Tennessee Medical Board License Service

With the Tennessee Medical Board, MedLicense.com is averaging 2 to 3 1/2 months for the issuance of a Tennessee Medical License for Domestic Graduates from the submission of the application to the Medical Board to the issuance of the Physician Tennessee Medical Board. Our firm has licensed Physicians in Tennessee since April 2000. In an average year, MedLicense.com will handle between 30 to 35 Tennessee Medical License Applications. We understand the process and what needs to be completed to have your application finalized. Once the files are deemed complete by the Tennessee Medical Board the Medical License is issued. The Tennessee Medical Board will not require a Physical Interview. 

Tennessee applications have an artificial time limit of 90 days from the filing. This puts artificial pressure and stress on the process. If all verifications are not acknowledged as received by the TN Board within 90 days of the application's filing date, the application will be expired by the TN Medical Board. When this happens, the physician simply must resubmit the application again to Tennessee and pay the application fee of $410. This provides the physician with another 90 days to bring the application to completion. Typically, applications expire due to either references not complying or multiple fingerprint card rejections by the FBI.  

Whether you are a USA Graduate or a Graduate of a Foreign Medical School, our process can move this arduous process through within a time period that will meet you needs. Your involvement in the process is kept to a minimum, with MedLicense.com handling the vast majority of the process. The fee for our services is a one time payment of $739 (if you are practicing) or $579 (if you are in training) per State Process. Our packet is shipped to you after a 5-10 min consultation. Sign, notarize, and proof your application packet and then return it to MedLicense.com with the requested copies, photos, and addendums. Then MedLicense.com will forward the completed packet to the Tennessee Medical Board. Then the vertification process begins along with the required follow up with the third parties and Tennessee Medical Board. All that you have to do is start the process with MedLicense.com  

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IMLC Compact Participation:

The Tennessee Medical Board is a Sponsoring Member of the IMLC Compact Licensure System. If you qualify for participating in the IMLCC Compact then we can license you in Tennessee through that system.   The IMLC licensing process with Tennessee typically runs about 30 days   

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Limited License for IMG's without USA ACGME Approved PGT

Tennessee passes HB1312 and SB1451  waiving  USA  ACGME Residency Training Requirements for International Medical Graduates

Under the new Law, International Medical Graduates can obtain a License to practice medicine in the State of Tennessee without completing the required 3 years of ACGME Training in the USA.  The base line requirements to obtain this license are as follows:

HB1312 allows IMGs/FMGs who have passed all 4 USMLEs, who have completed a accredited medical residency outside of the United States/Canada or have legally practiced medicine (I.e. held a valid medical license for the country they worked in) for at least 3 of the past 5 years to obtain a provisional medical license in Tennessee.

Provisional license holders must complete 2 years of supervised practice at a Tennessee hospital that hosts an accredited residency program before they will be granted a full, unrestricted medical license

• The physician has to be actively licensed in another Country 3 of the past 5 years without incident/negative issues
• Sufficient evidence of either the completion of an International residency or substantially similar post-graduate medical training or practice as a medical professional performing the duties of a physician for at least five years
• Evidence of being a citizen of the United States or Canada, or legally entitled to live or work in the United States
• The physician must have passed the USMLE Step 1, 2cs, 2ck, and 3 (TN is probably going to enforce their 3 attempt and 7 year limit - once more information is provided we will update it here)
• Evidence of basic fluency in the English language
• The physician must have an offer for employment as a physician at a healthcare provider that operates in Tennessee and has a residency program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in place.

At this time it is unknown as to whether Tennessee will require the following:

• Two physician references licensed in the USA

Once issued the provisional license, the physician can only work at the Teaching Hospital under direct supervision. After 2 years of a clean employment, then the license will automatically convert to a Full, Unrestricted license.

Tennessee will not answer any questions about this Bill or the required qualifications until it is in effect.

International Physicians who qualify for Full Unrestricted Licensure in Tennessee should not apply to Tennessee through this new rule. The process through this new rule will be more difficult than the Full Active Licensure Process due to the foreign verification requirements.

Here is the list of Tennessee Teaching Hospitals/Universities which have qualified ACGME/AOA Internship/Residency Programs:

• East Tennessee State University / Quillen College of Medicine
• HCA Healthcare /TriStar
• Meharry Medical College
• Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
• Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge
• University Tennessee 
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Our Opinion of this Law:

The USMLE Requirement will have the effect of disqualifying the majority of the International Physicians who will seek to obtain this license. Why? Most, (99.9%) physicians do not take the USMLE Step 3 until they are actually participating in an Internship or Residency in the USA. This is how the typical process works for an International Physician:

• They register with the ECFMG. The ECFMG then validates the Medical School Education and their English Proficiency
• The physician then registers for the USMLE Exam through the ECFMG. 
• The physician will then take and pass the USMLE Step 1 and then Step 2cs and 2ck in their home country
• The physician then registers for the ERAS Match System to gain entrance into an USA ACGME approved Internship or Residency Program
• Once in the program, the Physician then takes Step 3

The USMLE Step 3 is not offered outside of the USA and its' territories. 

The only International Physicians who typically have taken the USMLE Step 3 are those who are or were enrolled in an USA ACGME Internship or Residency. 

This law is going to have very little impact on the Doctor shortage in Tennessee. Had Tennessee really wanted to bring in qualified Internatonal Physicians who did not meet the licensure requirements, they should have waived the ECFMG/USMLE Requirements ( like the Florida Area of Critical Need (ACN) License ). The USMLE requirements put serious limits on the number of IMG's who will be able to take advantage of this new licensure pathway. Physicians who were determined to license in Tennessee under this rule would be required to take the following steps below. It would take them 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 years to work their way through the systemic requirements to actually start working in Tennessee. Here are the required steps in order along with the estimated time for each step to be completed:

1. Register with the ECFMG and take the USMLE 1, 2cs, 2ck, (6-12 months to complete) then.. 
2. Visit the USA and take the USMLE 3, (6-12 months to complete) then...
3. Find a position at one of the 7 Teaching Institutions/Hospitals/Universities above, (1-6 months to complete) then...
4. Obtain the required immigration / work VISAs to enter the USA, (2-6 months to complete) then....
5. Finally.... file the application for the Provisional License (3 to 6 months)

Physicians who are considering Tennessee due to the reduced Internship/Residency Training requirements would be better served looking into the New York Medical Board Endorsement Licensing Process. They typically will find a more viable licensure option than what Tennessee is providing.

Please note, as of 6/7/2024, the Tennessee Medical Board has not added this type of License or Application to their website. Because of this, it is not possible to apply for this license until they do. There has been no guidance provided by the Tennessee Medical Board concerning when this will be added. 

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