Returning to medical practice can be complex—each state sets its own re-entry requirements. This site provides clear, up-to-date resources to help physicians navigate the process. Many women physicians step away from medicine to raise families and later seek a path back. We recognize The Physician Reentry into the Workforce Project for establishing the groundwork in this vital area.
Start Here: General Information
Physicians take time off from medicine for many reasons: caring for children or parents, pursuing other interests, managing illness, burnout, and more. Knowing what’s ahead and planning in advance will go a long way if and when one decides to reenter medicine.
These resources will help you get started.
Re-entry for Specialists
Are you a specialist? Check out these resources:
- Pediatrics: Reentering Clinical Practice
- Anesthesia: Return to Anesthetic Practice
- Colorectal Surgery: ABCRS Guidelines on Re-entry to Surgical Practice
- Ob-Gyn: Re-entering the Practice of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Surgery: Re-entry to Surgical Practice
- Council of Medial Specialty Societies Position Statement on Physician Reentry
- Physician Reentry – A Timely Topic for Emergency Medicine
Testimonials
Hear firsthand from physicians on their experience when re-entering the workforce.
- Leaving Medicine and Reentry – Know Before You Go!
- For Doctors Who Take a Break from Practice, Coming Back Can Be Tough (Kaiser Health News)
- Years After Leaving Practice, Some Doctors Choose to Return (ACPInternist)
- Painful Choices: The Price of Reentering Medicine (MedPage Today)
Resources and Retraining Programs
Programs around the country are available to help physicians regain the necessary skills to practice medicine.
- The Center for Personalized Education for Physicians (CPEP)
- Drexel Medicine Physician Refresher/Re-Entry Course
- KSTAR/UTMB Health Mini-Residency Program
- LifeGuard Services (Foundation of the Pennsylvania Medical Society)
- Physician Retraining & Reentry (with UC San Diego School of Medicine)
- University of San Diego Physician Assessment Education Program
- University of Florida– Florida Cares- Physician Remediation
- Oregon Medical Board: Re-Entry to Practice
Publications
Physician Reentry: A largely unfulfilled promise
Kramer KJ, Chao CR, Sadek S, Rhoads-Baeza ME, Recanati M
Arch Gynecol Obstet 2023 Feb;307(2):327-329
Anesthesia hazards and the impact of physician reentry
Baron EL, Burnett G, Loftus K, Sherwin M, Katz D, Levine AI
International Anesthesiology Clinics Winter 2020 Vol 58 (1): 50-55
Baron, Elvera L. MD, PhD; Burnett, Garrett MD; Loftus, Katherine MD; Sherwin, Marc MD; Katz, Daniel MD; Levine, Adam I. MD
Physician reentry to practice: The role of graduate medical education
Templeton K
Perm J. 2020 Sep;24:10-11.
Physician reentry: A timely topic for emergency medicine
Guth TA, Luber SD, Marcolini E, Lo BM
J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open. 2020 Dec; 1(6): 1614–1622
Family leave and return-to-work experiences of physician mothers
Shannon B. Juengst, PhD, CRC, Alexa Royston, DO, Isabel Huang, MD, Brittany Wright, MS
JAMA Netw Open. 2019; 2(10):e1913054.
Returning inactive obstetrics and gynecology physicians to clinical practice: the Drexel experience.
Varjavand N, Pereira N, Delvadia D.
J Contin Educ Health Prof.– 2015 Winter; 35(1):65-70.
Simulation-based assessment and retraining for the anesthesiologist seeking reentry to clinical practice: a case series.
DeMaria S Jr, Samuelson ST, Schwartz AD, Sim AJ, Levine AI.
Anesthesiology – 2013 Jul;119(1):206-17.
Assessment of an innovative instructional program to return non-practicing physicians to the workforce.
Varjavand N, Greco M, Novack DH, Schindler BA.
Med Teach. 2012; 34(4):285-91.
Returning physicians to the workforce: history, progress, and challenges.
Varjavand N, Novack DH, Schindler BA.
J Contin Educ Health Prof.– 2012 Spring; 32(2):142-7.
Lessons learned in physician reentry.
Cass I, Gordon LA, Kilpatrick S.
Obstet Gynecol. 2012 Aug; 120(2 Pt 1):360-4.
Guiding principles for physician reentry programs.
Kenagy GP, Schneidman BS, Barzansky B, Dalton C, Sirio CA, Skochelak SE.
J Contin Educ Health Prof. 2011 Spring; 31(2):117-21
Physicians reentering clinical practice: characteristics and clinical abilities.
Grace ES, Korinek EJ, Weitzel LB, Wentz DK.
J Contin Educ Health Prof.– 2011 Winter; 31(1):49-55.
Education to return nonpracticing physicians to clinical activity: a case study in physician reentry.
Bower EA, English C, Choi D, Cedfeldt AS, Girard DE.
J Contin Educ Health Prof.– 2010 Spring; 30(2):89-94.
Physician reentry: a concept whose time has come.
Adams KE, Allen R, Cain JM.
Obstet Gynecol.– 2008 May;111(5):1195-8
Reentry into clinical practice: challenges and strategies.
Mark S, Gupta J.
JAMA – 2002 Sep 4; 288(9):1091-6.
How we teach on a ‘Return to General Practice’ course.
Muller EJ.
Med Teach.– 2002 Nov; 24(6):590-3.
A physician retraining program. Assessment update.
Raub AC, Bowler FL, Escovitz GH.
JAMA.– 1982 Dec 10;248(22):2994-8.
Retraining inactive physicians. A seven-year experience.
Escovitz GH, Woodside NB.
JAMA.– 1978 May 19; 239(20):2139-42.
Additional resources can be found at the Federation of State Medical Boards Director of Physician Assessment and Remedial Education Programs and the American Medical Association.