Your medical license being suspended due to a disciplinary investigation or any other factor is possibly one of the most devastating things you will go through in your career. This situation can worsen if you make mistakes during your suspension.

Below are three common mistakes some medical professionals make when their license is suspended:

Practicing in another state

If you hold a medical license in another state, it may be unwise to change jurisdictions. State medical boards typically share licensure and disciplinary information. The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) will alert the other state that your license has been suspended in Pennsylvania. Thus, believing you can practice in the other state undetected can be a costly mistake. 

This factor may also apply to disciplinary actions taken by other entities besides state medical boards, including U.S. government agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services and international licensing authorities.

Performing medical volunteer work

While it’s a given not to practice medicine when one’s license is suspended, there can be a gray area regarding volunteer work. 

Can you offer free medical services/knowledge at a camp for children with disabilities? Can you help clinics with some tasks? Can you help a local hospital create a warm and welcoming environment? etc. 

Essentially, avoid performing any work that requires the use of your license. You can engage in activities outside of medicine to keep yourself busy.

Not reporting the case to other bodies

It’s crucial to report a state medical board punishment to other bodies you belong to, including organizations, insurance plans, entities and so on. Failure to do this may get you into more trouble.

If your medical license is suspended, get legal guidance sooner to protect your reputation and livelihood.