Is your Medical License about to Expire? A Complete List of To-Dos

 

 

Healthcare is a sensitive profession—it deals with life and death and everything in between. Precisely why there is no space for repeat work, amendments, and blame games. To keep matters favorable and legally abiding for both parties—the doctors and their patients—medical licenses have become more stringent today than ever before. We’ve already touched upon the topics of ‘The Importance of Medical Licensing’, ‘Licensing in India: The Process’, ‘Advantages and Disadvantages of Multi-State Licensing’, and the Regulatory Bodies in our 2-part series on ‘The Case of State Licensing in India: Empowering or Restricting Healthcare Professionals, Part 1 and Part 2. Today’s article is more of a concise compilation of what you should do if your medical license is expiring soon—the checklist and process. 

 

 

Medical Licensing in India

In 2023, the National Medical Commission (NMC) launched a new system for doctors in India to renew their licenses and stay registered. This updated registry aims to streamline doctor data management, share information with states, and identify unlicensed or unqualified doctors. It also allows the public to easily check doctors' qualifications and see if any have been blacklisted.

 

The National Medical Register (NMR) was officially launched on May 10, 2023, after being discussed for nearly four years. Managed by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) under Section 31 of the Act, doctors now have 90 days to register or renew their licenses on the NMR. These licenses will be valid for up to five years, with renewals required to keep the list of practicing doctors in India up to date.

 

 

Is Your Medical License in India About to Expire? Here’s What to Do

 

Before we dive into the renewal process, for the first-timers, here’s a quick brief on getting a medical license. 

 

Each state's Medical Council Act regulates medical practitioner licensing and registration. This system was designed to manage healthcare organizations and practitioners in minute detail.

 

A brief on the state licensing system:

 

• Application Submission: To apply for a medical license, you need to submit your educational documents, internship completion certificates, and any other required proof to the State Medical Council in the state where you completed your studies.

 

• Licensing Fee: Don’t forget to include the application fee when submitting your documents to complete the process.

 

• Verification and Review: The State Medical Council will review your application and verify your credentials as necessary.

 

• Issuance of License: If everything is in order and all requirements are met, the State Medical Council will issue your medical license, allowing you to practice medicine in that state.

 

 

Coming back to the renewal of a medical license, the 3 basic steps are:

 

Track your license expiration: 

Keep an eye on your medical license's expiry date to prevent disruptions in your practice. While most state medical boards send reminders, it's best to monitor it yourself. You can check the expiry on your license certificate or through your state's online portal.

 

Stay updated with your CME points: 

To renew your license, you need to complete Continuing Medical Education (CME). This keeps you informed about what’s latest in medicine. The required CME hours differ by state. For more details on CME and how to meet the requirements, refer to the CME guides of every state.

 

To make things easier for you, we researched on the CME points required in each state for the renewal of a medical license in India. Find them as follows:

 

 

The process of earning CME credit points also varies within the different Indian states. For instance, the Karnataka Medical Council (KMC) has set a bar of earning the traditional 30 CME credits over a 5-year re-registration period. However, they impose a limit of 6 credits per year. They award 1 credit for every 4 hours of CME study, effectively requiring 120 hours of study over 5 years based on a 1-hour-per-credit standard. In contrast, doctors in the UK must complete 250 CME credits every five years (termed as the CPD - Continuing Professional Development), making the Indian requirement 52% lower.

 

Gujarat Medical Council, on the other hand, has set higher standards, requiring 150 CME credits for re-registration, with 1 credit given for every 2 hours of CME study. This means doctors in Gujarat must complete 300 hours of study over five years, surpassing the requirements of many developed countries.

 

Pay your renewal fees: 

Every state requires a license renewal fee, which can vary. Check your state medical board’s website for specific fees. Payments are usually made online or by check. Make sure to pay on time to avoid penalties. According to the Fee structure for various services by the Board of Indian Medicine, the Renewal of Permanent Registration for 5 years stands at INR 1000. 

 

     

                                                                                                                                                                                                   

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References:

https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/what-is-new-medical-registration-system-and-why-doctors-are-concerned-123052300442_1.html

https://www.cmepedia.com/cme-in-india

https://bim.telangana.gov.in/RDLCReports/feestructureBIM.pdf