To help reduce your processing time, please note the following suggestions and information:
State Board of Osteopathic Medicine applications are processed in the order they are received. Please submit your application as soon as possible.
You will need to be licensed under the same Board as your supervising physician. If you wish to be supervised by an allopathic physician (MD), you will need to obtain licensure under the State Board of Medicine. If you wish to be supervised by an Osteopathic physician (DO), you will need to be licensed under the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
Provide a recent Criminal History Records Check (CHRC) from the state police or other state agency that is the official repository for criminal history record information for every state in which you have lived, worked, or completed professional training/studies for the past ten (10) years. The report(s) must be dated within 90 days of the date the application is submitted. For applicants living, working, or completing training/studies in Pennsylvania, your CHRC request will be automatically submitted to the Pennsylvania State Police upon submission of this application. The PATCH fee will be included at checkout.
- For individuals living, working, or completing training/studies outside of Pennsylvania during the past ten (10) years, in lieu of obtaining individual state background checks, you may elect to provide BOTH a state CHRC from the state in which you currently reside, AND your FBI Identity History Summary Check, available at https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks. Please note: For applicants currently living, working, or completing training/studies in California, Arizona, or Ohio: Due to the laws of these states, the Board is not an eligible recipient of CHRC's or your CHRC will not be issued to you for upload to the Board. Please obtain your Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Identity History Summary Check.
You are required to complete three hours of Board-approved continuing education on the topic of child abuse recognition and reporting. Learn more about Approved Child Abuse CE Providers. Confirmation of the course completion must be sent directly to the Board from the education provider. When registering for a course, please be sure to indicate that you are applying for Pennsylvania licensure to ensure your confirmation is sent to the Board.
Any application that includes criminal history, disciplinary action taken in another state, malpractice complaints, etc., must be accompanied by a written explanation from you explaining the circumstances of the situation. Every page of requested documents must be submitted; partial copies are not acceptable. This includes copies of all legal or court documents, disciplinary action from another Board, or a complete copy of a malpractice complaint filed in court.
The physician assistant school cannot complete and submit your Education Verification form prior to your graduation date.
License verifications are required from any states/jurisdictions where you hold or have ever held a health-related professional license, registration, authorization, or permit to practice. Verifications are required regardless of the current status of the license. Additionally, verifications are required for training licenses/permits.
Within a year of obtaining initial licensure, you must document completion of at least 4 hours of Board-approved education consisting of 2 hours in pain management or the identification of addiction and 2 hours in the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids. The Board does not approve continuing education programs but accepts continuing education programs accredited as AMA PRA Category 1, AMA PRA Category 2, and AOA Category 1A, 1B, or 2.