MD License – Medical Doctor
A doctor of medicine (allopathic) is licensed to practice medicine, prescribe medications, perform surgery, and utilize any of a number of recognized modalities of therapy in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, illness, injury, and physical conditions. Medical doctors utilize knowledge gained in the western tradition of scientific study, observation, and experimentation, including anatomy, cellular biology, chemistry, and other areas. In Oregon, an MD's scope of practice also includes the practice of acupuncture.
DO License – Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
A doctor of medicine (osteopathic) is licensed to practice medicine, prescribe medications, perform surgery, and utilize any of a number of recognized modalities of therapy in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, illness, injury, and physical conditions, including the use of manipulative therapy. Osteopathic medicine emphasizes the relationship between the body's nerves, muscles, bones, and organs. The osteopathic philosophy of treating the whole person is applied to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of illness, disease, and injury. In Oregon, a DO's scope of practice also includes the practice of acupuncture.
DPM License – Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
A podiatric physician is licensed to diagnose and perform medical, physical or surgical treatments related strictly to ailments of the human foot, ankle, and tendons directly attached to and governing the function of the foot and ankle, see
definition of “podiatry” in
ORS
677.0010(15) for details
. Podiatrists may apply for an endorsement on their license to perform ankle surgery in a certified hospital or ambulatory surgical center in Oregon.
Physician Limited Licenses
Postgraduate
The MD/DO/DPM Postgraduate License limits the physician’s practice to an accredited training program. This license is issued to a trainee in an Oregon teaching hospital or an elective rotation as part of an out-of-state accredited training program. The physician may not work outside the accredited training program. Moonlighting is not allowed under this limited license. This license is granted for a maximum of 13 months and can be renewed for all subsequent years of an accredited training program.
Fellow
The MD/DO/DPM Fellow License limits the physician’s practice to a supervised fellowship program of an approved school of medicine or affiliated teaching institution. The physician may not work outside a training program. Moonlighting is not allowed under this limited license. This license can be issued for a maximum period of one year and may be renewed for one additional year.
Medical Faculty
The MD/DO/DPM Medical Faculty License is issued to a physician who receives a full time faculty position in an accredited medical school in the state. This license allows practice only as a necessary part of the duties of the faculty position as approved by the Board. Moonlighting is not allowed under this limited license. This license must be approved by the Executive Director or Medical Director. This license can be issued for a maximum period of one year and may be renewed as frequently as needed for a total period not to exceed four years. The four years must be consecutive.
Visiting Professor
The MD/DO/DPM Visiting Professor License is issued to a physician who has received a teaching position in an approved medical school or affiliated teaching institution in the state. This license allows practice only as a necessary part of the duties of the teaching position as approved by the Board. Moonlighting is not allowed under this limited license. This license can be issued for a maximum period of one year and may be renewed for one additional year.
SPEX/COMVEX
The MD/DO SPEX/COMVEX License allows a physician to practice in the interim period between full license application file completion and taking and passing the SPEX or COMVEX exam if the applicant meets all other licensure requirements. This license can only be issued to full license applicants who are required by the Board to take and pass the SPEX or COMVEX exam. This license is only valid for six months and cannot be extended or reissued. If the physician fails the SPEX or COMVEX examination, this license will become invalid and the physician must cease practice in Oregon as soon as possible, but not to exceed two weeks. This license allows the applicant to apply for DEA registration and malpractice insurance as well as being added to insurance plans.
Visiting Physician (Courtesy Privileges)
A MD/DO/DPM Visiting Physician is a license for temporary practice for a specific purpose. This license may be issued for out of state physicians in good standing to practice in a hospital or accredited facility in Oregon or under an Oregon supervising physician in order to obtain or provide training for up to 30 days a year. Prior to approval for this license the Board must receive: a letter from the requesting hospital administrator and chief of staff, or supervising physician, indicating dates of Oregon practice, description of procedures, name of responsible staff physician in attendance who must be an Oregon licensed physician with Active status, and documentation that the requesting hospital has approved privileges for the visiting physician if applicable. All courtesy privilege requests must be received at least two weeks prior to the beginning date. This type of limited license is also provided for the 90 consecutive days immediately following the end of an emergency declared by the Governor of Oregon for out of state physicians who held a temporary authorization during the declared emergency.
Physician Volunteer Practice
The MD/DO/DPM Volunteer Practice authorization may be granted to a physician who intends to practice at an Oregon hospital, clinic, medical practice, public health organization, or other equivalent entity, without compensation. The authorization may be granted for up to 30 days each calendar year. The physician's authorization to practice in the state without remuneration is terminated upon 30 days or via the end date requested by the physician if less than 30 days.
Physician Assistants
PA License
A physician assistant is licensed to provide medical services by engaging in collaboration as indicated by the condition of the patient, the community standards of care, and the physician assistant's education, experience, and competence. A physician assistant must enter a collaboration agreement with a physician or their employer to practice in Oregon. The degree of autonomous judgment a PA may exercise is determined at the physician assistant's primary location of practice by the community standards of care and the physician assistant's education, training, and experience. . The clinical role of physician assistants includes primary and specialty care in medical and surgical practice settings in both urban and rural areas.
Physician Assistant Limited Licenses
Pending Examination
The PA Pending Examination (also known as Postgraduate) License is granted for six months to physician assistant applicants who have graduated from an accredited PA training program but have not yet passed the NCCPA (PANCE) examination. This license is only valid for six months and cannot be extended or reissued. This license will expire when the full license is issued. If the physician assistant fails the NCCPA (PANCE) examination, this license will be cancelled.
Preceptorship
A PA Preceptorship is not a license but an approval for temporary practice. This approval may be issued for students enrolled in an accredited physician assistant training program outside Oregon to practice in Oregon under the supervision of a licensed physician (MD/DO). Prior to approval the Board must receive a letter from the out-of-state PA training program indicating: name of student trainee, name and license number of Oregon supervising physician, address at which training will occur, dates of training, practice specialty for training, and a statement of student good standing in the program.
Visiting Physician Assistant (Courtesy Privileges)
A Visiting Physician Assistant is a license for temporary practice for a specific purpose. This license may be issued for out of state physician assistants in good standing to practice in a hospital or accredited facility in Oregon or under an Oregon physician licensed under ORS 677 in order to obtain or provide training for up to 30 days a year. Prior to approval for this license the Board must receive: a letter from the requesting hospital administrator and chief of staff, or physician who will supervise the visiting PA, indicating dates of Oregon practice, description of procedures, name of responsible staff physician in attendance who must be an Oregon licensed physician with Active status, and documentation that the requesting hospital has approved privileges for the visiting physician if applicable. All courtesy privilege requests must be received at least two weeks prior to the beginning date. This type of limited license is also provided for the 90 consecutive days immediately following the end of an emergency declared by the Governor of Oregon for out of state physician assistants who held a temporary authorization during the declared emergency.
Physician Assistant Volunteer Practice
The Physician Assistant Volunteer Practice authorization may be granted to a physician assistant who intends to practice at an Oregon hospital, clinic, medical practice, public health organization, or other equivalent entity, without compensation. The authorization may be granted for up to 30 days each calendar year. The physician assistant's authorization to practice in the state without remuneration is terminated upon 30 days or via the end date requested by the physician assistant if less than 30 days.
Acupuncturists
AC License
An acupuncturist is licensed to provide health care using acupuncture and other forms of Traditional Oriental Medicine. Acupuncture treats neurological, organic or functional disorders by stimulation of specific points on the surface of the body by insertion of needles. Under Oregon law, the practice of acupuncture also includes traditional and modern techniques of Oriental diagnosis and evaluation; Oriental massage, exercise and related therapeutic methods; use of Oriental herbs, vitamins, minerals, and dietary advice.
Acupuncturist Limited Licenses
Pending Examination
The AC Pending Examination (also known as Postgraduate) License may be granted for six months to acupuncture applicants who have not yet passed the NCCAOM certifying examination and wish to obtain clinical training under the supervision of a Board approved clinical supervisor. The clinical supervisor must be on-site and available to supervise when the applicant is training. The acupuncture trainee must identify themselves to patients as an acupuncture trainee and wear a name-tag saying that they are an acupuncture trainee. This license is only valid for six months and cannot be extended or reissued. This license will expire when the full license is issued. If the
acupuncture trainee fails
the NCCAOM examination, the license will be cancelled.
Visiting Professor
The AC Visiting Professor License is granted to an acupuncturist who receives a teaching position in an Oregon school of acupuncture. This license allows practice only as a necessary part of the duties of the teaching position as approved by the Board. The licensee with an AC Visiting Professor License who has five years experience as an acupuncturist may also be approved by the Board as a clinical supervisor at the school of acupuncture. This license may be granted for one year and renewed for two additional years.
Acupuncturist Needling Privileges
Visiting Acupuncturist (Needling Privileges)
An AC Visiting Acupuncturist is not a license but an approval for temporary practice. This approval may be issued for out of state acupuncturists to demonstrate acupuncture needling for a period up to ten days no more than three times a year as part of a seminar, conference, or workshop sponsored by an Oregon school or an Oregon school’s program of acupuncture or Oriental medicine, or professional organization of acupuncture, or any seminar, conference, or workshop approved by the NCCAOM to provide continuing education training. An Oregon licensed acupuncturist with Active status, without disciplinary action, must be in attendance at the seminar, conference, or workshop. Prior to approval the Board must receive: a letter from the requesting school, program, or organization indicating dates and a description of the seminar, conference, or workshop and name of responsible Oregon acupuncturist in attendance; documentation that the visiting acupuncturist’s license in state or country of current practice is active and in good standing if applicable, and a curriculum vitae for the visiting acupuncturist.