International medical school grads face an uphill battle when it comes to obtaining a medical license in the United States in general, and that is true in Hawaii as well. The multiple challenges include strict licensing exam requirements, highly competitive residency matches, and sometimes cultural and language barriers, plus the added financial burden of waiting for all of these to line up.
Figuring out the process for obtaining a medical license for yourself or a loved one as an international medical school grad student can sometimes be a complicated, bureaucratic, and often long and taxing process. But you don't have to do it alone. The Lento Law Firm is here to help. Call 888.535.3686 or schedule a consultation with the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team now.
Requirements For Obtaining a License
Obtaining a medical license for international medical school grads is a very different process depending on where you attended school. This, of course, doesn't mean the process is at all straightforward no matter where you graduated, but if you graduated from medical school in Canada your path towards obtaining your medical license as an international medical grad student will be much simpler.
If your medical school is located in Canada, the first thing you need to do is to make sure the school is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). In addition to that, you require one year of postgraduate training through a program accredited with one of the following:
- Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)
- College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)
After that, the next big hurdle in the path toward a Hawaii medical license is the licensing exam. The Hawaii Medical Board accepts these tests:
- National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME)
- Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX)
- United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)
- Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE)
Once you pass these tests, the state of Hawaii establishes two specific pathways to getting the medical license for international medical grad students, depending on whether the students completed residency training in a program accredited with the ACGME (United States), RCPSC (Canada), or CFPC (Canada) or didn't complete their medical education in the U.S. or Canada.
First pathway students, which are those who completed residency training in a program accredited with the ACGME (United States), RCPSC (Canada), or CFPC (Canada), will need the following to get their medical license:
- A valid medical school diploma
- Complete a two-year residency approved by one of the above-mentioned organizations.
- Earn certification with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE), or Fifth Pathway.
- Pass the USMLE, FLEX, NBME, or MCCQE
Second-pathway students, meaning those who didn't complete their medical education in the United States or Canada, have a much more complicated path to the medical license, including the following requirements:
- A valid medical school diploma
- Three years of postgraduate training at a healthcare facility approved by the Council on Medical Education and Hospitals
- A passing score on the FLEX or USMLE
You must wait till you've completed the residency to proceed with the application, and once you do, you must fill out the application, submit all the required paperwork, and pay the fee. As long as the Hawaii Medical Board is satisfied that you've presented them with all the proper information, your medical license should take no more than 45–60 days.
Like with every type of legal process, filing an application for a medical license can sometimes be a confusing and complicated process, even when you've completed all the necessary phases. The Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team can help you make sure you have followed every step of the process, and that you have all the documentation you need before you apply for the license so you aren't denied your license because of a technicality or because you are missing documentation. You already did the hard work; we can help you make sure this part of the process is as simple for you as possible.
The Pitfalls of Applying for A Medical License as An International Grad Student
Living in Hawaii feels like a dream scenario for anyone coming from outside of the United States, and in many ways, it is. However, there are many pitfalls to consider for you or a loved one as you go through the process of securing a medical license as an international graduate student, and those are as true in Hawaii as they are in any other part of the United States. Perhaps the biggest one is that, while you go through the process, you have to be in Hawaii physically and take into account not just the cost of living on the island but the cost it will take to complete your residence and then put together the paperwork you need to even apply for the license.
In general, the cost of living in Hawaii is quite high – about 84% higher than the national average if you are living in Honolulu, for example. The process is also not short; even in the best-case scenario, there's still a residency to be considered, so that's still years where that high cost of living has to be balanced out against what you stand to gain when you do get your license. For medical grad students on the second pathway, this is even more egregious, as the time they will have to spend on the island is considerably higher.
There are also some logistical problems to take into consideration, like the fact that Hawaii has a relatively small number of residency programs compared to larger states with more hospitals and a larger population, which automatically means there will be more competition for these positions. This means that even if you ace the exams on your first try, you aren't even guaranteed to get into any residency program right away, particularly if you are aiming for specialties where the competition is fiercer – and the high cost of living can take a toll, especially for those that are forced to wait longer.
Even if you do get into a residency program right away, like, for example, the one at Tripler Army Medical Center in Oahu, Hawaii, it's also worth considering that Hawaii's location, away from major medical centers, can also mean limited access to specialized training and continuing education opportunities for certain medical fields.
A lot of these issues cannot be fixed, as they are inherent to the medical field and Hawaii's location, but most of them can at least be minimized with the proper planning and the right information. The Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team can make sure you don't go into this process without understanding what you need to know to get your license as an international medical grad student and without all the tools you need to prepare for your future. Don't leave the rest of your life to chance; let the Lento Law Firm help you.
Most Frequent Problems
Obtaining a medical license in Hawaii as an international medical grad student can be a complex and challenging process. Some of the most common problems you can encounter can be summed into five different categories:
- Licensing and Exam-Related Problems: Getting your medical license involves taking multiple tests, which you not only have to pass but pass with high enough scores to guarantee admission in what is already a very competitive environment. The process of taking these tests involves dedicating time to study for them and scheduling them in a way that is favorable for you and gives you enough time between them, but that also doesn't end up being too much of a financial burden. Once those exams have been completed, you also have to procure an ECFMG certification, a process that can be time-consuming and often complex.
- Residency Problems: Like many other states, Hawaii has limited residency spots, making the process highly competitive when it comes to residency matches – particularly when it comes to specific specialties. This means that there's no certainty that you will be able to secure a placement on your first try, and if you don't, that is an added financial burden while you wait for another placement.
- Documentation Problems: When it comes time to apply for your medical license, the process of collecting all your medical school transcripts, residency certificates, and all the documentation you need can be not just time-consuming but also frustrating, and there is a high degree of probability that there will be mistakes in the documents that you might not even be able to catch because you don't have the knowledge to check for them.
- Financial Problems: The process of obtaining a medical license involves a significant financial investment, not just in Hawaii but in general. However, the state's high cost of living is a significant consideration, particularly considering the time investment required for an international medical grad student to obtain their medical license. The costs involved include not just living on the island while taking the exams but also during residency and applying for the medical license. They may include wait time during residency and applying for the medical license. They may include wait time during residency and applying for the medical license. They may include wait time during residency and applying for the medical license. They may include wait time during residency and applying for the medical license. They may include wait time during residency and applying for the medical license. They may include wait time during residency and applying for the medical license. However, it may include wait time between these things as well as any fees that need to be paid.
- Adjustment Problems: International medical grad students will always have to contend with issues of adjusting to a new culture, and depending on where they are coming from, sometimes even a new language. Depending on where you're coming from, Hawaii might represent a bigger adjustment than other parts of the United States.
Whether you just need the right information to be prepared, advice on how to handle a particular situation, or help with an application, the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team can help. We have helped many international medical grad students with their applications before, and we can make sure you are supported at every step of the process so you can focus on your studies and your career.
How the Lento Law Firm Can Help
As an international medical grad student, getting your license is anything but easy. There is a lot that goes into being able to practice medicine in the United States, particularly in Hawaii. The last thing you need is to be worried about trying to figure out every step of the process of applying for a license when you should be focusing on preparing for your exams and your residency.
The Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team can be with you at every step of the process of securing your medical license as an international medical grad student. That means we can advise you on what you will need to do from the moment you arrive to the moment you actually have the license in your hands, we can help you procure the documents you need, we can make sure you have all the proper documentation with you before you ever apply for the license, without any need for guessing games and we can even help you fill out the application so you are sure that when you submit it, everything is in order.
Getting a medical license is a long and complicated process that will require a lot of effort on your part. No amount of that effort on your part should go into the bureaucracy of how to get the license. Your job is learning how to take care of patients and how to be the best doctor possible. Let taking care of you and your license issues be ours. Call 888.535.3686 or fill out our contact form, and we will get in touch with you to schedule a consultation.
