Resources & Information

Each year, the North Carolina Medical Board (NCMB) publishes an Annual Report that provides important insight into how NCMB is growing and changing—for Board Members and senior staff, as well as for a broader external audience.

The 2025 report, which is being finalized now, continues a familiar story of sustained growth, with new records in both licensing and enforcement volumes. In the five years since I was first appointed to the Board, the number of enforcement cases opened annually has increased by more than 70 percent. Over the same period, the total number of professional licenses issued per year has increased by nearly 44 percent, and NCMB’s total licensee population has grown from approximately 51,000 in 2020 to nearly 65,000 as of December 31, 2025.

I have set the priorities for my term as NCMB President, keeping these trends in mind.

• Reduce time-to-licensure while maintaining NCMB’s high standards for quality and safety.
• Maximize the efficiency of the enforcement program, which investigates allegations of substandard care and other potential violations of the Medical Practice Act, without compromising the integrity of the process.
• Leave NCMB better positioned at the end of my term to meet the organization’s needs today and in the years to come.

Continuous Improvement in Licensing

I’m pleased to report that NCMB is making progress in reducing time-to-licensure due to changes implemented last year. These include creating a Chief Licensing Officer role to provide stronger direction and oversight, hiring additional licensing staff, and continuously tracking data to identify and address issues that contribute to delays.

A key component of this work has been taking a deep dive into the license application process to identify additional opportunities to streamline. This effort has already produced time-saving changes, including the elimination of personal and professional reference forms, reductions in the amount of historical information applicants must provide, and the consolidation, updating, and clarification of documents that were previously submitted separately. All of this is occurring while NCMB is issuing more licenses than ever. At times, these efforts can feel like laying track as the train comes rumbling straight at you!

Another significant licensing development is North Carolina’s participation in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC). Effective January 1, North Carolina became an active member of the Compact, and NCMB is now processing requests from North Carolina physicians seeking licensure in other IMLC states, as well as from physicians in IMLC states seeking licensure in North Carolina.

Our goal is to license “incoming” IMLC applicants within 14 business days – significantly faster than the four months NCMB advises applicants who use the standard license application to allow (most are issued faster). Clearing North Carolina physicians for IMLC licensure in other Compact states typically takes longer, because applicants must obtain a criminal background check in accordance with IMLC Commission rules. NCMB is optimistic about IMLC’s potential benefits and recognizes that successful implementation depends on appropriate staffing and training within our Licensing Department. As President, I am fully committed to supporting that work.

Enforcement Program

As noted, the volume of matters investigated by NCMB has increased at a staggering rate in recent years – up more than 70 percent since 2020. The associated investigative and legal work has grown far more rapidly than NCMB’s staff size. In this environment, it is essential that we operate as efficiently as possible to resolve cases in a timely manner.

In recent years one of the main challenges for administrative investigations, the department that processes incoming complaints, has been difficulty in gaining access to the medical records needed to evaluate care and make a determination about whether it met accepted standards. Without medical records, a quality of care case cannot be opened and many complaints remain stalled in the pipeline.

Beginning just over a year ago, NCMB undertook a significant overhaul of the complaint-intake function, doubling the size of the staff and developed a dashboard that tracks the different steps involved in opening a case to identify opportunities for improvement. By harnessing this data and directing staff attention where it is most needed, NCMB has substantially reduced delays in opening investigations and eliminated a significant backlog of cases.

As Board President, I want to ensure NCMB continues to make strategic improvements that enable it to do more work faster. I am honored to serve the people of North Carolina and the medical profession, and I am humbled by the scope and responsibility of the work ahead.

Be well.