Idaho Medical License

Complete Guide to Idaho Medical Licensing: Requirements, Process, and Tips

The Idaho Medical Board is crucial in regulating the state’s medical practice, ensuring high standards and public trust. The board, made up of eleven members, includes the director of the Idaho State Police or their designated agent, seven actively practicing physicians residing in Idaho, two public members, and one physician assistant. This diverse group ensures balanced representation of the medical community and the public.

The board manages a large workload, overseeing a variety of active and inactive licenses. It is also actively involved in various licensing agreements, such as ASLP-IC, EMS, IMLC, NLC, and PSY. The board has made efforts that simplify the licensing procedure, decrease administrative burdens, and improve operational efficiency. On July 1, 2024, the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) unveiled a new licensing system. This system was created to make license administration easier and faster.

Idaho Medical License Application Process

The Idaho Board of Medicine’s website might be difficult to browse, yet it clearly covers all of the criteria for aspiring Idaho physicians. To qualify for an Idaho Physician License, applicants have to:

• Complete three years of Residency in any state.
• Pass the USMLE examinations, which include Steps 1, 2, CK, CS, and Step 3.

While an application form will lead you through the essential stages, here are some more crucial pieces of information you must provide:

• Health Information: Your present mental and physical health, as well as any previous problems that may limit your ability to engage in medicine.

The Idaho Board of Medicine supports the “ALL IN” campaign, aiming to reduce mental health stigma for physicians. The redesigned application question inquires whether you are now suffering from any ailment for which you are not receiving adequate treatment that affects your medical judgment or ability to perform medical tasks safely.

• Medical Malpractice History: Information on previous or current medical malpractice cases against you, particularly those involving claims exceeding $250,000.
• License Refusals: Details of any refusals to issue or renew a medical license.
• Military Service: U.S. military service status.
• Licensure History: States or countries where you have applied for or are currently licensed to practice medicine.

Temporary License

After applying for a permanent license, you might get a temporary one to begin practicing as soon as feasible. Individuals who are currently licensed to practice medicine in another jurisdiction of the United States or Canada may be granted a temporary license by the Board. The temporary permit is valid for a period of 120 days and may be extended with good reason.

Idaho Medical License Requirements

To obtain a medical license in Idaho, you must:

• Have graduated from an accredited or World Directory-listed medical school.
• Pass each section of the USMLE or COMLEX-USA within three attempts, or a comparable test approved by a state medical board.
• Complete graduate medical education approved by the ACGME or the American Osteopathic Association.
• Hold a specialty certification or an unlimited specialty certificate recognized by the relevant boards.
• Possess a full, unrestricted medical license
• Have no criminal convictions.
• Never have had your medical license disciplined, except for nonpayment of fees.
• Never have had a controlled substance license or permit suspended or revoked.
• Not under active investigation.

Meeting the above requirements assures that you are competent to engage in medicine in Idaho and adhere to the Idaho Medical Board’s high standards.

Idaho Medical License by Endorsement Requirements

For licensure by endorsement, you need:

1. A current license in another U.S. state or Canada without disciplinary actions, or be currently board certified by ABMS or AOA.
2. Disclose any condition affecting your judgment or ability to practice safely. If under treatment allowing you to practice safely, you may answer No.
3. Disclose significant malpractice settlements (over $250,000) in the last 10 years or any amount in the last 5 years.
4. Complete an affidavit affirming your eligibility.
5. Undergo a criminal background check.

Note that certain past exams, like the Florida medical licensing exam from July 1969 through 1980 and the Puerto Rico medical licensing exam, don’t meet the endorsement requirements.

When filling out your forms, provide your home address (required) and a separate address for business or postgraduate training. Both Board Contact and Public Access addresses must be selected, but you can use the same address for both. Home addresses must be domestic for mailing fingerprint cards and background information.

From our experience, there are some points you should pay particular attention to:

• List each training program in the U.S. and Canada on the appropriate training page.
• If you hold licenses outside the U.S. or Canada, provide that information separately to the Board.
• Your activity chronology should cover all activities from medical school graduation to present, without gaps greater than 30 days. 
• List all malpractice claims, pending or dismissed.

ID IMLC License Requirements

Another option to expedite an Idaho medical license is to use the IMLC. Start by filing an application for an expedited license with the member board in the state you’ve chosen as your principal state of licensure. Once your application lands with them, the board will check if you’re eligible for expedited licensure and will issue a letter of qualification to the interstate commission.

• Your medical education, graduate medical training, exam results, and other necessary qualifications are usually already verified by your principal state, so they won’t need additional primary source verification.

• The member board will perform a criminal background check, including fingerprint or biometric data checks in line with FBI requirements.

After confirming your eligibility, you’ll need to complete the registration process set by the interstate commission. This includes paying any applicable fees. Once everything checks out and payments are made, the member board will issue your expedited license.

The IMLC license will be valid for the same period as other full and unrestricted licenses in the state. However, if you lose your principal state license for a non-disciplinary reason without designating a new principal state, your expedited license will be terminated.

DEA Registration and Renewal in Idaho

Physicians aiming to prescribe controlled substances must also register with the DEA. The DEA license must be renewed every 3 years. This process involves submitting a form and paying the associated fee.

Idaho Physician Assistant License

For physician assistants, the process is similar, though slightly tailored to the profession:

• Start your application online and pay the associated fee.
• Submit official transcripts from an accredited physician assistant program.
• Present your National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) certificate.
• Provide licensure verification from all states or countries where you’ve previously held a physician assistant license.
• Share references from two licensed physicians in good standing.
• Undergo a required criminal background check.

Idaho Nurse License

The Idaho Board of Nursing oversees the application process for nurses, which typically includes:

• Initiating your application online and paying the associated fee.
• Providing official transcripts from an accredited nursing program.
• If applicable, submitting proof of certification from a national nursing organization.
• Offering licensure verification from all states or countries where you’ve previously held a nursing license.
• Completing a mandatory criminal background check.

How to Get an Idaho Medical License

1. Submit Your Application

Complete the application forms given by the Idaho Board of Medicine. Ensure that all details are correct and up to date. You must submit documentation of graduating from a recognized medical college and accomplishment of a postgraduate medical education approved by the board.

• Create a DOPL Online Services Profile
• Log in with your email and newly created password. You can set up multi factor authentication or choose to disable it.
• Once logged in, you can apply for a license, registration, or permit.

Providing a social security number is mandatory in Idaho. Omitting this information will delay your application.

2. Criminal History Check

Before you can get a medical license in Idaho, you need to undergo a criminal background check. The Board will mail you a fingerprint card and instructions. Once completed send the fingerprint card directly to the Idaho State Board of Medicine along with payment and any other necessary documents.

3. Personal Interview

The board may request a personal interview to review your qualifications and professional credentials in more detail.

The Uniform Application (UA) is a crucial part of the licensure process in Idaho. Make sure you complete the forms and state-specific requirements for the Idaho medical board. 

If you’re not using FCVS for credentials verification:

• Send a certified copy of any legal name change documents (like a marriage certificate or court order) to the Board.
• Contact each examination entity to have your certified transcript of scores sent directly to the Board.
• Complete the UA Medical Education Verification and Postgraduate Training Verification.
• If you’re an international medical graduate, request that your ECFMG status report be sent to the Board.

Processing Time for Idaho Medical License

The Idaho BOM states that if everything checks out, you should be getting your license within 7-10 business days. However, in reality the process often takes anywhere from 8 to 14 weeks, and sometimes even longer. This doesn’t include the time it takes to mail your license. But remember, the licensing process timeline heavily depends on the details of your application.

Idaho Medical License Cost

Applying for a medical license in Idaho comes with several costs.

• Initial Application Fee: The fee for a physician’s license is $400.
• Background Check typically costs about $50 and covers fingerprinting and the criminal record review.
• Credential Verification fees can range from $75 to $150 per institution.

Idaho Medical Board License Renewal

To keep a medical license in Idaho, every licensed medical professional must fulfill specified Continuing Medical Education (CME) criteria every two years.

• Physicians and surgeons in Idaho must complete at least 40 hours of practice-relevant Category 1 CME. This includes two hours of ethics training and one hour of opioid prescribing training.
• Physician assistants are required to complete 100 hours of CME. Similar to physicians, this also includes two hours of ethics training and one hour of opioid prescribing training.
• Nurses must complete 15 hours of Continuing Education (CE). This includes two hours of ethics training.

To complete the renewal process visit the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) website.

If your license has lapsed for less than five years, you can reinstate it by submitting a renewal application, paying all back renewal fees, a reinstatement fee, and providing proof of completed continuing education as required.

For licenses that have lapsed more than five years, a new application for licensure is necessary.

ID Medical License: Troubleshooting and Tips

Navigating the medical license procedure in Idaho can be difficult. According to our experience, there are actually several crucial aspects that, when properly addressed, may speed the procedure and drastically shorten the entire schedule.

• Keep track of all the documents you submit, fees you pay, and any communication with the Idaho Board of Medicine. 
• Make sure every required document is complete and correctly formatted before you submit. Incomplete submissions and errors in your personal data, educational history, or documents are frequent causes of delays.
• If you have any previous convictions or legal concerns, speak with a legal counsel about how to convey this information in the application.

These three easy procedures can have a major influence on the processing of the application you submit. If you encounter complex issues, consider hiring a medical licensing service that can offer insights and assistance, especially when dealing with unusual circumstances or complicated credential verifications.

Idaho Telemedicine License

Before delivering healthcare services via virtual care, you usually must obtain an Idaho license. However, there are some exceptions, that apply to those licensed and in good standing in another U.S. state or jurisdiction:

• Established patient-provider relationship with someone temporarily in Idaho for business, work, education, vacation, or other reasons.
• Temporary or short-term follow-up care to ensure continuity for patients you already have a relationship with.
• If employed by or contracted with an Idaho facility or hospital, you can provide services for which you’ve been credentialed and privileged.
• During a disaster, you can render services and offer follow-up care to ensure continuity.
• Services in preparation for a scheduled in-person visit.
• When consulting with or referring a patient to an Idaho-licensed provider.

By engaging in virtual care with a patient located in Idaho under these exceptions, you agree to adhere to Idaho’s laws, rules, and regulations governing your profession. This includes adhering to the Idaho public standard of care, submitting to the authority of Idaho courts, and following the professional license division’s guidelines. 

You must also respect the regulations of the appropriate licensing board, including its procedures for complaints, inquiries, and hearings, and acknowledge the board’s jurisdiction to seek injunctions and levy civil penalties and fines.

Idaho Medical License Lookup

The Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) offers an online license verification service that allows patients, employers, and the general public to check up Idaho medical licenses. This tool allows you to check a provider’s license status, date of expiration, and any disciplinary proceedings taken against them. It’s a quick and simple approach to confirm that your healthcare provider is in a good standing. 

Verifying Idaho Medical License

You can obtain certifications from Idaho in two ways:

1. Free Primary Source Verification: Visit the DOPL website, click on “License and Registration Search,” and access all public information about your license.
2. Purchased Official License Verification: For a fee of $20.00, you can purchase an official license verification using a Visa/MasterCard credit card. These verifications are mailed within 1-3 business days. Use the “Request for Official Licensure Certification Form” to make this request.

Note: Physicians and physician assistants can obtain primary source license verifications online through VeriDoc. Medical Student registration granted prior to July 1, 2011, cannot be verified online but a list can be emailed upon request.

Requesting License Verifications from Other State Boards

To request license verifications from other state boards, use VeriDoc. This service facilitates the verification process for licenses across different states.

Idaho Medical Licensing Service

When you apply for or renew your physician’s license with MedicalLicensing.com, you can rest assured. We provide a broad variety of services, encompassing initial applications, renewals, inspections, and expedited licenses, all suited to your specific requirements.

Our knowledgeable staff knows the nuances of state-specific licensure procedures. We ensure that your application satisfies all regulatory standards and is filed in a timely manner. With MedicalLicensing.com, physicians can eliminate administrative problems and devote yourself to providing excellent patient care.

Let us assist you in expediting and streamlining your licensing procedure.