- Must have good moral character.
- Provide the Illinois Medical Board with your U.S. social security number.
- Submit an online application for licensure with the required fee and other necessary forms to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR).
Criminal Background Check:
- Initial applicants must undergo a criminal background check.
- Must provide evidence of fingerprint processing from the Illinois State Police or its agent.
- Fingerprints should be transmitted to both the ISP and FBI for a background check.
- The ORI number for the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is IL920704Z, and the purpose code is PHY.
Fees:
- Licensure fee for Physician and Surgeon: $500 (non-refundable).
- Additional fees are applicable for exams, Federation Credentials Verification Service (FCVS), ECFMG certification reports, exam scores/reports, and Certifications of Licensure.
Education Requirements:
- Completion of a 6-year post-secondary study comprising:
- 2 years in a college or university.
- 4 years of medical education (2 years in basic medical sciences and 2 years in clinical sciences).
- Verification of ECFMG certification.
- Certification of Education (ED-NON form).
Experience Requirements:
- Postgraduate Training:
- 12 months of approved training if entered the program before or on December 31, 1987.
- 24 months of training if entered on or after January 1, 1988. Training should be in the U.S. or Canada.
- Applicants inactive for 2 years or more must submit documentation of Professional Capacity.
Examination Requirements:
- Acceptable exams are:
- US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Steps 1, 2, and 3.
- Examinations of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) Parts I, II, and III.
- Licensee of the Medical Council of Canada examination (LMCC).
What’s important to note is that how you fill out your application and provide the necessary documentation will play a role in licensure as well. How one physician goes about it can impact the process much more than they would anticipate. Here’s an overview of the steps you need to take depending on how you approach certain aspects of the application.
Options for Credential Verification
- Using the Federation Credentials Verification Service (FCVS):
- The FCVS is a standardized, centralized system for state licensing authorities and other entities to access a physician’s main credentials that have been verified at the source, streamlining the process of verifying and sending crucial documentation.
- Categories of Verified Documents You’ll Need:
- Identity
- Medical Education
- Examination History
- Board Action/Disciplinary History
- ECFMG Certification (if applicable)
- Verification by IDFPR:
- For those not using FCVS, the IDFPR needs proof of your compliance with each licensure requirement from the respective source (e.g., test agencies, employers).
- In the evaluation phase, official transcripts with the school seal and a photocopy of foreign documents are essential. Foreign language documents must come with an official, notarized English translation by someone other than the applicant. The translator’s certification is also necessary.
Application Requirements For Applicants Using FCVS:
U.S. or Canadian Medical School Graduates:
- FCVS Physician Information Profile
- Illinois Medical Application
- CCA form
- PH form
- VE-PC form
- Illinois licensure fee
- Official transcript of pre-medical education
- CT form
Foreign Medical College Graduates:
- All the above, plus…
- Proof of internship or social service completion (if applicable)
- ED-NON form
Applicants NOT Using FCVS:
For U.S. or Canadian Medical School Graduates:
- Illinois Medical Application
- CCA form
- PH form
- VE-PC form
- Illinois licensure fee
- Official transcript of pre-medical education and medical school diploma
- CT form
- Verification of Pass/Fail Examination History
- TN-MED form
For Foreign Medical College Graduates:
- All of the above, plus…
- Proof of internship or social service completion (if applicable)
- Verification of ECFMG certification
- ED-NON form
Additional Questions When Applying to the Medical Board in Illinois
The above information gives you a comprehensive overview of everything you need to have and every step you need to take when you’re applying for your permanent license. But you still might have questions, especially if you’re someone who already holds a medical license elsewhere or currently has another type of license in the state. Let’s clear up some of these questions to help you make sure you’re ready for permanent licensure.
How Long Does Licensure Take?
The Medical Board of Illinois doesn’t have an exact timeframe for licensure. However, some outside sources assert that obtaining a license can take around three to four months. What the Board has said, however, is that you can expedite the process by applying anywhere outside of March 15th to July 1st, which is when the Illinois Medical Board is going through temporary licenses. Additionally, make sure you make no mistakes as they can take around three to four weeks to rectify before your application is back on track.
Will I Need to Pursue Continued Education After I Receive My Medical License?
Yes. All physicians in Illinois will need to earn 150 hours of continuing medical education (CME) credit over a three-year re-licensure period, which will be required for renewal.
As of 2023, there are new CME requirements in place (all of which count toward the 150-hour renewal requirement). All physicians must meet CME requirements in four distinct areas, which include:
- Safe Opioid Prescribing Training: A 3-hour course for professionals with an Illinois Controlled Substance License, which covers faculty, advanced practice providers, and current GME trainees.
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Training: A 1-hour course mandatory for all professions licensed by the state needing continuing education for re-licensure.
- Recognizing Dementia: A 1-hour training for healthcare professionals dealing with patients aged 26 or older. This focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and care of individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
- Implicit Bias: A 1-hour course on identifying implicit bias in healthcare, meant for all licensed healthcare professionals.
How Does Having My Temporary License Affect Me?
While many of the requirements will be the same when you have a temporary license, there are some things you won’t have to provide due to already having an active license in the state, even if it isn’t a permanent one. Here’s some of the information that the Illinois Medical Board highlights in regard to getting your permanent medical license when you already have a temporary one.
All individuals with a temporary license are eligible for a permanent license once they complete 24 months of accredited clinical training and pass the qualifying examination (USMLE, COMLEX, or LMCC).
The required documentation for your permanent 036 license application includes:
- The 4-page application.
- PH Form.
- CCA Form.
- VE-PC.
- A fee of $500.
- TN-MED form (completed by your program director) certifying the successful completion of 24 months of accredited clinical training.
- Medical licensing exam transcripts (USMLE, COMLEX, LMCC). Transcripts should be sent to IDFPR directly from the source. If you send it yourself, it will be rejected and your application will be deficient until IDFPR receives the transcript from the official source.
- Fingerprint results from both the FBI and the Illinois State Police (ISP). Fingerprint results should not be older than 60 days from your application date.
As you’ll see from the above, many of the requirements to get your permanent license after you’ve already acquired your temporary license are the same. That being said, this is just a brief overview. Make sure to review all of the information provided in the sections above to make sure you have everything ready for your Illinois medical license application.
If you already have an active Temporary 125 license:
You don’t need to resubmit your educational transcripts. This applies to foreign graduates too. IDFPR will automatically transfer all the necessary pre-medical and medical school documents that were used for obtaining the Temporary 125 license.
If you have an active Temporary 125 license, you do not need to submit a licensure certification (CT).
If you’re applying for a Permanent 036 license by endorsement from outside Illinois:
- You May Need to Submit CT From Your Original Jurisdiction: Submit licensure certification from the place where you first got licensed. Illinois doesn’t count temporary, training, or limited licenses as original licensure, so no CTs are needed for these.
- You Will Need to Submit CT From Your Current Jurisdiction: This is where you’re currently practicing medicine. If you hold licenses from multiple states (like for Telemedicine or Locums), select the state where you live and/or actively practice. If the state you practice in differs from your home address on the application, provide clarification to prevent misunderstandings and delays.
- There Are Exceptions to the Rule: Licensure certifications (CTs) should come directly from the original source. If the CT comes from you, it will be rejected, except if you’re from Indiana or Kentucky. For these states, you can upload or mail the certification that you get from the state licensing website.
Wrapping it Up
Licensure isn’t always a straightforward process, and sifting through all of the information needed to successfully acquire your license can be difficult, to say the least. Fortunately, there are guides like this one that can boil down all of the essential information and provide you with an overview of what’s expected of you, regardless of whether you have a temporary license, currently have everything in place but have no license, or have a license in another state but wish to be licensed in Illinois as well.
Of course, it’s also important to consider which states you actually wish to practice in as moving and getting your license can be a timely endeavor. If you’re still trying to figure out where to establish yourself, take a look at our guide on the top 10 places to live and work and consult our Annual Physician Compensation Report to help with your decision.
Learn how to get licensed by other state boards in our Medical Licensing Library.Need help with something else?
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About the Author
Author: Betsy Rubendall
Last updated: September 5, 2023
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- Acceptable exams are:
- Postgraduate Training:
- Completion of a 6-year post-secondary study comprising: