Why would a doctor have licenses in multiple states?

[CanBeGrumpy]

I know, this seems like a dumb question, but bear with me. I was given a recommendation to see a doctor, and as always, I look up the doctor's profile on our state dept. of health website. This particular doctor has licenses in 4 other states, and has only been practicing since 2001! It makes me wonder if he left the other states because of misdeeds or something! The only other thing I can think of is that he was a military doctor for a while? I don't know, but it really makes me uneasy when I see that a doctor has multiple licenses in different states, and has only been practicing a relatively short period of time. I'm sure someone on here will know the answer and put my fears to rest. I know there has to be a good explanation for this, but what is it? Who would want to move that much in 8 years, and try to get established as a doctor?

Thanks to anyone who can provide some insight. I know I must be overlooking something simple!

 

[golfgal]

Maybe he did his residency in one state, internship in another and fellowship in a 3rd and now lives in your state. That wouldn't be all that uncommon.

 

[booger73]

Very likely what golfgal said.. many do training in different areas.. perhaps they moved..
More importantly are they 1) board certified 2) have any state medical board 'actions' against them.. should be able to find out pretty easily

2001 is not a short time (that's 8 years).. so he/she has been through med school (4), residency (3-5 depending), and at least 8 years more..
Some people would argue that that doctor is also most up to date since they've completed training with the most recent 'tools/knowledge' as opposed to someone who might be 25-30 years out of training and might have more experience but 'stuck in the old ways'..

Everyone has their own preference of course..

(Also depends on the states, by the way.. some are very hard to get and undergo a big screening process (fingerprint, background check, etc, etc.. ex: FL, NC.. very tough)

 

[Hannathy]

Where I grew up 3 states all meet so it would be very easy to be in 3 states in one day and cover hospitals in all of them.

The training and residency questions also fits or maybe they went to school one state, really want to work in a certain state but there were no openings and took a job in your state for the time being. Sometimes it is easier to get your license out of school easier than waiting 10 years and they hope to move to one of those 4 states in the future so went ahead and got the license.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

My dh has is admitted to the Bar in three states. He applied for different jobs out of law school, and just in case made sure he was licensed where ever he might end up. He maintains them also because you don't know what the future holds.

It's very common for MD's to be licensed in several states as well.

 

[monkey68]

Also, it's possible he has an office in more than one place. One of our attendings is in our hospital in NY a couple times a week, but the rest of the week, he works at a hospital in Pennsylvania. It's not that big a deal to have a license in more than one state. Maybe he has family in those states and thought he might possibly be moving there some time. It's not that easy to apply for a license in some states (according to our toxicology lecturer who was trying to get a NJ license since he got offered a fabulous position in an ER there), so it could have been a "just in case" type of thing.

 

[clarabelle]

Also -the license can be time consuming to get -so once you get one -you keep it renewed just in case

 

[Cindy B]

I live near NJ, PA, DE. If you wanted to drive over an hour, you could wind up in NY or even MD.

It is not that uncommon.

 

[Kae]

My BIL has a National license. It covers all states.

Kae

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I have a friend who likes to travel, so she gets contract jobs of three to six months duration at a hospital or clinic. To the best of my knowledge she has licenses in Maine, Maryland, West Virginia, New Mexico, American Samoa, Montana and is currently working in Alaska.

 

[MineMail]

I know a lot of health professionals that are certified in more than one state, because they plan for the future.

A friend of mine is a therapist from NY, but knew she wanted to move to either Connecticut or Colorado when she finished her degree. She passed the certification test in all three states, which made her instantly employable in any of them. She worked in NY for some time, then moved to Connecticut for several years. When a national accreditation was offered, she took and passed the test after studying very hard. She said it was easier when she was still doing schoolwork. It paid off because after a family crisis, she relocated to a different state entirely.

I also know a pediatrian who was from one state, did her internship in another state, and married a man from a third state. She was really smart to take the boards in all three states since it made it possible for her to move nearer to her parents, who help with the grandchildren.

I think you're jumping to conclusions thinking there's something wrong with the doctor.

 

[postage stamp]

My husband;s grandfather lives on the Iowa/Minnesota border, so he's licensed in both states. And he has a winter house in AZ, so he's licensed there as well. Not uncommon at all.

 

[maelstrom]

At one time, my mom held nursing licenses in Florida, New York, and Hawaii because she moved somewhat frequently. My cousin was a traveling nurse and held licenses in Arizona, Ohio, Florida, and Washington. Where we live now in the New York tri-state area, I could easily see why a medical professional would hold licenses in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey because of how close we are.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Many reasons...

1. He lived in other states previously and keeps up his old licensure in case he moves back (as another poster said, lawyers often do the same thing). Doctors move around, and may do so frequently towards the beginning of their careers.

2. He has multiple homes he lives in throughout the year (snowbirds, for instance).

3. Telemedicine. That means he practices over the internet and can be sitting in his living room in New York while monitoring a patient in Tulsa. However, he needs to be licensed in OK to do so.

4. He's a military doctor.

5. He lives close to the border of several states and is on the medical staff of hospitals in each.

6. He has investment interests in medical corporations in other states which require all the owners to have licensure within the state.

There are other reasons too, these are just the most common ones I could come up with.

 

[AKL_Megs]

2. He has multiple homes he lives in throughout the year (snowbirds, for instance).

Yep! My dentist has three offices and three sets of associates... one here in Detroit (where he calls "home"), one in Las Vegas (where he has a house and goes for major holiday months... from about now through January), and another in Naples (where he goes in the winter.)