and you need to be on top of your quality care game!
These courses must relate to your specialty. Although certain topics are acceptable across the board (i.e., pain management, suicide risk, and Alzheimer’s disease).
Your renewal will also come with extra fees, such as:
- License Registration: $486
- OHSU Library: $20
- Prescription Monitoring: $50
- OHA Workforce Database: $4
The fees of renewal come to a total of $560 every two years.
However, these fees are subject to change in the future.
Conclusion
Applying for your medical license for active practice in the State of Oregon is time-consuming and a tad expensive.
Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to simplify the process:
- Finish your application and submit the fees as soon as possible.
- Start your application 3-4 months before you finish post-graduate training.
- Be able to explain gaps in practice since graduating from medical school.
- Contact the Board with any questions you may have — don’t assume answers!
The time has finally come, so get ready to begin applying!
When you’re licensed and presented with that shiny new physician contract, let our team of experts review it for you first. Contact Physicians Thrive to negotiate the best possible terms for your future.
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