Massachusetts Medical License

Massachusetts Medical Board

Contact information

Address: 200 Harvard Mill Square, Suite 330,
Wakefield, MA 01880
Phone: (781) 876-8200
TTY: (781) 876-8395
Consumer Hotline: (800) 377-0550

Things you need to know

• Application fee is $600.
• Full License Renewal: $600.00.
• Lapsed License Renewal: $700.00.
• Reactivation from Retirement: $700.00.
• Limited License: $100.00.
• Temporary License: $250.00.
• An existing FCVS profile must be updated.
• Massachusetts medical license application may be downloaded online.

License requirements

Mass board of medicine states the following requirements:

• Be 18 years of age or older.
• Possess Good Moral Character.
• Pre-Medical Education: Completion of two or more academic years at a legally chartered college or university, which must include courses in biology, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and physics, or their equivalent as determined by the Board.
• Medical Education: Completion of four academic years of instruction, of not less than thirty-two weeks in each academic year, in a legally chartered medical school, and receipt of the degree of doctor of medicine or its equivalents from a school accredited by the LCME or AOA.
• International medical graduates only: Receipt of a degree of doctor of medicine, or its equivalent from a program determined by the Board to be substantially equivalent to the medical school programs accredited by the LCME/AOA.
• IMG – Off-Site Clinical Rotations/Substantial Equivalency Waiver: IMG’s who completed more than 3 months of any medical school clinical study off-site of their medical school and without supervision by the medical school faculty must submit a request for a waiver of substantial equivalency of medical education.
• The Board has determined the medical education received at the following schools is substantial equivalent to that of an LCME/AOA accredited medical school. Graduates of these schools do not need to request a waiver of substantial equivalency: St. George’s University School of Medicine; SABA University; Ross University School of Medicine; The American University of the Caribbean.
• To be eligible for a waiver of substantial equivalency, an applicant must meet, at a minimum, the following requirements: 1) have held a full license in another state for at least two years. Any time spent in postgraduate training cannot be used towards calculation of this two year requirement; 2) be board certified by ABMS or AOA; and 3) must have passed all Steps of the USMLE or all Levels of the COMLEX within 7 years.
• Postgraduate Medical Education: U.S. or Canadian medical school graduates: Completion of two (2) years of ACGME, AOA or Canadian accredited postgraduate medical training. International medical school graduates: Completion of three (3) years of ACGME, AOA or Canadian accredited postgraduate medical training.

ECFMG Certificate: International medical graduates only. Possession of an ECFMG certificate which is valid on its face and valid as of the date of licensure.

Examination requirements:

• USMLE Steps 1, 2 and 3 or COMLEX Levels 1, 2 and 3;
• 7 Year Time Limit: All Steps of the USMLE and all Levels of the COMLEX must be completed within 7 years. The Board may, in certain circumstances, grant a waiver of the 7 year time limit.

• Step/Level Attempt Limit: Each Step/Level must be passed by the 4th attempt. No waiver is available for applicants that did not pass a Step/Level by the 4th attempt.
• Step 3/Level 3 Attempt Limit: If an applicant failed Step 3/Level 3 on the 3rd attempt, he/she must complete a year of ACGME/AOA postgraduate training prior to his/her 4th attempt. The Board may, in certain circumstances, grant a waiver of this requirement.
• FLEX Components 1 and 2;
• NBME Parts I, II and III;
• All parts of the MCCQE;
• A state examination given prior to June 19, 1970.

Help applying to Massachusetts medical licenses

State description

Massachusetts and its cities have consistently ranked high in comparison charts and lists of the best places to live in America. A wide variety of indicators testify to the high quality of life in this state. Among the main achievements of Massachusetts, experts specify quality education, a strong social protection and health care system and high rates of economic development.