Postgraduate Training Licensees
A Postgraduate Training License is issued to an individual who has graduated from an approved medical school, passed all required examinations, has not completed 36 months of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) postgraduate training, and is enrolled in an approved California residency program.
COVID19 Response - United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) recently decided to discontinue Step 2 CS.
To meet the minimum examination requirement for a PTL, you must have taken and passed Steps 1 and 2CK of the USMLE or all parts of the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC).
To transition from a PTL to a physician’s and surgeon’s license, you must have taken and passed all steps of the USMLE.
Note: If you have previously submitted official scores verifying passage of all parts of the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC) examination, no further action is required.
COVID19 Response - Temporary Waiver Extending the Deadline to Obtain a Postgraduate Training License
On Monday, March 30, 2020, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-39-20, giving the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) the authority to waive professional licensing requirements for the healing arts boards under DCA during the COVID-19 State of Emergency.
DCA Waiver DCA-21-168 extends the deadline to August 31, 2021, for all residents who were initially enrolled in an approved postgraduate training program in California between June 1, 2020, and July 31, 2020, and who are required to obtain a PTL from the Medical Board of California (Board) within 180 days of their enrollment to practice medicine pursuant to Business and Professions Code section 2064.5, subdivisions (a) and (e).
This temporary waiver does not apply to any CME, training, or examination required pursuant to a disciplinary order against a license.
Furthermore, DCA-21-167 extends the deadline to August 31, 2021, for all residents who were enrolled in an approved postgraduate training program in California on January 1, 2020, and who were required to obtain a PTL by June 30, 2020, to practice medicine pursuant to Business and Professions Code (BPC) section 2064.5, subdivisions (e) and (f).
All PTL applicants must comply with any and all other requirements necessary to be considered for a PTL, including completing and submitting the required application forms and supporting documents to the Board.
If the resident fails to obtain a PTL on or before June 30, 2021, or the Board denies the application, the resident must cease all clinical training in California.
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