The Importance of Job Offer When Applying for a Florida Medical License

If you are applying for a Florida Medical License, you must understand the significance of obtaining an offer for employment as a physician prior to appearing in front of the Board of Medicine. We always advise our clients that having a job offer will help the Board members understand your intentions as a doctor in Florida.

When the Board of Medicine’s Credentials Committee determines that an applicant has failed to meet the appropriate licensing requirements, the Committee may grant a license, refuse to grant a license, or grant a license with restrictions or conditions.

Under the recently enacted “Live Healthy” initiative, an internationally trained physician that does not meet the residency requirement, but meets the following requirements may be granted a license in Florida if the applicant:

• Has an active, unencumbered license to practice medicine in a foreign country;
• Has actively practiced medicine during the entire 4-year period preceding the date of submission of a licensure application;
• Has completed a residency or substantially similar postgraduate medical training in a country recognized by his or her licensing jurisdiction which is substantially similar to a residency program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, as determined by the board;
• Has had his or her medical credentials evaluated by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, holds an active, valid certificate issued by that commission, and has passed the examination used by that commission; and
• Has an offer for full-time employment as a physician from a health care provider that operates in this state.

In enacting this law, the legislature made clear that a job offer is crucial in an application for medical licensure.

Howell, Buchan & Strong attorneys have seen the Credentials Committee concerned about granting a license to a physician that does not have a job offer at the time of the applicant’s appearance before the Committee.  This requirement is in law and while the Committee may want to grant a license, if the job offer is not received, the Committee may refuse to grant a license to the applicant.

While obtaining a job offer prior to becoming licensed may seem difficult to some physicians, it is an important part of the licensing process. Our attorneys strongly encourage our clients to obtain a job offer.

Do you have an application pending before the Board of Medicine and have you been notified by the Board you are required to appear before the Credentials Committee?

If you are concerned about obtaining or maintaining licensure with DOH, we always recommend consulting with an experienced team of legal professionals.

Our experienced healthcare legal team can help you navigate the complex regulatory framework. The Attorneys at Howell, Buchan & Strong have over 30 years of experience providing legal services to healthcare providers in Florida. That includes working with board office staff, and attorneys, and appearing before the Boards with our clients.

Let the experienced team at Howell, Buchan & Strong help you.