Helpful Hints Regarding the Licensing Process
The Colorado Medical Board annually processes hundreds of physician applications for licensure. The Board conducts a thorough evaluation of a number of items, including basic medical credentials, employment or work history, malpractice history, and a criminal or disciplinary history. This process takes time - anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending in large part upon how quickly the applicant complies with what is requested of him/her and the nature of any problems requiring closer scrutiny.
Despite the fact that there is no guarantee of licensure, some applicants make commitments to start work at a certain time and later find that the commitment cannot be kept. Please remember that the Board will not accelerate one application at the expense of another, nor will it forego any elements of its screening process. The following suggestions are offered to help those who apply for licensure, as well as those who recruit physicians, to avoid problems, which can be costly:
- Give the Board enough time to do its job. For something as important as a medical license, two months lead-time is not unreasonable.
- Don’t make commitments on loans, practice start dates, home purchases, etc., until a license is granted. Not all physicians who apply will receive a license. Don’t set yourself or colleagues up for disappointment or financial setbacks based on mere speculation.
- Make sure all application materials are sent to the Board as quickly as possible, in accordance with the directions set forth in the application packet. Deadlines are strictly enforced. Don’t waste valuable time assuming that an exception will be made or that a requirement will be waived for you.
- If there are items on the application about which the Board desires additional information, or if there is a malpractice history, it may take the application longer to get through the review process.
- We recommend that applicants handle their own applications without delegating this task to someone else. In our experience, delegation frequently does not work well, especially if one is in a hurry. The process seems to work more smoothly when individual applicants personally take charge of the process.
- Remember that regardless of the date of issuance, all Colorado medical licenses expire on April 30 of odd numbered years. Applications approved and licenses issued within four (4) months of the expiration date will have the expiration date automatically extended to the next renewal period, per Board Policy 20-8.
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