Even after fiercely defending yourself in a hearing with the New York State Department of Health’s Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) or Office of Professional Discipline (OPD), the Board may still ultimately find you guilty of medical misconduct. With this guilty verdict, and depending on the extent of this supposed medical malpractice incident, the Board may decide to punish you as far as suspending your medical license. Being that your license is essentially a ticket to your livelihood and your way of earning a living, you may understandably want it reinstated sooner rather than later. Well, for this, please read on to discover how long it might take to get your medical license restored and how a seasoned New York medical license restoration lawyer at Walker Medical Law can help you get back to practicing medicine as soon as possible.
How long does it take until my medical license gets restored?
As a general rule of thumb, you may be expected to wait at least three years until you can get the opportunity to apply to get your suspended medical license restored. With this, though, you must understand that this restoration is not automatically granted. This is especially because the Board of Regents is made well aware of your history of medical misconduct, and therefore they may be wary of letting you interact with patients once more. Essentially, this is all to say that the restoration of your medical license is seen as a privilege rather than a right.
So, with your application, you must do everything in your power to prove that you deserve to earn your medical license back. For one, you may make clear your remorsefulness for the initial medical misconduct incident that got your license revoked in the first place. Then, you may demonstrate how you have been bettering yourself throughout this three-year waiting period, whether it be through participating in rehabilitation programs, attending Continuing Medical Education courses, or otherwise. Lastly, a $750 check must be made out to the New York State Education Department.
Is it possible for my medical license to never get restored?
Unfortunately, at the time of your hearing with the OPMC or OPD, the Board may rule that your medical license is to be revoked rather than suspended. And with a revocation, there may not be a possibility of ever getting it restored. So, if you are faced with this devastating ruling, it may be in your best interest to appeal it to an Administrative Review Board (ARB). Hopefully, within 45 days, the ARB may issue their decision to overturn the OPMC or OPD Board’s ruling and have your medical license temporarily suspended instead of permanently revoked.
Speaking with a lawyer is never a bad idea, even if you are still unsure whether you require legal representation just yet. At the very least, they may serve as a shoulder to lean on or a listening ear. So when in doubt, please schedule an initial consultation with one of the competent OPMC/OPD misconduct defense lawyers from Walker Medical Law today.
