The North Carolina Medical Board has asked the NCMS to share this announcement with our members in hopes of recruiting physician mentors for re-entry programs:

“Physicians or physician assistants who have not actively practiced for the two-year period immediately preceding the filing of an application for initial license or license reinstatement are required to develop, and successfully complete, a reentry program approved by the Board as a condition of licensure.

Reentry programs typically involve a 3 step progressive program of patient care and responsibility generally lasting approximately 6-8 months. Occasionally other forms of comprehensive assessment may also be used in lieu of, or as a part of, the reentry plan. Once a reentry program is accepted by the Board reentry physicians or PAs are issued a license with a non-disciplinary consent order (“Reentry agreement”).  One provision of the reentry program is that, “An applicant shall identify a mentoring physician acceptable to the Board”. This requirement is often the greatest obstacle encountered by reentry applicants.

Mentoring physicians should be currently ABMS or AOA board certified in the applicable area of practice and have no recent public Medical Board actions.  Mentoring physicians provide oversight and direct supervision as outlined in the reentry agreement and periodic reports to the Board on the progress of the reentry licensee.

Mentors are considered “agents of the Board” and thus have certain legal protections from civil liability connected with their role as mentoring physicians. These legal protections are formalized in the reentry agreement. Financial arrangements, including possible compensation for mentoring responsibilities, can be arranged independently between the reentry applicant and the mentoring physician.”

If you have an interest in providing mentoring for physicians or physician assistants reentering clinical practice and would like additional information please contact:

Michael Sheppa, MD or Scott Kirby, MD
North Carolina Medical Board
1203 Front St
Raleigh, NC 27609
(919) 326-1100