§2581. Licenses; biennial relicensure; fees; reinstatement

Upon satisfactorily qualifying for licensure, the applicant may be issued a license by the board, which is dated and signed by its members and upon which the official seal of the board is affixed. The license must designate the holder as a physician licensed to practice osteopathic medicine in the State of Maine. The license must be publicly displayed at the individual's principal place of practice.   [PL 1993, c. 600, Pt. A, §180 (AMD).]

Every osteopathic physician legally licensed to practice in this State, shall, on or before the expiration date of the osteopathic physician's license, pay to the board a fee set by the board not to exceed $600 for the renewal of the osteopathic physician's license to practice. An osteopathic physician's license is issued for a period of 2 years and must be renewed in accordance with a schedule adopted by the board by rule. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A. In addition to the payment of the renewal fee, each licensee applying for the renewal of the osteopathic physician's license shall furnish to the board satisfactory evidence that the osteopathic physician has attended in the 2 preceding years at least 100 hours of educational programs devoted to continuing medical education approved by the board. The required education must be obtained from formalized programs of continuing medical education sponsored by recognized associations, colleges or universities, hospitals, institutes or groups approved by the board. A copy of the current approved list must be available in the office of the secretary-treasurer of the board. At least 40% of these credit hours must be osteopathic medical education approved in the rules established by the board. The board may adjudicate continuing medical education performance in situations of illness, hardship or military service upon written petition by the applicant. The secretary-treasurer of the board shall send a written notice of the foregoing requirements to each osteopathic physician, at least 60 days prior to each osteopathic physician's license expiration date, directed to the last known address of the licensee and enclosing with the notice proper blank forms for application for renewal. If a licensee fails to furnish the board evidence of attendance at continuing medical educational programs, as approved by the board, fails to pay the renewal fee or fails to submit a completed application for renewal, the osteopathic physician automatically forfeits the right to practice osteopathic medicine in this State. After the expiration of a license, the board shall send notice by first class mail to each licensee who has failed to meet the requirements for renewal. If the failure is not corrected within 30 days, then the osteopathic physician's license may be considered lapsed by the board. The secretary-treasurer of the board may reinstate the osteopathic physician upon the presentation of satisfactory evidence of continuing medical education as outlined and approved by the board and upon payment of the renewal fee.   [PL 2001, c. 492, §6 (AMD).]

The board may not require an applicant for initial licensure or license renewal as an osteopathic physician under this chapter to obtain certification from a specialty medical board or to obtain osteopathic continuous certification as a condition of licensure. For the purposes of this section, "osteopathic continuous certification" means a program that requires an osteopathic physician to engage in periodic examination, self-assessment, peer evaluation or other activities to maintain certification from a specialty medical board.   [PL 2017, c. 189, §1 (NEW).]

Relicensure fees provided for under this section are not required of an osteopathic physician who is 70 years of age or older on the first day of January of the year in which the relicensure is made, although the requirements for continuing medical education apply without regard to age.   [PL 1993, c. 600, Pt. A, §180 (AMD).]

The license entitles an individual to whom it is granted the privilege to practice osteopathic medicine in any county in this State, in all its branches as taught in a school or college of osteopathic medicine approved by the American Osteopathic Association with the right to use drugs that are necessary in the practice of osteopathic medicine.   [PL 1997, c. 50, §8 (AMD).]

An individual to whom a license is granted under this section shall designate that individual's status as an osteopathic physician either by the letters D.O. following the licensee's name or by the words "osteopathic physician" following or accompanying the licensee's name when the prefix Doctor or Dr. is used.   [PL 1993, c. 600, Pt. A, §180 (AMD).]

An applicant not complying with relicensure requirements is entitled to be reinstated upon paying the relicensure fee for the given year and satisfying the board that the applicant has paid all relicensure fees due at the time of the applicant's withdrawal, and that a cause does not exist for revoking or suspending the applicant's license. The board shall determine the skill and competence of an osteopathic physician applying for a reinstatement who has not been engaged in the active practice of osteopathic medicine in this or some other state for a period in excess of one year from the date of the physician's most recent relicensure in Maine.   [PL 1993, c. 600, Pt. A, §180 (AMD).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 1973, c. 374, §1 (NEW). PL 1985, c. 804, §§18,22 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 462, §6 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 425, §8 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 600, §A180 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 50, §8 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 492, §6 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 189, §1 (AMD).