Question: How do I obtain my Medical License?
In order to practice medicine, all graduates of medical school are expected to acquire a medical license.
Answer: Students should contact the proper department in their state to determine the requirements necessary to obtain a legal medical license. Many students can acquire a license after a year of residency in an approved residency program. Residency programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) through the Residency Review Committees (RRC).
In the US, requirements are straightforward:
- Students graduate from an approved US medical school.
- The school is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), a joint committee of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and The American Medical Association (AMA).
- Pass at least one exam that proves the student to be competent to practice medicine (e.g. USMLE).
- Letters of reference.
- A review of a student’s malpractice history.
Foreign medical schools have more complex regulations, which can be found through medical licensing boards.
