Rhode Island faces a significant shortage of physicians, making it an even better state in which to begin a medical practice than its other attractions suggest. Physicians in Rhode Island are retiring faster than the state can attract their replacements when the state is already short dozens or even hundreds of physicians. Between one quarter and one half of Rhode Island residents lack access to primary care physician services. The Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline thus encourages your license application. The Board won't, though, relax its medical licensing exam requirements. You must resolve your NBME, USMLE, FLEX, or other medical licensing exam issues to get your Rhode Island medical license. Call 888.535.3686 or use our contact form now to retain the Lento Law Firm's premier Student Defense Team to address and resolve your license issues. Our attorneys are available in Providence, East Providence, North Providence, Warwick, West Warwick, Cranston, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, Cumberland, Coventry, South Kingstown, North Kingstown, Johnston, Newport, and across the rest of Rhode Island for your skilled and experienced representation before the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure, addressing your licensing exam issues.
Rhode Island Medical Practice Rewards
Besides its beautiful Atlantic seaboard natural environment, great culture and history, and attractive residential areas, Rhode Island offers new physicians the sophisticated healthcare system to support a thriving medical practice. Rhode Island's leading hospitals and healthcare facilities include Providence's Rhode Island Hospital, Miriam Hospital, Roger Williams Medical Center, and Women & Infants Hospital, North Providence's Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, Warwick's Kent Hospital, Wakefield's South County Hospital, Woonsocket's Landmark Medical Center, the Westerly Hospital in Westerly, and the Newport Hospital in Newport. Healthcare education programs in the state, including the M.D. program at Alpert Medical School of Brown University, the R.N. program at Johnson & Wales University, and EMT and other healthcare technician programs at Community College of Rhode Island and the New England Institute of Technology, offer teaching, research, recruiting, and networking opportunities. A Rhode Island medical practice is worth your pursuit and investment. Don't lose it to medical licensing exam issues. Get our help.
Rhode Island Medical Licensing Authority
Under Rhode Island General Law 5-37-1.3, the Rhode Island legislature empowered the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline to license physicians for practice in the state. Under Rhode Island General Law 5-37-2 restricts authority to practice medicine in the state to only those physicians who hold a valid Board of Medical Licensure license. Board of Medical Licensure Rule 216-RICR-40-05-1.3.1 repeats that you must not practice medicine in Rhode Island without the Board's license. Rhode Island General Law 5-37-12 defines unauthorized practice of medicine as a crime punishable by up to three years imprisonment and a $1,000 fine. You have no option other than to satisfy the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure's requirements, including resolving your medical licensing exam issues, if you wish to practice medicine in Rhode Island. We can help you address your medical licensing exam issues.
Rhode Island License Application Requirements
Rhode Island General Law 5-37-2 expressly requires that a physician desiring to obtain a medical license must present satisfactory evidence of meeting all qualifications of the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure. The same statute requires that you pay the fee when applying by the Board of Medical Licensure process. Board of Medical Licensure Rule 216-RICR-40-05-1.5.1 expressly requires that you apply on the Board's form, attesting to your information and supplying the required documentation. Take great care in completing, correcting, and updating your Rhode Island license application. The Board of Medical Licensure may assume that errors or even misleading omissions in your application are your deliberate attempts to defraud the Board into granting you a license. Especially take care in updating your application with developments in your medical licensing status. Do not lose your opportunity for a license to credential fraud charges. Let us help you review and update your license application and communicate with Board officials about any anomalies.
Rhode Island Medical Licensure Requirements
Rhode Island General Law 5-37-2 states the general requirements for medical licensure. Those requirements include graduation from an approved medical school program, satisfying the Board of Medical Licensure's postgraduate training requirements, and passing a medical licensing exam that the Board approves and requires. General Law 5-37-2 does not further detail those general requirements, instead expressly leaving those details to the Board of Medical Licensure's rules. Rhode Island General Law 5-37-4 adds that the Board must deny a license to any physician who does not show good moral character, has violated laws relating to the profession, or has committed unprofessional conduct in another state. Board of Medical Licensure Rule 216-RICR-40-05-1.4.1 confirms these general requirements, requiring two years of medical residency and a good moral character. Evidence that you committed unprofessional conduct, such as with credential fraud, immoral conduct, or felony conviction, as Rhode Island General Law 5-37-5.1 defines, may lead to license denial. You will likely need to authorize a criminal background check and complete other authorizations and verifications to satisfy the general licensure requirements. We can help you address any issues that arise in the course of your meeting or attempting to meet these general requirements.
Rhode Island Medical Licensing Exam Requirements
As indicated above, Rhode Island General Law 5-37-2, stating the general requirements for medical licensure, does not specify which medical licensing exams the Board of Medical Licensure may or must approve, instead leaving that question to Board rule. Board of Medical Licensure Rule 216-RICR-40-05-1.4.1, while confirming the statutory general requirement for passing a Board-approved licensing exam, does not specify the exam. The Federation of State Medical Boards indicates that Rhode Island requires allopathic physicians to pass the USMLE step exams and osteopathic physicians to pass the COMLEX. The same information indicates that Rhode Island limits USMLE attempts to three for each step exam. Rhode Island's three attempts limit is lower than the USMLE's own four attempts limit. We can help you address any issues with whether your medical licensing exam path satisfies the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure's requirements. The Board may also have a process for special approval of alternative licensing exam paths. We can help you invoke that process to resolve your medical licensing exam issues.
Rhode Island Medical Licensing Exam Issues
The above Rhode Island general laws and Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure administrative rules on the required medical licensing exam can raise any number of hard issues. We understand your frustration over resolving administrative issues. We also know the rules, protocols, and procedures to resolve those issues. Passing the USMLE step exams is hard enough not to have to face other complicating circumstances. Let us help. In our experience, medical licensing exam issues typically arise around the following: (1) trying to qualify for the exam; (2) trying to pass each exam step within attempt limits; (3) facing cheating charges; (4) suffering disqualification for anomalous exam performance; (5) suffering disqualification for an invalidated exam score; or (6) having extenuating circumstances interfere with an exam attempt. The following sections address each of these issues.
Rhode Island Licensing Exam Qualification Issues
USMLE officials don't just let medical students and graduates show up to take the exam. Instead, the USMLE has a relatively rigorous application and qualification process that in some ways mirrors the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure application process. Applying for your medical license and applying to take the USMLE can go hand in hand. You certainly need to coordinate your information so that it is consistent across both applications. The USMLE's Bulletin of Information lists exam qualification requirements. Credential fraud issues can arise when you represent your qualifications to the USMLE, just as they can arise when you represent your qualifications to the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure. Beware these common issues applying to the USMLE to take your step exams:
- internally inconsistent application statements or statements externally inconsistent with your documentation;
- your failure to provide complete, accurate, verified, certified, or otherwise unauthenticated documentation;
- a record of your medical school academic failure, lack of good standing, or discipline for unprofessionalism;
- a record of unresolved medical school academic progress issues or disciplinary charges;
- notice of accreditation issues at your medical school during your enrollment;
- records of your medical residency program termination, nonrenewal, or unprofessionalism;
- a record of a disqualifying criminal conviction or domestic violence restraining order;
- a record of mental or physical impairment, or substance abuse, dependency, or addiction;
- inadequate state or federal photographic identification or inadequate documentation of citizenship or lawful immigrant status.
How We Address Exam Qualification Issues:
Several of the above issues have to do with documentation problems. Our attorneys know how to work with your medical school registrar, residency program director, immigration officials, court clerks, and other recordkeepers to get the proper documentation to USMLE officials in the right form. If instead you have unresolved school or residency issues, we can invoke those programs' protective procedures to help you promptly address and resolve those issues. We can then help you get the updated and corrected records into the hands of USMLE officials. At the same time, we can communicate with Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure officials, keeping them informed of our diligent efforts so that they do not close your license application file prematurely, denying you a license.
Rhode Island Medical Licensing Exam Attempt Limits
Your next challenge after qualifying for the USMLE is to pass the exam within attempt limits. You are not alone if you have failed a step exam even more than once. Medical students and graduates often make early attempts, before full preparation, to help them gauge how much preparation is really necessary to save time to devote to other pressing studies or residency duties. But if you exhaust all three attempts at any USMLE step exam, you will have run afoul of the three-attempts limit Rhode Island imposes, according to the Federation of State Medical Boards, even though the USMLE permits four attempts for each step exam. You may not even have known that you would seek licensure in Rhode Island when you took your first USMLE step exams, using more than Rhode Island's allowable three attempts. Exhausting your attempts limit could mean disqualification from licensure.
How We Address Exam Attempt Limits:
If you exhaust the Rhode Island three attempts limit on any one of its step exams but have already passed the exam on the fourth attempt that the USMLE policy allows, we may be able to gain special dispensation from the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure to accept your passing score. The likelihood of relief is better with the earlier Step 1 and Step 2 exams, insofar as several jurisdictions limit Step 3 attempts but not attempts on the earlier step exams. Alternatively, we may be able to get you an extra attempt under the USMLE's extenuating circumstances policy. That policy allows us to show that something untoward happened to you that kept you from appearing for a scheduled exam counted as a failed attempt or an exam you began but could not complete. Extenuating circumstances include things like sudden illness, accident, or injury.
Rhode Island Licensing Exam Irregular Behavior Issues
Allegations that you cheated are another issue that you may face, like other examinees whose conduct looks suspicious, whether innocent or not. Of course, exam proctors watch closely for cheating in or around the exam room. But USMLE rules also encourage examinees to report suspected cheating by other examinees. You may see a surprise cheating allegation come straight out of left field. USMLE officials address cheating allegations under an irregular behavior policy found in the USMLE Bulletin of Information, which lists these cheating examples:
- disrupting an exam site by disobeying or interfering with test center staff members;
- refusing to cooperate with a USMLE investigation or interfering with an investigation;
- having an impostor take your exam or taking an exam as an impostor for another;
- giving answers to another examinee during an exam or getting answers from another;
- taking unauthorized materials or devices into the exam room or taking confidential exam materials out of the exam room;
- telling licensing officials you passed the exam when you failed or are qualified for a retake when you aren't qualified, or attempting to register after exam disqualification.
How We Address Irregular Behavior Charges:
Our attorneys can invoke the adjudication process that the USMLE Office of the Secretariat offers along with the notice of irregular behavior. Once we invoke the process, we can help you gather and present your evidence that you did not cheat. That evidence may include your attestation and explanation, computer forensics analysis, handwriting analysis, affidavits of other witnesses, and evidence of your strong academic record and good character. We can also challenge the incriminating evidence as the adjudication hearing rules allow. We will also keep the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure informed of our diligent efforts to keep your license application file open.
Rhode Island Anomalous Exam Performance Issues
USMLE officials also review exam scores to disqualify examinees whose score is so low as to indicate that the examinee lacked the education or refused to put forward the effort to pass the exam. Under the USMLE's anomalous performance policy, exam officials may disqualify an unprepared student from making further attempts at the exam. They may also disqualify examinees who appeared to have entered the exam room without intending to put forward the earnest effort necessary to pass the exam. That circumstance may suggest to exam officials that the examinee was in the room to help another examinee cheat or to reproduce exam questions for distribution after the exam. USMLE officials may notify the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure of your anomalous performance disqualification with the result of a rejected license application.
How We Address Anomalous Exam Performance:
The USMLE does not offer a formal adjudication process for anomalous performance disqualification. To overcome your anomalous exam performance, we may be able to open informal channels for communication through which to present evidence of why you performed anomalously. You may have had a sudden illness, mistakenly skipped exam questions, or incorrectly entered your correct answers. We may also be able to show your strong record of MCAT and medical school exam performance, proving your medical knowledge and qualifications. Affidavits of your good character from medical professors or other respected sources may further address and resolve USMLE concerns while we keep Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure officials informed of our progress.
Rhode Island Invalidated Exam Score Issues
Perhaps surprisingly, USMLE officials also analyze exam scores for scores well beyond the normal distribution for high scores. Exam officials may construe from a perfect or very high score that the examinee had access to the questions in advance or had assistance in the exam room from materials or devices. If other examinees in the same room or taking the same exam had identical high scores, then exam officials may further construe wrongdoing through cooperation. An invalidated score policy enables USMLE officials to withhold the unusually high passing score and disqualify the examinee from further attempts, triggering notice to the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure to reject the examinee's license application.
How We Address Invalidated Exam Scores:
In the absence of a formal adjudication process to challenge an invalidated score, our attorneys must open informal channels of communication with USMLE officials. Through those informal channels, we may be able to present evidence that you are simply very good at standardized exams, using your MCAT and medical school exams to prove so. We may also be able to get affidavits from medical school professors and other academic officials regarding your strong academic and exam preparation skills and good academic character. Our goal would be to get you another attempt, at which you could prove your capability to pass the exam again without undue advantage, under close monitoring. We would keep the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure informed at the same time.
Rhode Island Medical Board Response to Exam Issues
It is indeed critical that you keep Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure officials informed of your progress resolving your USMLE medical licensing exam issues. Board officials have statutory and administrative obligations to process license applications diligently. Their protocols generally don't let them just keep application files open indefinitely without good reason. Our appearance and efforts on your behalf to resolve your issues should supply Board officials with all the explanation they need to keep your file open. If they close your file, you would likely have to reapply on a new application cycle, potentially costing you not just the time, trouble, and expense of a second application but the delay by months or even potentially years of your licensing. Better to keep your file updated and open. We can help you do so.
Rhode Island Administrative Review Procedures
If, instead, the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure has already closed your application file prematurely, we may be able to advocate successfully with Board officials to reopen the file on our assurances that we are addressing your USMLE medical licensing exam issues with a substantial likelihood of favorable resolution. Rhode Island General Law 5-37-7 permits an aggrieved applicant to appeal the decision to refuse a license to the Rhode Island superior court for judicial review of the decision. We can take your appeal while advocating with Board officials for their voluntary application for reinstatement.
Premier Rhode Island Medical Licensing Exam Defense
The Lento Law Firm's premier Student Defense Team is available across Rhode Island to address your USMLE medical licensing exam issues, to help you promptly qualify for a Rhode Island Board of Medical Examiners license. Our attorneys help hundreds of students and graduates across Rhode Island and nationwide with their professional licensing issues and related school issues. Call 888.535.3686 or use our contact form now to retain our skilled and experienced attorneys.
