The Ophthalmologist’s Complete Guide to Getting Your Medical License

Ready to get your medical license? Congratulations! Each state regulatory board has different fees and processes for completing the licensing application and getting approved to legally practice medicine in the United States. This handy guide walks you through the unique requirements of each state.

Completing a medical degree doesn't automatically qualify you to practice medicine in the US, and neither does a single year of postgraduate or residency training. Rather, to legally practice medicine, you must be licensed.

Licensing requirements differ from state to state, even though many US states are now (thankfully) using the Uniform Application and the Federation Credentials Verification Service (FCVS) run by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB). However, even states that accept both the UA and the FCVS will require you to submit additional materials and, in some cases, complete extra training courses or jurisprudence exams.

This guide was last updated on November 6, 2023. Any changes to state licensure requirements occurring after this date may not be accounted for. Fees are approximations—there may be additional fees or different fees for obtaining fingerprinting if not residing in the state in which you are applying. There may also be other fees associated with obtaining documents, having scores and/or transcripts sent, or notarizing documents.

Always make sure to confirm with each state board what documents are needed for the application! An error on your license application, or misrepresenting or failing to disclose information, will result in a denial of licensure.

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While we make every effort to provide accurate information that is helpful to your practice of medicine, this information may contain errors and is not to be used in place of your own judgment. Under no circumstances shall CovalentCreative be responsible for damages arising from the use of this information.