Careers

From entry-level jobs to student opportunities to full career paths, the Medical Board of California (Board) and the State of California offer a wide variety of opportunities for job applicants.

Career Opportunities

From entry-level jobs to student opportunities to full career paths, the Medical Board of California (Board) and the State of California offer a wide variety of opportunities for job applicants. The Board and the State offer comprehensive benefits for its employees, who provide essential and exceptional service to millions of Californians every day. The Board is supported by the Health Quality Investigation Unit who employ sworn law enforcement investigators to investigate alleged violations of the law, and medical consultants and expert reviewers who review complaints and assist in investigations.

Investigator Careers

The Health Quality Investigation Unit (HQIU) was established in July 2014 per Senate Bill 304, which transferred all investigative staff from the Medical Board of California to the Department of Consumer Affairs. HQIU is responsible for the investigations for the Board and related healing art boards. HQIU has 13 field offices located in Southern California, Northern California, the Bay Area, and the Central Valley.

 View Brochure for Division of Investigation

Medical Board Careers

The Medical Board of California is the state agency responsible for the licensure and regulation of physicians and surgeons and certain allied health care professionals. As an equal opportunity employer, offering careers and opportunities for advancement, the Board employs over 160 permanent, full-time employees to perform the day-to-day business operations.

Learn More About Medical Board Careers

The Medical Board of California (Board) is an equal opportunity employer, providing equal opportunity to all regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age or sexual orientation. The Board offers careers and opportunities for advancement.

The Board is the state agency responsible for the licensure and regulation of physicians and surgeons and certain allied health care professionals. The Board protects the public by:

  • setting standards for education and training required for licensure and investigating complaints against licensees;
  • providing information about its responsibilities and activities to the public by telephone, in writing and on the Internet, including detailed information about its licensees; and
  • taking appropriate disciplinary action against licensees and unlicensed persons found guilty of violating the Medical Practice Act or other laws.

For the Board to carry out its mandated responsibilities, it employs over 160 permanent, full-time employees. The Board also employs physicians as civil service employees to assist in its licensing program and as expert reviewers to assist the Board by providing expert reviews and opinions on Board cases and conducting professional competency exams.


Job Vacancies:

The Board's job vacancies are listed through the California Department of Human Resources' CalCareers website.

Vacancies in CalCareers are available only to individuals who have eligibility based on:

  • successful completion of a competitive state civil service examination; or
  • current employment with the State of California in a class which is comparable under transfer rules; or
  • previous employment with the State of California in a class that is comparable under reinstatement rules.
 View Jobs at the Medical Board

Consultants and Reviewers

The Medical Board of California employs and contracts with expert reviewers and medical consultants to assist as critical components of the Board's investigative team. Physicians perform functions such as providing expert reviews and opinions on Board cases, evaluating received complaints, and conducting professional competency exams, physical exams, and psychiatric exams.

Consultant and Reviewer Opportunities for Physicians

Physicians are a critical component to the Medical Board of California (Board) investigative team, as the Board bases its disciplinary actions on the opinions of physicians and not Board staff. There are employment opportunities for physicians who are interested in assisting the Board where they can observe directly how Board staff review complaints, gather evidence and reach case resolution. There are three distinct roles physicians play in Board investigations: Central Complaint Unit (CCU) Medical Consultant, District Office Medical Consultant, and Medical Expert Reviewer.

Explore each of the tabs below to learn more about consultant and reviewer opportunities.

The Board's investigations are performed by the Department of Consumer Affairs Health Quality Investigation Unit (HQIU). The HQIU has district offices across the state. Each HQIU district office is staffed with investigators, a supervising investigator, a deputy attorney general, clerical support staff, and one or more medical consultants.

The district office medical consultants are board-certified physicians who work side-by-side with investigators to assist in evaluating the case evidence as it is received. They may be asked to do the following: research new medical procedures and/or drugs; review and comment on medical records; be present during interviews with physicians to assist in medical discussions; write memoranda; and assist in obtaining medical expert reviewers. Medical consultants are occasionally required to testify in court; however, most of their duties are performed in the district office.

Requirements for participating in this program are:

  1. A current, valid medical license issued by the Board with no complaints within the last three years, no pending accusations, or prior enforcement or disciplinary action;
  2. Five years of experience within the last seven years in the practice of medicine and surgery or in one of the specialties, excluding internship and postgraduate training; and
  3. Five years of experience performing research or working in fields related to medical issues.

Physicians employed in this capacity are civil service employees. They must apply through the California Department of Human Resources process, be interviewed and placed on a statewide list. They work varied hours as permanent-intermittent employees, receiving an hourly wage and certain state benefits.

Those who are interested in this career opportunity can contact the Health Quality Investigation Unit's personnel office or obtain information through the California Department of Human Resources CalHR.ca.gov, or search for available career opportunities at CalCareers.ca.gov.

Board certified physicians are needed in all specialty areas to assist the Board by providing expert reviews and opinions on Board cases and conducting professional competency exams, physical exams, and psychiatric exams. Medical experts are asked to review case materials gathered in the course of an investigation and provide a written opinion describing the standard of care applicable to a given case at a given point in time. Then they must clearly articulate whether the physician's care under review fell below the standard, and if so, to what degree. Medical experts are expected to be willing to testify in court to their opinions.

Requirements for participating in this program are:

  1. A current, valid medical license issued by the Board with no complaints within the last three years, no pending accusations, or prior enforcement or disciplinary action;
  2. Board certification in one of the 24 ABMS specialties (the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the American Board of Pain Medicine, the American Board of Sleep Medicine, and the American Board of Spine Surgery are also recognized) with a minimum of three years of practice in the specialty area after obtaining board certification;
  3. An active practice (defined as at least 80 hours a month in direct patient care, clinical activity, or teaching, at least 40 hours of which is in direct patient care); and
  4. The willingness to testify.

Participating physicians are reimbursed $150 per hour for conducting case reviews and oral competency exams, $200 an hour for providing expert testimony, and usual and customary fees for physical or psychiatric exams. If you are interested in providing services to the Board, please complete an application and submit an updated curriculum vitae.

For additional information contact the Board's Medical Expert Program at MBCMedicalExpertProgram@mbc.ca.gov, or visit the Medical Expert Reviewer page.

 View Brochure for the Expert Reviewer Program

Physicians are utilized as "consultants" by the Board's Central Complaint Unit (CCU) on a contract basis to review incoming complaints. The consultants are not considered to be civil service or "employees" of the Board but instead are considered "independent contractors." As such, the relationship between the medical consultant/independent contractor and the Board may be terminated by either party at any time.

 Learn more about the Medical Consultant Program

Why work for the State of California?

The State of California offers many opportunities, generous benefits, and career development to its more than 230,000 employees.

The state offers a wide variety of careers and jobs, ranging from accounting to zoology. The services they provide are truly essential to the people of California. In public service, you will spend every day doing work that is vital to your state and your community providing essential and exceptional service to millions of Californians every day.

The state offers its employees generous benefits that include retirement and savings plans, health and dental insurance, and access to long-term disability and long-term care insurance. You will also earn vacation and sick leave, and may be able to create a flexible schedule that fits the demands of your life.

Additionally, the state provides on-the-job training and professional development, and many positions do not require previous experience or a degree. Advancement opportunities are open to you, and you maintain your benefits if you switch jobs or state departments.

Select a search option below to begin searching State of California jobs on CalCareers.ca.gov.