Apr 10, 2010. Started in 1996 by San Diego family physician William Norcross, PACE initially focused on serving the California medical board. The board often requires participation in PACE or an equivalent program for doctors who have been disciplined or had their licenses suspended, or those with malpractice.

The Board has transitioned to a new data system, California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) BreEZe Online Services. If you submitted a Physician’s and Surgeon’s application prior to October 1, 2013, the deficiency information displayed online may be inaccurate.

Please refer to your most recent status letter to determine the items you may need to submit. We ask that you not continuously contact the Board to determine receipt of items.

Calls and emails are returned in the order received and will most likely take one or more days before they are returned due to the high volume of calls and emails received. Please be patient and do not leave multiple messages regarding the same issue. In addition, please note that the Board’s analysts have a heavy application workload and each call or email takes away from time available to review applications and documents. You will be notified via mail or email if there are any missing documents or issues with your application. We thank you in advance for your patience while we are in transition to the new data system.

• • • • • • • • • • • • General Information To be eligible for a Physician’s and Surgeon’s license, applicants must have received all of their medical school education from and graduated from a medical school recognized or approved by the Medical Board of California or must meet the requirements of Business and Professions Code section 2135.7. The medical school's name must exactly match the name on the Board's list of recognized medical schools. Prior to submitting an application, please refer to the Board’s website to verify your medical school is recognized: • If you did not attend or graduate from a recognized or approved medical school you may be eligible for licensure pursuant to (effective 1/2013).

Requires mandatory disclosure of a Social Security Number (SSN), Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), or Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN). The number is used for tax enforcement purposes, for purposes of compliance with any judgment order for family support in accordance with, or for verification of licensure or examination status by a licensing examination entity which uses a national examination and where licensure is reciprocal with the requesting state. NOTE: An FEIN may only be used for a business license type, not for an individual license type. Allows the State Board of Equalization and the Franchise Tax Board to share taxpayer information with the Board. If a state tax obligation is not paid, an application for licensure may be denied and a license issued by the Board may be suspended (). Reporting a number on your application that is not your SSN, ITIN, or FEIN may be grounds for denial. Additionally, in order to apply for licensure or check the status of your application online, an SSN or ITIN is required to register with the BreEZe online application system.

If you do not have an SSN or ITIN, you will be required to complete your application by mail. As an applicant, you personally are responsible for all information disclosed on your application, Forms L1A-L1F, including any responses that may have been completed on your behalf by others. An application may be denied based upon omission, falsification or misrepresentation of any item or response on the application or any attachment. The Medical Board of California considers violations of an ethical nature to be a serious breach of professional conduct. General Questions About Licensure • Does California issue a resident or training license? California only issues a license which allows a person to practice medicine in California.

However, an exemption to licensure is offered to residents who graduated from a US or Canadian medical school who are early in their postgraduate (PG) training program (as discussed in the following question). NOTE: US/Canadian medical school graduates (US/Can) must complete the Postgraduate Training Registration Form, which the GME Office will submit to the Medical Board (Board).

This notice is required so that your participation in a California training program is registered with the Board. International medical graduates (IMGs) who are not yet eligible for licensure and wish to participate in postgraduate training in California must apply to the Board for a Postgraduate Authorization Training Letter (PTAL), which must be issued prior to commencing training in California.

The GME Office must also submit a Postgraduate Training Registration Form once the international medical school graduate starts training in California. • How much training must I complete before I am eligible for licensure? A US/Can must complete 12 continuous months of training in a single program to be eligible for licensure. Further, a US/Can must be licensed by the end of the 24th month of training.

In calculating these months, the Board counts all approved training in the US (ACGME) or Canada (RCPSC), whether or not credit was granted. An IMG must complete 24 months of training to be eligible for licensure; the final 12 months used towards eligibility must be continuous and in a single program. Further, an IMG must be licensed by the end of the 36th month of training. In calculating these months, the Board counts all approved training in the US (ACGME) or Canada (RCPSC), whether or not credit was granted. • Should I report incomplete postgraduate training on the application? Is Form L3A/L3B required? You are required to document all postgraduate training (internship, residency, fellowship) on the application, whether or not the program was completed or credit was granted.

You must have the current program director complete the Form L3A/L3B to document your dates of training for each program. • What are the costs related to licensure? There are two fees involved in the licensing process. The first fee is the application fee, which is $491 and includes the $49 non-refundable fingerprint processing fee. This combined fee must be paid before the review of your application can begin. Once your application is complete, you must pay an initial license fee of $808 before a license can be issued. However, if you are enrolled in an ACGME/RCPSC training program on the date you apply or are licensed, you are eligible for a 50 percent reduction of the initial license fee.

To be eligible for the reduced fee, your program must document your current enrollment in the program; a payment of $416.50 will be required. • How do I know if I am entitled to pay the reduced license fee when I apply? Eligibility for the reduced license fee is based upon your enrollment in an approved postgraduate training program at the time your application is submitted or licensed (Title 16 California Code of Regulations Section 1321). • Can I charge my application fee by phone?

However, you may use the Board’s online licensing processing process (BreEZe) if you wish to pay the fee by credit card. Please be aware, you must have an SSN or ITIN to use the BreEZe online licensing system. • Do I have to pay both the application fee and the license fee when I apply? • If you use the BreEZe online system, you must pay both the application fee and the license fee to submit your application. • If you only wish to pay the application fee when submitting your application, you must submit a paper application. • How do I send monies to the Board?

You may print out a and include your name, date of birth, file number and amount due, and include it with your payment. • When should I apply for licensure? Since a US/Canadian medical school graduate is not eligible for licensure until one year of training has been completed and documented by the Program Director, you should not submit your application until after the first six months of training have been completed.

Please do not wait to submit an application until all documentation is complete. Further, documentation relating to your application can be submitted at any time; you do not need to wait until your application has been submitted, as that may delay the review.

The Board will retain documents for 6 months; if you do not submit your application and fees in that time frame, the documents will be destroyed through confidential destruction. IMGs who have been issued a PTAL have already met the educational requirements. Once the postgraduate training and final examination requirements have been met, additional forms will be needed to complete the application for licensure. • Should I take Step 3 before I apply for licensure? You are not required to take and pass the USMLE Step 3 before you apply; however, a license will not be issued to any applicant who has not passed all three steps.

To obtain licensure in California, you must pass Step 3 within four attempts. Please refer to for specific details. A PTAL cannot be issued to an IMG until the applicant has passed Step 1 and both components of Step 2 (Clinical Skills and Clinical Knowledge) and a license will not be issued until you have passed Step 3.

• How long is my license valid? Upon approval of your application file and payment of the initial license fee, your license will be issued and will be valid until the last day of your second birth month after licensure. The expiration date is based on your birth month–not birth date. If you choose to wait until your birth month for licensure by submitting the, then your license will be valid for a full 24-month period. Should you choose to be licensed as soon as possible, your license may be valid for as few as 13 months – depending upon when you reach the second birth month after licensure. • If I am unable to practice all aspects of medicine safely due to a disability, can I still get a license? Yes, California offers a Limited Practice License to physicians.

To apply: • Complete the, to elect to apply for the Limited Practice License. This form is to advise the Board that you wish to apply for the Limited Practice License and consent to sign an agreement to abide by the practice limitations indicated in the independent clinical evaluation and any further conditions or terms set forth by the Board.

• A clinical evaluation must be performed by a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and/or treatment of disabilities of the same nature as your disability and is familiar with your area of medical practice. The reviewing physician must have a current valid California license with no history of discipline and may not have any personal, professional, business, or social relationship with you. • What if I move or change my name after I have submitted my application? If you move after you have submitted your application, you must submit an.

This form may be faxed or mailed to the Board. If you change your name after you have submitted an application, you must submit a signed form, along with photocopy or electronic copy of a current government-issued photographic identification (e.g., driver license, alien registration, passport, etc.) and one of the following legal documents as proof of the name change: • Marriage Certificate • Dissolution of marriage (divorce) • Certified Court Order The form and supporting documents must be mailed to the Board. • Can I submit a 2 x 2 inch passport photo on the L1F form? The photo must meet the instruction specifications. It must be recent and of your head and shoulder area only. • Will you discard or destroy any documentation received prior to my application?

Any documents received prior to your application will be maintained for six months. If you do not submit your application and fees in that time frame, the documents will be destroyed through confidential destruction. How Long Does it Take to Get a License or a PTAL? • What are the time frames for getting licensed? To be considered an applicant, you must submit both the application and the application fee. All application forms and supporting materials are stamped with the date and time they are received in the office. Once an application and the application fee have been received, staff must complete the initial review within 60 working days, although this often occurs in less time.

The applicant then is notified in writing of the application status and given an itemized list of documents needed to complete the file. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that any missing documents are sent to the Board. These subsequent documents also will be reviewed in order of receipt. The length of time it takes to obtain a license is related to how long it takes for all required documents to be received at the Board.

If the application is complete and approved upon first review (including receipt of the initial license fee) a license will be issued promptly, unless you have requested by submitting the Birth Month Licensure Request Form. Birth Month Licensure is not available for a PTAL. • Can I pay an extra fee to have my application expedited? The Board reviews applications in the order in which they are received. You cannot pay a fee to expedite the review of your application. When deciding when to apply, please allow sufficient time for all your documents to be received and reviewed by the Board, particularly if you have a deadline for licensure or the issuance of a PTAL. • How will I know if there are missing documents or other issues with my application?

You will be notified if there are any missing documents or issues with your application once the application is reviewed. You will receive a deficiency letter from the Board. • If I apply online, do I still have to mail in a signed and notarized copy of my application with my picture? You must submit a signed, notarized copy of the (with your photo attached) if you submit your application online.

• What constitutes a “submitted application”? An application is considered “submitted” when the Board has received: • All applicable fees • Forms L1A through L1F • Paper L1F Form (for online applicants only) • Can I call or email my analyst if I have questions or want to check on my application’s status?

You may call or email your analyst. Calls and emails are returned in the order received and will most likely take one or more days before they are returned due to the high volume of calls and emails received. Please be patient and do not leave multiple messages regarding the same issue. In addition, please note that the Board’s analysts have a heavy application work load and each call or email takes away from time available to review applications and documents.

You will be notified if there are any missing documents or issues with your application. • How long do I have to complete the application process? You have one year from the date the application was received by the Board to complete your application.

Financial Accounting For Decision Makers 5th Edition Peter Atrill. Applications incomplete after 1 year are considered “abandoned” and may be destroyed (including all supporting documentation). If you wish to keep your application open, you must resubmit Forms L1A-L1F prior to the date of the previous application’s expiration date. Please note that the Board may close an application if the applicant fails to show progress toward licensure. If your previous application was abandoned, any subsequent application will be treated as a new application and you will be required to meet all licensure requirements in effect at the time of the subsequent application.

You must also resubmit all required documentation (including new fingerprints), and pay the application fee. For additional information on what “failure to complete the application” means, please see • How long will it take for me to receive my license once it is issued? Please allow 2-4 weeks from the date of issuance to receive your pocket identification card and wall certificate. Questions Regarding Examinations • Are there any other exams besides the USMLE that are acceptable for licensure? The USMLE examinations are the most common examinations used for meeting the examination requirement. However, includes a complete list of other acceptable examinations. • How are my examination scores verified?

The Board must receive verification of your exam scores directly from the appropriate organization(s). Verification of examination scores may be obtained by contacting the following agencies: for USMLE, FLEX, and SPEX • Phone: (817) 868-4041 for LMCC/MCCQE (request a statement of registration) • Phone: (613) 521-6012 for National Board Diplomates • Phone: (215) 590-9500 for ECFMG Certification (Step 1, Step 2 CS, and Step 2CK) • Phone: (215) 386-5911 Note: Although the Board does not require you to submit a FCVS package, if you choose to do so, the provided score report may be used. Please have the appropriate organization(s) send the examination scores directly to the Board's Sacramento headquarters address: Medical Board of California Licensing Program 2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1200 Sacramento, CA 95815 • How long are my test scores valid? For purposes of licensure, passing scores on a written examination are valid for a period of 10 years from the month of the examination. This period of validity may be extended by the Board for good cause and time spent in a postgraduate training program, including, but not limited to, residency training, fellowship training, remedial or refresher training, or other training that is intended to maintain or improve medical skills. The 10-year period also may be extended if you are licensed and practicing in another state; you will receive definitive information relative to your status upon receipt of a complete application.

• Do I need to document all of my attempts at the written licensing examinations? You must document each attempt for each written licensing examination. If additional space is necessary, provide the information on the Form. If applying for licensure, California law requires that you must pass Step 3 of the USMLE within not more than four attempts.

• Can I submit all of my application information via FCVS – Federation Credentials Verification Service Application? The Board accepts FCVS as a courtesy to applicants. FCVS is NOT a requirement for filing a Physician’s and Surgeon’s Application in California. You may request FCVS to submit directly to the Board your “Medical Professional Information Profile”. The Board will review the information provided, along with your application, and determine, on an individual basis, the items that will be accepted from FCVS.

Alerts • • On Sunday, March 5, 2017, the legacy 'CURES 1.0' system will no longer be available to users attempting to access the database with unsupported browser software. In December 2015, Attorney General Kamala Harris sent a letter to members of the medical community outlining the risks of using unsupported web browsers to access confidential and sensitive patient records. Decommissioning CURES 1.0 is a necessary step towards protecting this information.

Mission The mission of the Physician Assistant Board of the is to protect and serve consumers through licensing, education, and objective enforcement of the Physician Assistant laws and regulations. Online Services.