A critical component for physicians, dentists, nurses, respiratory therapists and other healthcare practitioners is obtaining and keeping active in good standing your professional license to practice. In Georgia, the Georgia Composite Medical Board (“GCMB”) is the state licensing board which determines whether a license application of a physician, physician assistant, respiratory care professional, perfusionist, acupuncturists, orthotist, prosthetist, auricular detoxification specialist, resident trainee, cosmetic laser practitioner, pain management clinic and medical geneticist is granted and in good standing. The GCMB also is authorized to investigate and impose discipline as to practitioners who may be failing to comply with professional, ethical or other licensure standards. The Georgia Board of Dentistry and Georgia Board of Nursing serve similar roles for practitioners in those areas of healthcare.
One important part of applying for a professional license with a licensing board is completing and submitting timely and accurate documentation to support the application. Another is being prepared to impress the board at a personal interview in support of your license application. Here are some sound practices to remember when preparing for and participating in a board interview:
- Identify any circumstances in your background that may be concerning as the board members consider your application. Be ready to explain what happened and how you learned from mistakes. If you made a mistake in practice, be prepared to disclose what you did wrong, and share lessons learned from the experience and steps you have taken to avoid repeating a mistake. For example, if you had an incident of malpractice in your background, did you complete remedial training to improve your skills and avoid a similar outcome in the future? If you were placed on probation by a licensing body in the past, be prepared to describe the efforts you made to comply with the conditions of probation and return to good standing.