The State Board of Osteopathic Medicine Licensure Guide is designed to help applicants understand the documents required for physician and surgeon, physician assistant, and graduate medical trainee license applications. It also outlines the scope of each license, provides steps to avoid common mistakes and offers recommendations to minimize delayes and improve processing times.
Osteopathic Physician and Surgeon (OS)
To qualify for licensure as an Osteopathic Physician and Surgeon, an applicant must:
- Pass a licensing examination acceptable to the Board (e.g., COMLEX-USA or an equivalent examination accepted by the Board).
- Graduate from an accredited osteopathic medical college.
- Successfully complete at least one year of approved post-graduate training (e.g., an AOA- or ACGME-recognized internship or residency program) in accordance with Board requirements.
Osteopathic physicians practice the art and science of:
- Diagnosing and treating disease.
- Prescribing medications and performing surgery.
- Promoting health and preventive care.
- Receiving training in osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), a hands-on approach that may be used to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness or injury.
- Osteopathic medicine applications are processed in the order they are received. Please submit your application as early as possible.
- All new applicants must obtain a fingerprint-based FBI background check for review as part of your application. You must pre-register for fingerprinting services through IdentoGO and use the service code provided during your application process to ensure the Board receives your results. IdentoGo accepts these types of identification documents.
- You are required to complete three hours of Board-approved continuing education on the topic of child abuse recognition and reporting. Learn more about Approved Child Abuse CE Providers. Confirmation of the course completion must be sent directly to the Board from the education provider. When registering for a course, please be sure to indicate that you are applying for Pennsylvania licensure to ensure your confirmation is sent to the Board.
- Any application that includes criminal history, disciplinary action taken in another jurisdiction, or malpractice complaints, must be accompanied by a written explanation from you explaining the circumstances of the situation. Every page of requested documents must be submitted; partial copies are not acceptable. This includes copies of all legal or court documents, disciplinary action from another Board, or a complete copy of a malpractice complaint filed in court.
- The Board requires verification of completion of an American Osteopathic Association-approved internship. When your training hospital is verifying completion of your training, be sure they verify your internship year.
- If your first year of training was not an American Osteopathic Association-approved internship, you must contact the American Osteopathic Association to have your first year of training recognized by them. A copy of the recognition letter must be submitted as part of your application.
- A resume or curriculum vitae must be submitted listing all activities from graduation of medical school to the present date. The listing must include to/from dates listed in a month/year format with no gaps in time. Additionally, you must list the location (state/jurisdiction) of each activity.
- License verifications are required from any states/jurisdictions where you hold or have ever held a health-related professional license, registration, authorization, or permit to practice. Verifications are required regardless of the current status of the license. Additionally, verifications are required for training licenses/permits.
- Within one year of obtaining initial licensure, a licensee must document completion of at least 4 hours of education consisting of 2 hours in pain management or the identification of addiction and 2 hours in the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids. The Board does not approve specific continuing education programs but accepts continuing education programs accredited as AMA PRA Category 1 or 2, and AOA Category 1A, 1B, or 2.
Osteopathic Graduate Medical Trainee
A Graduate Medical Trainee may:
Engage in the supervised practice of medicine within an approved osteopathic graduate medical training program in Pennsylvania, provided they hold a valid graduate medical training license issued by the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
- State Board of Osteopathic Medicine applications are processed in the order they are received. Please submit your application as early as possible.
- All new applicants must obtain a fingerprint-based FBI background check for review as part of your application. You must pre-register for fingerprinting services through IdentoGO and use the service code provided during your application process to ensure the Board receives your results. IdentoGo accepts these types of identification documents.
- You are required to complete three hours of Board-approved continuing education on the topic of child abuse recognition and reporting. Learn more about Approved Child Abuse CE Providers. Confirmation of the course completion must be sent directly to the Board from the education provider. When registering for a course, please be sure to indicate that you are applying for Pennsylvania licensure to ensure your confirmation is sent to the Board.
- Any application that includes criminal history, disciplinary action taken in another jurisdiction, malpractice complaints, must be accompanied by a written explanation from you explaining the circumstances of the situation. Every page of requested documents must be submitted; partial copies are not acceptable. This includes copies of all legal or court documents, disciplinary action from another Board, or a complete copy of a malpractice complaint filed in court.
- If primary source verification is provided, applicants may use the FCVS credentials verification service through the Federation of State Medical Boards to verify their medical education.
- Within one year of obtaining initial licensure, a licensee must document completion of at least 4 hours of education consisting of 2 hours in pain management or the identification of addiction and 2 hours in the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids. The Board does not approve specific continuing education programs but accepts continuing education programs accredited as AMA PRA Category 1, or 2, and AOA Category 1A, 1B, or 2.
Osteopathic Physician Assistant
Physician Assistant (PA-C)
A Physician Assistant (PA-C) may:
- Practice medicine under the supervision of a supervising physician in accordance with a written agreement.
- Perform medical services as directed by the supervising physician, including:
- Ordering, prescribing, dispensing, and administering drugs and medical devices, as authorized in the written agreement.
- Ordering, performing, and interpreting diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
- Provide medical services that are:
- Within the physician assistant’s education, training, and experience;
- Within the scope of practice of the supervising physician; and
- Included in the written agreement.
- Provide services with the level of supervision consistent with accepted standards of medical practice.
- Authenticate documents and records as permitted by the supervising physician, State and Federal law, and facility policies.
- Perform additional duties authorized by law and within the written agreement.
A Physician Assistant (PA-C) may not:
- Practice medicine except as authorized in the written agreement.
- Prescribe or dispense drugs except as authorized in the written agreement.
- Practice independently or bill independently for services.
- Delegate tasks assigned by the supervising physician to another health care provider unless permitted by law.
- Hold themselves out as an independent practitioner.
- Perform medical services without appropriate supervision.
- State Board of Osteopathic Medicine applications are processed in the order they are received. Please submit your application as early as possible.
- You will need to be licensed under the same Board as your supervising physician. If you wish to be supervised by an allopathic physician (MD), you will need to obtain licensure under the State Board of Medicine. If you wish to be supervised by an Osteopathic physician (DO), you will need to be licensed under the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
- All new applicants must obtain a fingerprint-based FBI background check for review as part of your application. You must pre-register for fingerprinting services through IdentoGO and use the service code provided during your application process to ensure the Board receives your results. IdentoGo accepts these types of identification documents.
- You are required to complete three hours of Board-approved continuing education on the topic of child abuse recognition and reporting. Learn more about Approved Child Abuse CE Providers. Confirmation of the course completion must be sent directly to the Board from the education provider. When registering for a course, please be sure to indicate that you are applying for Pennsylvania licensure to ensure your confirmation is sent to the Board.
- Any application that includes criminal history, disciplinary action taken in another jurisdiction, malpractice complaints, must be accompanied by a written explanation from you explaining the circumstances of the situation. Every page of requested documents must be submitted; partial copies are not acceptable. This includes copies of all legal or court documents, disciplinary action from another Board, or a complete copy of a malpractice complaint filed in court.
- The physician assistant school cannot complete and submit your Education Verification form prior to your graduation date.
- License verifications are required from any states/jurisdictions where you hold or have ever held a health-related professional license, registration, authorization, or permit to practice. Verifications are required regardless of the current status of the license. Additionally, verifications are required for training licenses/permits.
- Within one year of obtaining initial licensure, a licensee must document completion of at least 4 hours of education consisting of 2 hours in pain management or the identification of addiction and 2 hours in the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids. The Board does not approve specific continuing education programs but accepts continuing education programs accredited as AMA PRA Category 1, or 2, and AOA Category 1A, 1B, or 2.
How to Apply for a Professional License in PA
Professional licensing protects the health and safety of the public from fraudulent and unethical practitioners. Fraudulent and unethical practitioners. We want the process of applying for a professional license in Pennsylvania to go as smoothly as possible..
What Happens After You Submit Your Application
Our goal is to make the professional licensing process as easy as possible while maintaining our standards to protect the public's health and safety.
Sign in or create account at www.pals.pa.gov
Select the board to apply and plain-language questions will appear to help you get started
Application appears – review checklist, upload required documents, follow prompts
Review all information and edit as needed
Pay the required fee and your application is submitted
Keep an eye on your email or get real-time updates at www.pals.pa.gov
Contact
State Board of Osteopathic Medicine
Phone - 1 (833) DOS-BPOA
Fax - (717) 787-7769
Email: ST-OSTEOPATHIC@PA.GOV