incomplete state licensure applicaiton question

[tresdo]

What is the name of your state? Massachusetts

Does anyone know?

I'm a doctor and I had applied for a medical license in Massachusetts a year ago. I submitted my application and there were follow up questions the state medical board had for me. (Follow up questions about my leaving my old job.) But by the time those follow up questions happened, I had unexpected family circumstances (I miscarried in my 7th month). I never followed up on those questions because I had other things on my mind, obviously.

It took me a long time to get back on my feet. I never did end up going to MA. And I'm not planning on it now. I don't need a license in MA anymore since things have changed for me. I tried to contact the state board in MA to find out what the status of my application is, but my inquires via email and phone message do not get returned. I can't seem to get answers to simple questions.

Does anyone know?

1. Where do incomplete license applications go? Are they destroyed or filed away? And if filed away, how long?

2. What should I do know? Should I answer those follow up questions, even though I am not seeking licensure in MA? That seems like a moot point. But it doesn't sit right with me that the MA board sent me questions and all they know is that I just didn't follow up. Do I need to do anything?

I'm still frustratingly trying to get answers with the MA board but as I'm doing so, I thought to ask this question in the forum in case anyone would know. Or could direct me to someone who would know.

Great, thanks. Jackie.

 

[seniorjudge]

Jackie, dealing with these bureaucrats is infuriating, but, I have to tell you, that you must satisfy MA first.

 

[ellencee]

There is a legal resource part of the Board that will be able to assist. There is also a President of the Board (or whatever title MA uses) and that person is an excellent resource.

If necessary, have an attorney write a letter to the Board and request a hearing on the matter. That usually gets the right person's attention.

(My ex is an MD and an endodontist, so I base my answer on years of living with him.)

EC

 

[panzertanker]

There is a legal resource part of the Board that will be able to assist. There is also a President of the Board (or whatever title MA uses) and that person is an excellent resource.

If necessary, have an attorney write a letter to the Board and request a hearing on the matter. That usually gets the right person's attention.

(My ex is an MD and an endodontist, so I base my answer on years of living with him.)

EC

I am confused...

OP does not want licensure in MA, and has not met the requirements for licensure in MA.
In my humble opinion OP has nothing else to do since she is not seeking licensure there anymore. Her "refusal" to answer the followup questions from MA constituted a "balk" that effectively halted the licensing process. She is probably in a dead file and will remain there until record purges or re-submission by OP for licensure.

It does not hurt to seek clarification, but I am not sure that it is necessary.

Good luck.
( I do not see any penalties for incomplete submission at the MA licensing web site)

 

[ellencee]

I am confused...

OP does not want licensure in MA, and has not met the requirements for licensure in MA.
In my humble opinion OP has nothing else to do since she is not seeking licensure there anymore. Her "refusal" to answer the followup questions from MA constituted a "balk" that effectively halted the licensing process. She is probably in a dead file and will remain there until record purges or re-submission by OP for licensure.

It does not hurt to seek clarification, but I am not sure that it is necessary.

Good luck.
( I do not see any penalties for incomplete submission at the MA licensing web site)

I'm thinking this is a very "young" MD, one without a private practice. It is the only 'time' that I know that changing one's mind about moving one's MD license draws so much attention to incomplete application processes.

As I stated, I do not know MA requirements. I do know that an inexperienced MD who applies to change state's of licensure without changing area of practice or seeking to complete a fellowship causes 'red flags' to be raised and failing to answer follow-up questions, even having someone else contact the Board and say "hey, she's miscarried and will complete this later" reinforces the need for red flags.

That, is basically all of which I have any knowledge r/t changing states of licensure. That's one problem my ex didn't have!

EC

 

[lealea1005]

Just a thought....my husband is an MD and his last application for licensure did have questions pertaining to any previous state applications that may have been denied, rescinded, or not completed. EC is right, it sends up a red flag.

 

[barry1817]

medical license

What is the name of your state? Massachusetts

Does anyone know?

I'm a doctor and I had applied for a medical license in Massachusetts a year ago. I submitted my application and there were follow up questions the state medical board had for me. (Follow up questions about my leaving my old job.) But by the time those follow up questions happened, I had unexpected family circumstances (I miscarried in my 7th month). I never followed up on those questions because I had other things on my mind, obviously.

It took me a long time to get back on my feet. I never did end up going to MA. And I'm not planning on it now. I don't need a license in MA anymore since things have changed for me. I tried to contact the state board in MA to find out what the status of my application is, but my inquires via email and phone message do not get returned. I can't seem to get answers to simple questions.

Does anyone know?

1. Where do incomplete license applications go? Are they destroyed or filed away? And if filed away, how long?

2. What should I do know? Should I answer those follow up questions, even though I am not seeking licensure in MA? That seems like a moot point. But it doesn't sit right with me that the MA board sent me questions and all they know is that I just didn't follow up. Do I need to do anything?

I'm still frustratingly trying to get answers with the MA board but as I'm doing so, I thought to ask this question in the forum in case anyone would know. Or could direct me to someone who would know.

Great, thanks. Jackie.

It might be that the easiest way to deal with this is to proactively send a registered letter to the board. Include all the information pertinent to what you have discussed, and mention that you have been attempting to resolve all issues but that nobody is responding. Should a problem arise later, you will have this letter in your file, and that should show that you attempted to do all that you could and you just became a person that fell through the cracks. But it is always nicer to have this on your side if you have to argue/defend an issue and often the failure of a party to respond to such an issue will be all that a rational third party needs to realize that the problem was not yours, and that the solution was beyond your ability to resolve.

[email protected]

 

[panzertanker]

I'm thinking this is a very "young" MD, one without a private practice. It is the only 'time' that I know that changing one's mind about moving one's MD license draws so much attention to incomplete application processes.

As I stated, I do not know MA requirements. I do know that an inexperienced MD who applies to change state's of licensure without changing area of practice or seeking to complete a fellowship causes 'red flags' to be raised and failing to answer follow-up questions, even having someone else contact the Board and say "hey, she's miscarried and will complete this later" reinforces the need for red flags.

That, is basically all of which I have any knowledge r/t changing states of licensure. That's one problem my ex didn't have!

EC

I understand the red flag issue, however, I am curious why it is a current issue when MA has not follwed up on a year old-incomplete application that needed clarification.
that is why I stated that I am unsure that clarification would be/is needed...

I do not disagree with sending a letter, but I do question whether the OP is a currently practicing MD...?

 

[ellencee]

I do question whether the OP is a currently practicing MD...?

Me, too. My dime is on "no".

EC

 

[panzertanker]

Me, too. My dime is on "no".

EC

It would explain the status change and the need to clear up her previous application in another state...

OP?

 

[lealea1005]

I understand the red flag issue, however, I am curious why it is a current issue when MA has not follwed up on a year old-incomplete application that needed clarification.
that is why I stated that I am unsure that clarification would be/is needed...

I do not disagree with sending a letter, but I do question whether the OP is a currently practicing MD...?

I'm kind of thinking that the issue has come up because she may be currently applying for a license in another state. Guess we'll have to wait to see if she comes back to the thread.

May be a letter (certified RRR) to the MA board stating she'd like to withdraw her application for licensure would be sufficient.

 

[tresdo]

follow up/incomplete licensure application/thanks

Hello all,

Thanks for all who responded. I appreciate that very much, especially since I still haven't' been able to get answers from the MA Board. I'm still trying, emailing and leaving messages. One contact forwards me to another to another and I somehow end up where I started.

I posted because I figured it wouldn't hurt to see if anyone had ideas on how I could get answers, other than just emailing or calling. It doesn't seem to be working.

And yes, I also had a question on whether there was a need for me to answer these follow up questions from the MA Board.

What happened was this, one year ago, I was toward the end of my fellowship training (so yes, young doc with no private practice experience; I've been in training all along); I had licensure in the state where I was doing my fellowship training. I was planning to be moving to another state for more sub-sub-specialty training. I started the process of licensure for this other state. Things were going well; then I lost my baby.

As I was in the hospital for an extended period of time before the miscarriage happened and was really out of it after my son's death, I wasn't aware of those follow up questions in a timely manner.

It's several months later. I am back in my fellowship training, to finish up for the time I missed. That sub-sub speciality opportunity in that other state is no longer available because I will have to make up the time I missed in my fellowship training. Therefore, right now, I don't need a license in MA since I will not be presently pursuing that sub-sub specialty training.

So it's seems like a moot point for me to answer those follow up questions since I will not be currently applying for a license in MA. Though, who knows? Maybe in the future, I'll actually land there for work. And in that case, I, of course, wouldn't want my not answering follow up questions to be a bigger issue than it is. I can answer the questions, though, I don't know where that gets me because I'm not looking for licensure in the state. And I didn't know if my not answering follow up questions would somehow 'harm' me in the future, when I apply for jobs or other states' licensure in the future. (Thanks for those who responded about that.)

I agree, I wish I could get answers about this via the MA Board. They obviously are ultimately the ones who would know the answers. You guys have been great. Thanks for the input.

I'm going to keep trying the Board and I think in the end, because of my lack of time and growing frustration, I just might answer the questions, attach a letter saying that while I'm answering the questions, I"m not interested in actually obtaining a license in that state. I'd love to request a hearing, but I'm in another state 1000 miles away. Sound good? Thoughts?

Thanks, everyone. Jackie

 

[lealea1005]

May be a letter (certified RRR) to the MA board stating she'd like to withdraw her application for licensure would be sufficient.

Tresdo, I must have been editing my post while you were typing....sorry. Good luck!