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Physician Reentry into the Workforce

It is becoming increasingly common for physicians in all specialties to leave practice for a prolonged period during their career and then seek to reenter the clinical workforce. The AMA, through its Council on Medical Education (CME), plays an active role in this regard. Here is a page with many useful resources.

In addition, the Physician Reentry into the Workforce Project is a collaborative initiative of many organizations and is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

The project recently introduced an inventory designed to assist physicians with the often overwhelming task of leaving and later reentering clinical practice. The inventory, available free of charge, takes the unique approach of addressing four timeframes and providing practical checklists that address these key questions:

• What should I know before I leave?
• What should I do before I leave?
• What should I do while I am out of the workforce?
• What should I do now that I have reentered?

Maintenance of Practice^TM The project encourages physicians who are contemplating leaving the workforce for any length of time to employ strategies that will enable them to maintain their practice skills and to engage in the practice of lifelong learning. Begin now to plan ahead.

The site contains a wealth of resource material, with new information being added regularly. You are encouraged to explore:

• Issue briefs on a range of topics
  
• Journal articles and news stories
• Reentry program profiles and links
• A helpful reading list for physicians

The AMA Division of Graduate Medical Education has made available information on physician reentry including a table describing reentry regulations for each state from its publication, State Medical Licensure Requirements and Statistics 2011. This publication is available for purchase from the AMA Bookstore.