State Medical
Licensing
Requirements

State

By Endorsement/ reciprocity?

ECFMG certificate Required or considered?

Which

Qualifying exams?

Other

Alabama

Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners
Larry D. Dixon, Executive Administrator
P.O. Box 946
Montgomery, AL 36101-0946
(street address: 848 Washington Ave., 36104)
(334) 242-4116 / Fax:(334) 242-4155
(800) 227-2606
www.albme.org

Yes

If exams taken after 1/1/2000 must complete all USMLE parts

Combinations of other exams are accepted before 1/1/2000 (parts of NBME/USMLE, FLEX, etc., according to state chart)

FLEX, NBOME, LMCC

If exams taken before 1/1/2000 (passing score is minimum of 75 at each exam):

(a) NBME Part 1 or USMLE step 1; plus NBME Part 11 or USMLE step 2; plus NBME Part III or USMLE Step 3

OR

(b) FLEX component 1; plus USMLE step 3

OR

(c) NBME Part 1 or USMLE Step 1; plus

NBME Part 11 or USMLE Step 2; Plus FLEX Component 2

Yes

If not LCME accredited

Except some schools that are not approved

USMLE part 1,2,3

OR

FLEX, NBOME, LMCC

Diploma or evidence of graduation from an LCME/AMA accredited school or ECFMG

Attendance in residency program or clinical program of instruction or clinical rotations at a medical education facility (as part of schooling)

PLUS

1 year of post graduate residency training in an accredited program

certain applicants who have not passed a written state licensing exam, USMLE or other within 10 years prior to application will take the SPEX (Special purpose examination) and achieve score of 75+ or be certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties

Alaska

Alaska State Medical Board
Leslie A. Gallant, Executive Administrator
550 West Seventh Ave., Suite 1500
Anchorage, AK 99501
(907) 269-8163 / Fax:(907) 269-8196
www.dced.state.ak.us/occ/pmed.htm

Yes

For doctors licensed in another US state or Canadian province exam may be waived if they passed an equivalent exam to the USMLE or have passed one of the following exams: NBME, FLEX or NBOME

Yes

Required from all foreign graduates

USMLE Step 3

Minimum 75

Successful graduation from an accredited US/ Canadian medical school

If graduated prior to 1/1/1995 – 1 year of postgraduate training, if graduated after 1/1/1995 – 2 years of postgraduate training

If foreign graduate – must graduate from a medical school listed in the World Health Organization Directory

Plus 3 years of postgraduate training in accredited programs in the US or Canada

All applicants must verify all medical licenses in the US and international

Arizona

Arizona Board of Medical Examiners
Claudia Foutz, Executive Director
9545 East Doubletree Ranch Road
Scottsdale, AZ  85258
(480) 551-2700 / Fax: (480) 551-2701
www.bomex.org 

Yes

With exams combinations as follows (minimum passing score of each exam is 75):

NBME Parts 1+2 AND USMLE step 3 or component n or FLEX (with scaled score of 75) or

Flex component I and USMLE step 3 (with scaled score of 75)

Or

NBME Part one or USABLE Step 1 (with scaled score of 75)

AND

NBME Part 2 or USMLE Step 2 (with scaled score of 75)

AND

NBME Part 3 or USMLE step 3 or FLEX component II (with a scaled score of 75)

Yes

For all non-approved medical school graduates

Except if applicant completed fifth pathway program

USMLE

Part 1,2,3

Minimum 75 in all parts; taken between a 7 year period

Or be certified by the licensing medical council of Canada, or passed the FLEX

If applicant took the FLEX exam prior to 1/1/1985 must have passed with minimum of 75. If FLEX taken after 12/1/1984 both component I and n must have been passed between a 5 year period and minimum of 75.

US/Canadian graduates: 12 months hospital approved internship (approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or a similar American or Canadian entity) + passage of NBME, FLEX, USMLE 1+2+3 and State written/oral examination

Endorsement applicants who have not passed a written state licensing exam, USMLE or other within 10 years prior to application will take the SPEX (Special purpose examination)

Graduates of non-approved schools must prove proficiency in English + ECFMG + FLEX + USMLE 1+2+3 + fifth pathway program or 36 months of full time assistant professor or higher position in an approved school or medicine

Plus (if fifth pathway program is taken, ECFMG certification not needed)

24 months approved hospital internship, residency or clinical fellowship program for a total of 36 month unless successfully completed a fifth pathway program or serves as a full time assistant professor or higher position at an approved school of medicine

Arkansas

Arkansas State Medical Board
Peggy P. Cryer, Executive Secretary
2100 Riverfront Dr., Suite 200
Little Rock, AR 72202-1793
(501) 296-1802 / Fax:(501) 296-1805
www.armedicalboard.org

No reciprocity

AR must re-verify all the information, exam results and education

ECFMG certification, except Canadians with LMCC exam results

USMLE 1, 2 and 3

Or LMCC

Or combination of national boards, such as FLEX comp 1 + USMLE 2 +3, depending on when the physician was originally licensed

All applicants must complete one year of post graduate training or internship in the US

Full credentialing if the applicant passed USMLE for another US state

California

Medical Board of California
Ronald Joseph, Executive Director
1426 Howe Ave., Suite 54
Sacramento, CA 95825-3236
(916) 263-2389 / Fax:(916) 263-2387
(800) 633-2322
www.medbd.ca.gov

Yes

With NBME endorsement

EBHAR profiles

With letters of good standing or license history certification required from each license obtained in any US or Canadian territory

ECFMG certification (not required if passed the FLEX before Jan. 1, 1986)

Official breakdown of undergraduate clinical clerkships or certificate of clinical training (if it was completed outside the primary teaching hospital)

All medical education completed at approved medical schools

Original school transcripts from every medical school attended

Certificate of completion of ACGME or RCPSC post-graduate training

Fingerprints

Photograph

Colorado

Colorado Board of Medical Examiners
Susan Miller, Program Administrator
1560 Broadway, Suite 1300
Denver, CO 80202-5140
(303) 894-7690 / Fax:(303) 894-7692
www.dora.state.co.us/medical

Yes

With exam results (may also reciprocate with state exam rather than national exams).

ECFMG required from foreign graduates except Canadians

Passage of:

NBME and USMLE

Or

LMCC

Or

FLEX

Combinations available

Graduation from an ACGME approved medical school and completion of one year of approved postgraduate training

Foreign educated physicians are evaluated on a case by case basis after ECFMG

Foreign graduates must complete three years of ACGME/AOA approved clinical post-graduate training in the US or Canada and take the national board of medical examiners exam (USMLE/NBME) or FLEX.

Connecticut

Connecticut Medical Examining Board
Jeff Kardys, Board Liaison
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308
(street address 410 Capitol Ave. MS13PHO)
(860) 509-7648 / Fax:(860) 509-7553
Licensing Information,(860) 509-7563

No reciprocity

But past licensing tests results for other states may be accepted (no need to re-take exams)

ECFMG

Certificate

USMLE 1+2+3

Or

FLEX

Or

NBME

Or

Combination

Graduation of an approved US or Canadian school or ECFMG plus 2 years of post graduate training or  residency for all applicants

Delaware

Delaware Board of Medical Practice
Douglas J. Reed, Executive Director
P.O. Box 1401
Dover, DE 19903
(street address: 861 Silver Lake Blvd., Cannon Building, Suite 203, 19904)
(302) 739-4522 / Fax:(302) 739-2711
www.state.de.us/license/28/index.htm. 

No reciprocity

But past licensing test results may be transferred (do not have to re-take exams) with verification of education

ECFMG

Except Canadians

USMLE 1+2+3

Or 

FLEX

Or

NBME

Or combination

Depending upon years when exams taken

Graduation of an approved US or Canadian school and 1 full year of US internship

Foreign school graduates must do 3 years of internship in the US in an accredited program

DC

District of Columbia Board of Medicine
James R. Granger, Jr., Executive Director
825 North Capital Street, NE, 2nd Floor
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 442-9200/ Fax: (202) 442-9431
www.dchealth.com

USMLE 1+2+3

Graduation of an approved medical school in the US or Canada

Florida

Florida Board of Medicine
Tanya J. Williams, Executive Director
4052 Bald Cypress Way, BIN #C03
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1753
(850) 245-4131/ Fax:(850) 488-9325
www.doh.state.fl.us

Yes

Applicants by endorsements if licensed prior to 1/1/2000 must receive passing score at NBME, FLEX or USMLE and actively practiced for at least 2 of the immediately preceding 4 years or have completed a board approved postgraduate training program within the 2 preceding years before filing the application

ECFMG certificate required from foreign graduates

Or fifth pathway

USMLE 3

(after 1+2)

or FLEX

or NBME

or SPEX exam if other exams not taken and have been practicing in the US or Canada for over 10 years

Applicants that graduated from medical school after 10/1/1992 must complete 2 academic years of pre-professional, post-secondary education and complete at least one year of approved residency

Georgia

Georgia Composite State Board of Medical Examiners
Karen Mason, Executive Director
2 Peachtree Street, NW, 6th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30303-3465
(404) 656-3913 / Fax:(404) 656-9723
www.medicalboard.state.ga.us

No reciprocity

Exams may be waived if taken previously for another state

Must meet all GA requirements

ECFMG certificate for all IMGs

Fifth pathway applicants are exempt from the ECFMG certification but must pass the ECFMG qualifying exam with a score of 75+

USMLE steps 1+2+3

Or

Approved combination of various exams

(NBME, FLEX I and II, Canadian NCCQE)

All applicants must have one year of post graduate training (except for Canadian with LMCC certification)

All applicant must have certification of medical education (where received AMA training)

Must provide all states where licensed

IMGs must submit a notarized copy of their original diploma and transcripts (also notarized English translation of both diploma and transcripts)

IMGs graduated before 7/1/1985 – school must be approved by the board as of the date of graduation (ECFMG certification)

IMGs graduated after 7/1/1985 from a school not approved by the board must complete three years of board approved (ACGME) post-graduate residency in the US.