PTAL - California Letter

this is what i found in one usmle forums..so thanks to that guy....it wl help a lot of people...



Procedure for PTAL

Step 1 - Download the Application PDF file here

Step 2 - Fill out Forms L1A to L1E. Make sure you fill it out completely and send this in as soon as possible. Once the board receives these documents is the day the application processing begins. So if they say you should have letter 90 days from receipt of application, this is day one.

Step 3 - Go to www.fsmb.org and request them to send your transcript with USMLE scores to the California Medical Board.

Step 4 - Get L2 and L5 ready and send to your medical school for processing. Along with these forms send a copy of your diploma and a copy of your transcript with the following written on the back - “This is a true copy of the original Diploma” for the Diploma and “This is a true copy of the original transcript” for the transcript. Make sure the Dean or Principal stamps his seal and signs right below this statement. Make sure your medical college sends these documents along with forms L2 and L5 as soon as possible to speed up your application. Usually this is where the hold up occurs as the California Board is quite efficient.

Step 5 - If you have done any rotations outside of your main medical college teaching hospital you need to fill out form L6. Otherwise it is not needed. Forms L3 and L4 are not required for the PTAL. They are used when you apply for a Licence to begin your residency.

Step 6 - After you send in L1A-L1E, the board will send you a document form for the live scan fingerprint. The live scan locations for California can be found here. If you live in California you must do the live scan. If you live out of California you must call the Board and they will send you the information for getting your fingerprints. They will send you the fingerprint cards and this is another area where a holdup can occur as it takes 12 weeks to process. If possible, it would be best to fly in to California and do the live scan as the live scan processing only takes 5 days.

Step 7 - Wait Patiently, This is all you need to do. The total processing time should be anywhere from 90 to 180 days. If you have any questions just call the Board, they are very good about answering your questions.


Documents Needed For PTAL
The following list is what is required by the California Medical Board for the Postgraduate Training Authorization Letter (PTAL) formerly known as the California Letter. The PTAL is required for foreign medical graduates to undergo residency training in the state of California. While applying for Residency programs through ERAS, this PTAL takes the place of one of your letters of recomendation.

The website for the California Medical Board can be found here.

The Application materials can be found here.

The following list is an extract from a letter from the California Medical Board. I hope you find this information useful.

Fingerprint clearance from the California Department of Justice and the Federal
Bureau of Investigations. Our records indicate that the Live Scan application
was mailed to you on …
Applicants who live in California are required to have their prints processed by
the Live Scan method. Please take the enclosed form, Request for Live Scan
Service, to a Live Scan location and have your fingerprints done. A listing of
those locations, the hours of operations, and the local agency fees can be found
at: http://caag.state.ca.us/fingerprints/publications/contact.pdf

The Certified Transcript of Scores directly from the Federation of State Medical
Boards to document your satisfactory completion of Steps 1 and 2(CK) of the
USMLE examination. You will need to contact the Federation at their web site,
www.fsmb.org. Please click on “Transcript Request’” and follow the given
instructions.

Certificate of Medical Education, Form L2, completed and signed by the dean or
registrar of your medical school, and properly affixed with the official medical
school seal.

Original, official medical school transcripts to document all of the courses you
completed and the grades/hours you received in each subject during medical
school.
Or, you may request your medical school to submit directly to the Medical
Board of California, a certified copy of your medical school transcripts affixed
with the official medical school seal and original signature of the
dean/registrar, and a statement attesting that the copy is a true and correct
copy of the original.

Your original medical school diploma. Or, you may request your medical school
to submit directly to the Medical Board of California, a certified copy of your
diploma affixed with the official medical school seal and original signature
of the dean/registrar, and a statement attesting that the copy is a true and
correct copy of the original.

Official Breakdown of Undergraduate Clinical Clerkships, Form L5, completed
and certified by your medical school, to document the dates of attendance for
each clinical rotation you completed during medical school.
For your information, California’s licensing laws require each applicant to
complete 72 weeks of clinical training prior to graduating from medical school.
Of these 72 weeks, 40 weeks must be in specific core areas as follows: (our
calculation is based on a 32-hour week)

CORE

8 weeks Medicine 256 Hrs.

8 weeks Surgery 256 Hrs.

6 weeks Pediatrics 192 Hrs.

6 weeks OB/GYN 192 Hrs.

4 weeks Psychiatry* 128 Hrs.

4 weeks Family Medicine 128 Hrs.

4 weeks Additional Core Electives 128 Hrs.

ELECTIVES 32 weeks clinical electives

*For your information, California law requires a minimum of 128 hours (four
weeks) of undergraduate clinical training in psychiatry. However, we have the
discretion to accept 64 hours (two weeks) clinical training in undergraduate
psychiatry and 64 hours (two weeks) clinical training in undergraduate neurology
to meet the clinical psychiatry requirement.

For your information, California law requires a minimum of four weeks (128
hours) of undergraduate clinical training in family medicine for applicants who
graduated after May 1, 1998. If you completed the required four weeks (128
hours) of clinical training in family medicine, primary care, ambulatory care,
family practice, community medicine, social medicine or preventive medicine
during medical school, please request that your medical school provide official
documentation certifying your completion of at least 128 clinical hours in one or
more of the subjects noted above.

Notes:

If you went to medical school in India, Community Medicine rotations cover the Family Medicine requirements.

Send L1A-E ASAP because when they receive it, is when they start the time of processing.

Have you medical college send L2, L5, Copy of Diploma, Copy of Transcript. On the back of the copies of Diploma and Transcript have the following written “This is a true copy of the original” and make sure the dean or principal signs and seals right below the statement.

Fill out the forms completely. For clerkship forms (L5) I put both my clerkship and internship dates on the form as I went to med school in India where internship is required to graduate.


Sending PTAL to ECFMG for the MATCH

The following is copied from the ECFMG Website and can be accessed by clicking on the following link..click here
Applicants to programs in California must submit the California Application Status Letter, issued by the Medical Board of California, for scanning as one of the letters of recommendation to programs located in California. This letter verifies that the applicant’s medical education has been reviewed and approved as meeting California’s licensing requirements.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you plan to apply to programs in California, you need to obtain an Application Status Letter from the Medical Board of California, a process that will take several months.

If you do not yet have your Application Status Letter, you need to let the programs know that you are working to obtain one. To do this, list the letter as one of your Letters of Recommendation (LoRs) for programs in California. When you list the names of your letter writers in Documents, include “California Letter” as one of your LoRs, instead of a letter writer’s name. In this case, you can assign up to three LoRs and the “California Letter” to any program in California.

Once you receive the letter from the Medical Board of California, send a copy to ERAS Support Services at ECFMG, accompanied by a completed ERAS Document Submission Form. If you do not have the final letter yet, submit a temporary document, such as the receipt issued by the Medical Board of California or the “Originals Returned” letter that accompanied your returned originals.

When you receive your final Application Status Letter, send a copy to ERAS Support Services at ECFMG requesting that it replace the receipt issued by the Medical Board of California or the “Originals Returned” letter. Please list “California Letter” only once in MyERAS.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not create a second letter entry for your final letter. There should be only one slot designated for the California Letter.


Social Security Number Requirement

Many applicants have reported that a social security number is required to apply for the PTAL. Here are some links for information on obtaining a social security number if you do not have one.

Click here for SSN and VisaLink to Download application Materials