| License Description |
Occupational Description
An Osteopathic Physician and/or Surgeon is a person who has earned the degree of D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine).
They are qualified in the diagnosis or treatment of diseases, ailments, pain, deformity, or any physical or mental condition or injury of human beings.
Licensure Requirements
U.S. or Canadian medical graduates must meet the following requirements:
1. Have graduated from an accredited school or college of medicine;
2. Have successfully completed one year of approved graduate medical education;
3. Have successfully passed a licensing examination;
4. Have met one of the following within the three years immediately preceding the application for licensure:
A. Have been in the active practice of the profession of medicine and/or surgery in some other state, a territory, the District of Columbia, or Canada for a period of one year;
-OR-
B. Have had at least one year of approved graduate medical education;
-OR-
C. Have completed at least 75 hours of Category 1 continuing medical education;
-OR-
D. Have completed a refresher course in medicine and surgery approved by the Medical Board.
Foreign medical school graduates must meet the following requirements:
1. Submit official documentation showing:
A. Successful completion of three years of approved graduate medical education;
B. Successful passage of a licensing examination
2. Provide documentation of one of the following:
A. A permanent certificate by the Educational Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG);
-OR-
B. Successful completion of a program of American medical training designated as the Fifth Pathway and passage of the ECFMG Examination.
3. Have met one of the following within the three years immediately preceding the application for licensure:
A. Have been in the active practice of the profession of medicine and/or surgery in some other state, a territory, the District of Columbia, or Canada for a period of one year;
-OR-
B. Have had at least one year of approved graduate medical education;
-OR-
C. Have completed at least 75 hours of Category 1 continuing medical education;
-OR-
D. Have completed a refresher course in medicine and surgery approved by the Medical Board.
Applications for licensure are based on all or parts of the following licensing examinations:
United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE);
Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX);
National Boards of Medical Examiners (NBME);
National Boards of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME);
Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination;
Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC).
A score of 75% must be achieved on all steps of the examination. The score must be achieved within four attempts on each step, and all steps must be passed within 10 years of passing the first examination. An applicant who fails to pass any part of the examination within four attempts must have completed one additional year of postgraduate medical education at an accredited school of medicine.
All applicants are also required to pass a fingerprint criminal background check.
If the applicant is going to prescribe controlled substances, he or she needs to provide proof of their federal DEA registration.
If an applicant has completed education, training, or service that they believe is substantially similar to the education required for this credential while they were a member of the armed forces of the United States, active or reserve, the National Guard of any state, the military reserves of any state, or the naval militia of any state, they may submit such evidence with their application for review. The department, with the recommendation of the appropriate board, will review to determine if the education, training or services are substantially similar and will provide advisement as to whether they can be used toward the education required for the credential.
Additional Medical Licensing Types for Special Circumstances-
Physician Locum Tenens- May be issued by the Department, with the recommendation of the Board, to an individual who holds an active license to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery in another state when circumstances indicate a need for the issuance of a physician locum tenens in the State of Nebraska.
Temporary Educational Permit (TEP) for medicine and surgery- Permits the holder to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or any of their allied specialties in a supervised educational program approved by the Nebraska Board of Medicine and Surgery.
Physician Temporary Visiting Faculty Permit (TVFP) for medicine and surgery- Can be issued to any person who is serving as a member of the faculty of an accredited hospital, school, or college of medicine in Nebraska.
Fees
License Fee- $300.00, or $75.00 if initial license is obtained within 180 days prior to the next expiration date. Fingerprint Processing Fee- $45.25 (Paid directly to the Nebraska State Patrol) Patient Safety Cash Fund Fee - establishes 50 added to initial and renewal licenses to support the Patient Safety Cash Fund Fee. Additional information will be made available on the DHHS website: https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Pages/Medicine-and-Surgery.aspx
Renewal
Renewal is required biennially by October 1 of even-numbered years, regardless of when the licensewas issued.Fifty hours of Category 1 AMA-approved continuing education are required to qualify for renewal. NEW 2020 CONTINUING COMPETENCY REQUIREMENT:ATTENTION: All Physicians who prescribe controlled substances:Requirement: 3 hours of the 50 hours of Category 1 CE (continuing education) are required to be on thesubject of opioids and .5 hours of the 3 hours are required to be on the subject of the PDMP(Prescription Drug Monitoring Program).You can visit any or all the below links for CE hours regarding opioids and the PDMP:Pain Management Guidance at: http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Drug-Overdose-Prevention-PainManagement.aspx (The assessments for the section are on this page). Pain Management Guidance Main Video - https://youtu.be/RUEKeP8q4mA. Pain Management Guidance: Acute Pain - https://youtu.be/CqICT-jWZ2M. Pain Management Guidance: The Art of a Difficult Conversation https://youtu.be/544Y_D3t41A. Pain Management Guidance: Benzodiazepine and Opioid Taperinghttps://youtu.be/IGx2bsoz3NQNaloxone at: http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Drug-Overdose-Prevention-Naloxone.aspx:(The assessments for the section are on this page). Pharmacist Naloxone Education https://youtu.be/oyuTnOHAR_A. Prescriber Naloxone Education https://youtu.be/ghSYPNo1jigNebraska PDMP at: http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Drug-Overdose-Prevention-PDMP-Access.aspx. PDMP Access - https://youtu.be/0ELgGSq4MBIBy viewing these videos the prescriber can meet BOTH the requirement for the statute requirements forlicense renewal AND the statute requirement to view the training before accessing the PDMP.Here is a breakdown of the available CMEs available for free at our website:Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Education - 0.5 hours (Required to renew your license)Pain Management - Guidance Main Video 1.0 hoursPain Management - Acute Pain 0.5 hoursPain Management - Difficult Conversations 0.5 hoursPain Management - Tapering Opioids/Benzodiazepines - 0.5 hoursPharmacist Naloxone Education - 0.5 HoursPrescriber Naloxone Education - 0.5 HoursAdd additional Waiver information: Initial License Fee Waiver:Beginning January 1, 2020, the initial licensure fee will be waived for applicants of licenses issued underthe Uniform Credentialing Act who are:1) A Young Worker (between the ages of 18 – 25 (or, 17 – 25 if licensed under the CosmetologyPractice Act));2) Military Family (active duty service members, military spouses, honorably dischargedveterans, spouses of honorably discharged veterans, and un-remarried surviving spouses ofdeceased service members); and,3) Low-Income (enrolled in a state or federal public assistant program like SNAP, TANF, etc orwhose household adjusted gross income is below 130% of the federal income povertyguideline).What Will This Not Affect?This change in statute will not waive the fee for criminal background checks for those professions thatrequire one. It will not waive the fee required for renewal or reinstatement of licensure, even if thelicensee could be classified as a young worker, military family, or low-income. The law will not waive thePatient Safety fee required of physicians, osteopathic physicians, or physician assistants.There is a fee waiver available for active duty military personnel for renewal listed under a separatestatute. |