All Those Licenses: 7 Myths That Stop Radiologists From Exploring Teleradiology

“I couldn’t believe it was so easy.”

It’s one of the most common things I hear from radiologists who’ve recently joined vRad when I meet with them in my role as medical director. In fact, many tell me they hesitated to explore vRad at all because they assumed the licensing and credentialing process for multiple states would be too long and complicated. Add in CME requirements and tax concerns, and it starts to feel like a logistical nightmare.

Here’s the most important takeaway: It’s not on you to take care of. vRad has an entire department dedicated to making the licensing and credentialing process as easy and seamless as possible for the radiologist. Plus, we cover all the costs up front.

Does any of that surprise you? Once you find out how straightforward and streamlined the process is, I hope you’ll reach out to our recruiting team to find out more.

Let’s lay out a few of the specific myths I often hear, then talk through the reality at vRad.

#1 The process takes much longer than a single license

Here’s what you can expect: at vRad, the full licensing and credentialing process usually takes 5–7 months. It’s a solid chunk of time, yes, but the total time is comparable to getting just one new license on your own.

Plus, there’s no extra effort on your part when it comes time to renew. Our licensing team manages the yearly details. Simply be ready to sign the forms. And again, vRad covers the costs.

#2 I’ll have to pay taxes in every state where I hold a license

Nope! This one is totally false. You’ll receive one paycheck from vRad, and you’ll file and pay taxes in the state where you’ve established residency.

#3 I’ll need licenses in so many states

Probably fewer than you’re guessing. Most vRad radiologists hold 8-12 state licenses, if they practice full-time. One of those is typically the state they already had when they joined.

What determines the states? When you begin the onboarding process, our team looks at the hours you want to work, your specialty, and which license(s) you already have. Then we match you up with states where our clients have needs that best fit the way you want to read. The goal is to get as few licenses as possible, without jeopardizing your queue.

Additionally, if you join vRad with an existing non-compete, we’ll work with you to accommodate it.

#4 I’m going to have to do all this work by myself

Licensing and credentialing is detailed—but you’re not doing the heavy lifting.

At vRad, we have a dedicated licensing and credentialing team that guides every radiologist through the entire process. Our team handles:

• Filling out hospital and state board applications
• Verifying radiologist qualifications
• Sending and coordinating documentation
• Checking multiple state requirements
• Obtaining hospital privileges
• Managing deadlines

Licensing and credentialing is, by nature, a drawn-out and sometimes tedious process—as anyone who’s done it for their own practice knows. But our experts handle everything they possibly can, so your main responsibility is gathering your documentation and signing forms.

Check out this short video to hear directly from vRad radiologists about what the licensing and credentialing process was like for them. Then keep reading for more common myths.

Here are a few more myths I hear fairly often.

#5 I’ll never get enough CME

Each radiologist at vRad is assigned a specialist to help track their CME. You’ll receive a quarterly report summarizing your progress, along with links to CME opportunities that meet your specific state requirements.

We also offer our own complimentary CME opportunities, including:

• vRad’s annual CME conference
• vRad Education’s on-demand library, featuring free micro-CME courses worth 25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ each
• STATDx integrated into the vRad Platform, and each search earns you point-of-care CME credit

Whatever your states require for CME, you’ll be kept informed and pointed toward the resources you can use to achieve it.

#6 No one will want to hire me with so many licenses

Just as our licensing and credentialing department makes things easy for our radiologists, they also make things easier for the records departments in clinics and hospitals. If you decide to leave vRad, you’ll be given an organized and complete file of all your licenses and credentialed facilities, with up-to-date contact information.

Radiologists should never feel trapped at vRad.

#7 Non-competes will limit where I can practice in the future

Let me say unequivocally: vRad does not have a post-employment non-compete policy. You are free to practice in any state you like, if you choose to leave vRad.

If worries about licensing and credentialing have been holding you back, this is a great time to reach out to a recruiter. You can also ask to speak directly with a vRad radiologist to find out what the process was like for them.

Want to hear more from vRad radiologists about what it’s like to practice here? Check out our new radiologist careers page.