In Illinois, physicians must be licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to practice. Licensing requirements include:

• completion of a doctor of medicine program at an approved medical school;
• two-year residency (clinical training);
• passage of a licensing exam; and,
• payment of appropriate fees.

In addition, doctors must be certified as surgeons. To become a surgeon, doctors must complete additional years of training and residency and pass a board exam.

Additional licensing information can be obtained from: