General Information About the Application Process For All Applicants

The staff of the Georgia Composite Medical Board (GCMB) works very hard to process all applications for licenses or certificates in a timely manner. Please read this information very carefully BEFORE you complete your application, regardless of the type of license or certificate you are seeking.

Helpful Hints that will save you time and possible aggravation:

1.) Read the instructions in their entirety BEFORE you complete your application;

2.) Fill in all spaces and forms -- mark "Not Applicable" if the answer or form does not apply to you;

3.) Return all forms -- even if the form does not apply to your circumstances;

4.) Staff is prohibited from editing your submitted form -- you cannot call in information corrections;

5.) Incomplete forms will be returned;

6.) A original passport size photo, not more than six months old, is required;

7.) A current résumé is required -- any time gap must be explained;

8.) Be sure to enclose the fee. Applicantion will not be processed until correct fee is recieved;

9.) Make your check payable to the Georgia Composite Medical Board;

10.) Sign and date your application -- have the application affidavit notarized;

11.) Please read the Frequently Asked Questions -- your questions are probably answered here;

12.) Applicants who download applications from our web site must print out the rules and laws and read them.

13.) All applications are confidential by state law, so we may only speak to the applicant – unless a Specific Power of Attorney is on file with the Board.

Application Time Frame: Absent any complicating factors, the average application process takes approximately four (4) to six (6) weeks to complete. Once your application is completed you will be notified in writing of the initial determination and the next scheduled Medical Board meeting date at which your application will be reviewed.

Applicants with Pending Employment: In the application instructions, applicants are informed NOT TO ACCEPT EMPLOYMENT until they receive their Georgia Medical License or Certificate. As soon as the Georgia Medical Board Staff informs you of your application's deficiencies, (generally within seven (7) days of submission of your application), the best thing for an applicant to do under these circumstances is to check with your primary source verifiers (e.g., school transcripts, references, residency training, test scores, and out-of-state licensure verification) to make sure they send your information directly to the Medical Board in a timely fashion. We must stress to you that it is highly recommended that YOU DO NOT ACCEPT an offer of employment in Georgia UNTIL you have met all the necessary requirements for licensure or certification and have been notified in writing of your approval for a medical license or certificate.

The Georgia Composite Medical Board is responsible for regulating and enforcing the Medical Practice Act and the rules adopted by the Board. The Board’s staff devotes much of its time to this serious responsibility to ensure the public’s safety. Each complaint is evaluated by the Board’s medical director and management staff to determine if the complaint is within the jurisdiction of the GCMB. A complaint within the jurisdiction of the Medical Board may then follow one of two paths: (1) a Matter Under Inquiry (MUI) or (2) a formal investigation.

In an MUI, the licensee is asked to give a narrative response concerning their medical care rendered. The patient’s records are subpoenaed for evaluation by a panel of Board members assigned to review the complaint. The panel presents its findings to the Board, which then determines if the licensee may have violated the Georgia Medical Practice Act or otherwise deviated from the generally accepted standards of care. An MUI may turn into a formal investigation by the Board.

Serious complaints, criminal violations, public safety threats, and similar situations are referred directly for formal investigations by the Board’s agents. These agents are certified law enforcement personnel who are trained in traditional investigations. The results of investigations by agents are also evaluated by Board members to determine if there are violations and any discipline and/or prosecutions are warranted.

The Board in its effort to protect the integrity of the complaint process as well as the Georgia health care consumer, accepts complaints as provided on this web site in a downloadable format for filing by mail, or by filing online at the appropriate link shown below. If you are unable to file online or print the mail-in complaint form, please call us to have a complaint form mailed to you

Please note: We are unable to take complaints by phone. All complaints must be submitted in writing or by online submission.

The Board discourages anonymous complaints, but if you are considering submitting one, please read the page on this site titled Frequently Asked Questions and refer to the questions on anonymous complaints.

Georgia Composite Medical Board - Enforcement Unit

2 Peachtree Street, N.W.,

6th Floor

Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Phone: (404) 656-3913, select Option #3

Fax: (404) 656-9723