The NC Medical Board (NCMB) and the NC Rules Review Commission have approved emergency rules allowing a physician or PA who inactivated his or her NC medical license within the past 24 months to quickly obtain a temporary license to support Gov. Roy Cooper’s declaration of a state of emergency due to Covid-19. The license would authorize the physician or PA to practice for 90 days or until the state of emergency in North Carolina is declared over. Read the rules.
Over the next few days, NCMB will develop an online application form to receive temporary license requests from interested physicians and PAs. We expect to have this application ready by sometime next week. NCMB is not currently accepting requests for the new temporary emergency license.
Issuance of temporary authority to practice is subject to the following conditions:
- The applicant must demonstrate that he or she has practiced clinical medicine for at least 80 hours during the most recent 24 months;
- The applicant must have been licensed continuously for at least 10 years prior to making his or her medical license inactive;
- The applicant must have no history of public discipline and must not have inactivated his or her license while under investigation; and
- The applicant must confine his or her practice to areas in which he or she is clinically competent.
Please note that the NCMB adopted the emergency rules to support the Governor’s declaration of a state of emergency, which identifies a need to develop additional medical resources in the state, including additional providers. This is a preparedness step – there’s no indication that there’s a current need for additional medical providers to assist with COVID-19.
NCMB will likely advise inactive physicians and PAs who may be interested in returning to practice to check in with their local public health departments, former employer/practice, local hospital or other health care employer to determine if they are needed.
For the most up-to-date information visit the NCMB website.