As hard as we work to gain entry to medical school, complete 4 years of curriculum to obtain a doctorate degree, spend an additional 3-8 years refining our trade prior to beginning our careers; we think it is our right to practice medicine. We feel that our hard work and good deeds are enough to keep our medical license intact. In actuality, having a medical license is a privilege and it is the medical board’s right to grant that privilege.
Physicians often don’t fully understand the role of medical boards in their professional lives. Sure, they require credentialing information, they track your continuing medical education, and they allow you to practice. Most of the time, you don’t have a lot to do with the medical board; it seems like a nuisance.
Episode 41 of Licensed To Live talks with Dr. Dina Strachan, a board-certified dermatologist, best-selling author, and former board member of the New York State Medical Board. She gives us an inside look at a medical board.
Medical boards are designed to protect the public. They are not your friend that stands by your side. Episode 41 discusses things that you should do if a medical board contacts you. You will need a good team, patience, perseverance, and tenacity to defend yourself.
Doctors can get referred to medical boards for many different reasons. At times it can be something seemingly benign like not completing enough CME. Other times, it comes from physicians behaving badly. Under all circumstances, the system is set up in a “guilty until you can prove your innocence” manner. The damage is done by the initial precautionary action on your license. You must spend the following months to years proving your innocence to regain your privilege. Even after that, you must answer ‘yes’ to many of those credentialing questions for the rest of your career. Many of you know this is one reason that I became a coach.
Luckily, for most professionals, encountering the medical board won’t happen. However, for those of us that come within the grasps of the state entity, there can be lingering problems within your career. If you ever need help navigating the implications or need to refresh or restart your career, don’t hesitate to set up a free strategy session with me. See you next time.
