How to Get Licensed in Florida as a Foreign-Trained Physician — Step by Step

Navigating the Path: UK-Trained Doctors Seeking Medical Licensure in Florida, USA.

Florida’s 2024 law (SB 7016) created a new route for internationally trained doctors to gain a Florida medical license without repeating a U.S. residency. Here’s what you need to know, in plain language.

1) Hold an active medical license in your home country

• Your license must be current and unencumbered (no suspensions or restrictions).

• Florida does not limit this to certain countries. Instead, it looks at whether your medical school is recognized.

• If your school is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools and accepted by ECFMG, you qualify.👉 Example: A UK doctor with a GMC license (from a UK-recognized school) is eligible.

2) Have completed postgraduate training abroad

• You must have completed training that is comparable to a U.S. residency (ACGME).

• UK examples:

  • GP (Family Medicine) training = 3 years after Foundation = equivalent to U.S. Family Medicine residency.

  • CCT in Internal Medicine, Surgery, or another specialty = equivalent to U.S. residency/fellowship.

    
    

    👉 Rule of thumb: If you’re on the GMC Specialist Register (CCT) or GP Register (MRCGP), your training is considered substantially similar.

3) Get ECFMG certification

• What is it? ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) verifies international physicians for U.S. practice.

  
  

• How to get it:

  1. Register with ECFMG.org.

  2. Submit your medical school documents for verification.

  3. Pass USMLE Step 1 (basic sciences).

  4. Pass USMLE Step 2 CK (clinical knowledge).

  5. Pass the OET Medicine English test.

  6. Receive your ECFMG certificate.

     
     

     👉 Even senior consultants with UK CCT must complete this step.

4) Apply to the Florida Board of Medicine

• Submit your application, documents, background check, and employer contract.

• Pay the required fee.

• The Board may add conditions if your recent practice has been limited (e.g., a supervised period).

5) Immigration/work authorization

• You must have legal work status in the U.S. before you can start.

• Most doctors use:

  • H-1B visa (employer-sponsored; many hospitals are cap-exempt), or

  • O-1 visa (for extraordinary ability, if you have major academic/clinical achievements).

6) First two years in Florida

• Your license is tied to your Florida employer for 2 years.

• You must stay in that job and in good standing; changes must be reported.

• After this, your license becomes unrestricted.

✅ In summary:If you’re a UK-trained doctor with a GMC license and CCT, you can apply once you’ve got ECFMG certification (USMLE 1 & 2 + OET). Florida’s Board of Medicine will review your application and issue a license tied to your job for 2 years, after which you practice fully independently.