How do I get a Massachusetts medical license?

You must establish an FCVS profile, complete USMLE or COMLEX, finish at least two years of ACGME/AOA-accredited postgraduate training (three years for international medical graduates), submit the application with the $600 fee, and supply supporting documentation. The full process typically takes 3–6 months.

How often do Massachusetts physicians renew their license?

Massachusetts physician licenses are renewed every two years on the physician's birthday. The renewal requires 50 hours of Category 1 CME including specific mandatory topics such as opioid prescribing, risk management, end-of-life care, and implicit bias.

Where can I look up a Massachusetts doctor?

The Massachusetts Physician Profiles database is available at checkalicense.mass.gov. It shows license status, board certifications, education, hospital affiliations, malpractice payments, and any disciplinary actions.

Massachusetts Medical Board — The Complete Guide for MA Physicians

MassMedBoard.org is the independent, comprehensive resource for everything related to the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine: initial physician licensure, biennial license renewals, the 50-credit CME requirement, the physician lookup database, relocating to Massachusetts, NP and PA licensure, FCVS verification, and disciplinary actions.

What This Site Covers

The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine licenses and regulates more than 40,000 physicians practicing in the Commonwealth. Navigating Board procedures — from FCVS credentialing to license renewal to CME tracking — can be confusing. This site brings every requirement, deadline, fee, and form together in plain language.

How to get a Massachusetts medical license — full, limited, and temporary licensure pathways.
License renewal & CME requirements — the 50-credit biennial cycle, deadlines, and required topics.
CME requirements tracker — opioid, end-of-life, risk management, and implicit bias credit details.
FCVS guide — Federation Credentials Verification Service setup and timeline.
International medical graduate licensing — ECFMG, three-year training requirement, J-1 and H-1B pathways.
NP & PA licensing in Massachusetts — full practice authority, supervision, prescriptive authority.
Relocating to Massachusetts — license transfer, IMLC, timing your move.
Massachusetts physician lookup — checkalicense.mass.gov and Physician Profiles.
Disciplinary actions & investigations — complaint process, sanctions, NPDB reporting.
Hospitalist jobs in Massachusetts — market demand, scheduling, compensation.
Salary guide — physician and APP compensation benchmarks for 2026.
Resources — official Board contacts, forms, statutes, and regulations.

About the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine

The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine (BORIM) is the state agency responsible for licensing physicians, acupuncturists, and certain other practitioners. The Board's primary mandate is the protection of the public. It investigates complaints, disciplines licensees, and maintains the public Physician Profiles database. The Board operates under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 112 and 243 CMR.

The Board is composed of physician members and public members appointed by the Governor. Its committees include the Complaint Committee, the Licensure Committee, and the Data Repository Committee, among others. The Board meets monthly to consider applications, disciplinary matters, and policy issues.

Physicians can reach the Board's main office at 178 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, or by phone at (781) 876-8200. The Board's official website is mass.gov/orgs/board-of-registration-in-medicine.

Who This Site Is For

This guide is built for residents preparing for their first license, attending physicians renewing every two years, international medical graduates planning a move to Massachusetts, advanced practice providers (NPs and PAs), physicians facing a Board investigation, hospital credentialers, and patients researching a doctor.

Need Help With Your Career?

Massachusetts has one of the most active physician and advanced practice job markets in the country. If you are a physician considering a move, locum opportunities, or a permanent position, our partner network includes MedicalRecruiting.com, PhysicianRecruitment.com, and Medical.Careers. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants can connect with NPRecruiters.com and AdvancedPractice.org.