Expedited License (MD, DO)

Expedited Route to Licensure for MD & DO Applicants

The State Medical Board of Ohio is pleased to offer a concierge service for eligible MD & DO applicants. This enhanced, personalized service is provided by designated licensure staff and provides key application support, partnering with the applicant through the process toward a full medical license in Ohio.


For those eligible, seasoned and busy allopathic and osteopathic physicians seeking licensure in Ohio, the expedited application option saves valuable time and offers convenience. By choosing the expedited route, a designated staffer will provide key support services driving the application toward completion, such as obtaining the following items for you: Federation of State Medical Board Disciplinary Report; AMA/AOA Physician Profile; National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) Report.

 

Criminal Offenses

Q: What must be disclosed on the application regarding arrest/criminal history?

A: If you have ever been arrested, charged, or convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony you must disclose the incident(s) on the application, regardless of whether the criminal records were subsequently sealed or expunged.  This includes serious traffic offenses such as reckless driving, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, hit and run, evading a peace officer, failure to appear, and driving under suspension. Matters in which you were diverted, deferred, pardoned, or pled nolo contendere must also be disclosed.  If you are in doubt as to how to respond to the application questions, full and honest disclosure is recommended.

To verify your criminal history, the Board requires submission of fingerprints for a criminal records check completed by both the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Both entities maintain records, often beyond the time that courts keep them, and these records will be reported to the Board as a result of the criminal records check.

Failure to provide truthful responses to the questions on the application may result in disciplinary action up to, and including, permanent denial of your application.

Explanatory Statement Disqualifying Offense List 

Disqualifying Offense List 

 

Initial Application Fees

Application $1000.00

Transaction fee $3.50

Total due at submission $1003.50

The fees are not refundable so be sure to read through the eligibility requirements before applying at eLicense.ohio.gov.

 

Why Choose Expedited Licensing?

The board strongly encourages prospective applicants to complete their background checks as soon as they know that they will be applying for Ohio licensure. There is no need to wait until an application is submitted to start the background check process. The board will retain the background check results for up to one year upon receiving them. Once an application has been submitted to the board, its status will be updated to reflect receipt of the results.

Submission of an FCVS packet is not required. We will obtain the necessary reports on your behalf, whereas standard-route license applications require a separate FCVS which can cost the applicant an additional $400 or more.

  • We recommend that all applicants begin the background check process prior to application submission. View instructions in the background check packet or by watching the instructional video below.

  • In 2017, expedited licenses were issued 40% faster than the standard method.

 

The cost for the expedited route concierge service is $1,000. Not all applicants will be eligible to apply for an expedited license as there are strict eligibility requirements. Applicants who do not qualify for the Expedited License can apply for the Ohio license via the standard method. 

 

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants who do not qualify under the Expedited License can apply for the Ohio license via the standard method. 

  • Hold a diploma from a medical school or osteopathic medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), or hold certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)

  • Graduates of medical schools or osteopathic medical schools located in the U.S. or Canada must successfully complete one year of graduate medical education (GME) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA). Graduates of foreign medical schools must successfully complete not less than two years of ACGME or AOA accredited GME through the second-year level of training.

  • Successfully passed one of the following:

    • ​Steps one, two, and three of the USMLE; or

    • Levels one, two, and three of the COMLEX-USA; or

    • FLEX;

    • LMCC;

    • NBME; or

    • NBOME.

  • For at least five years immediately preceding the date of application, held a current, unrestricted license to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery issued by the licensing authority of another state or Canadian province. Any years for which you have held a training certificate, limited practice certificate/license, restricted license cannot be counted toward the five-year requirement.

  • For at least two years immediately preceding the date of application actively practiced medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery in a clinical setting.

  • Have a clean license application, as defined below.

  • Not more than two malpractice claims within a period of ten years and no malpractice claim resulting in a total payment of more than five hundred thousand dollars.

  • No medical condition that could affect your ability to practice according to acceptable and prevailing standards of care.

  • No adverse action taken by a health care institution.

  • No federal agency, medical society, medical association or branch of the United States military has investigated or taken action.

  • No professional licensing or regulatory authority has filed a complaint against, investigated or taken action, including no withdrawal of a professional license application.

  • No suspension or expulsion from any institution of higher education or school, including a medical school.

Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements at the time an application is submitted. Applications submitted by individuals who do not meet eligibility requirements are subject to denial by the board. Application fees are not refundable and an applicant will be required to reapply once eligibility requirements can be met.

 

Application Instructions

Step 1: Request FBI and Ohio BCI Background Record Checks

The board strongly encourages prospective applicants to complete their background checks as soon as they know that they will be applying for Ohio licensure. There is no need to wait until an application is submitted to start the background check process. The board will retain the background check results for up to one year upon receiving them. Once an application has been submitted to the board, its status will be updated to reflect receipt of the results.

  • All applicants for licensure are required to complete an FBI and Ohio BCI criminal records check. The Ohio background check packet and instructions can be obtained here.

  • Results MUST be sent directly from the vendor to the State Medical Board of Ohio; the board will not accept results from the applicant or a third party.

Step 2: Complete and submit the Ohio Physician Licensure Application (Expedited)

  • The Ohio physician licensure application must be submitted and paid online through eLicense.ohio.gov.

  • The $1,003.50 nonrefundable total application fee can be paid with Visa, MasterCard or Discover.

  • Once certain that all eligibility requirements have been met, select ‘Expedited’ in the ‘Select an Application Type’ drop down on the ‘License Selection’ page.

  • Click here to start the application

​Applicants are not required to submit license verifications from other states or jurisdictions in which they are licensed, unless specifically requested by board staff.

​Please note: the Medical Board is unable to confirm receipt of background checks or other supporting documents prior to an application being submitted. 

Once an application has been submitted, it is possible to check the status of your application by logging into eLicense, and navigating to your license application.  Select the Options tab, and the Review Status option.  If there are any outstanding items to complete your licensure application, they will be listed in the ‘Comments’ section at the bottom of the page.