Health Equity

At its Wednesday meeting, the DC Board of Medicine took a step that the physician community is applauding for helping medicine in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

The DC Board voted to recognize that the physician license requirements for the states of Maryland and Virginia are "substantially equivalent" to the District's requirements. Under DC code, the District can create a reciprocity agreement with another state if the other state's license requirements are substantially equivalent and admitted health professionals are licensed "in a like manner". Maryland and Virginia are currently working on a new regional reciprocity agreement and the District needed to adopt this position to continue conversations with those two states.

Reciprocity in this case would not mean one license for all three states. Rather, it likely will mean that a physician in good standing in Virginia or Maryland who wants a DC license will have an expedited process to apply. While they would still have to pay the full fee, their application could contain fewer documents or proofs of practice by simply indicating they are already licensed in a reciprocal state.

This has been a major priority of the Medical Society due to the tri-state nature of so many practices and physicians. Prior to the meeting, the Medical Society sent the below letter to the Board of Medicine:

Andrea Anderson, MD, FAAFP
Chairperson, District of Columbia Board of Medicine
DC Health
899 North Capitol Street NE, 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20002

Dear Dr. Anderson,

The Medical Society of DC is the largest medical organization representing metropolitan Washington physicians in the District. We advocate on behalf of all 12,000 plus licensed physicians in the District and seek to make the District “the best place to practice medicine”. 

MSDC is pleased the Board is considering a reciprocity agreement with Maryland and Virginia for medical licenses. The Society feels strongly that a regional solution is needed to ensure efficient licensing of physicians already licensed and in good standing in our neighboring states. The pandemic has shown that regional borders do not matter in solving the major health issues facing the District. 

Talking to our colleagues in Maryland and Virginia, the local medical community is united in the need for regional reciprocity. Since the Maryland and Virginia Boards determined that requirements for medical licenses in all three states are substantially equivalent, we urge the DC Board to make the same determination. Doing so will allow all three states to continue working towards the shared goal of a tri-state area reciprocity.

Please reach out to the Society if we can assist in this important process. 

Sincerely,
 
Kirstiaan Nevin, MD
President, Medical Society of the District of Columbia