Board of Medical Examiners

Establishes standards of practice and regulates the licensing of those qualified to be medical doctors in Tennessee, and issues licenses or certificates to those practicing in the professions of physician assistants, acupuncture, clinical perfusion, polysomnography, genetic counseling, surgical assistants, medical spas, office-based surgery centers, and x-ray operators in medical doctor’s offices.

About the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners

The Board of Medical Examiners was created in 1901 by an act of the State Legislature. Its mission is to protect the health, safety and welfare of people in the State of Tennessee. The Board awards licenses to qualified candidates who have graduated from approved medical schools and who have completed appropriate postgraduate work. The Board interprets the laws, rules, and regulations to determine the appropriate standards of practice in an effort to ensure the highest degree of professional conduct. The Board is responsible for the investigation of alleged violations of the Practice Act and rules and is responsible for the discipline of licensees who are found guilty of such violations.

The administrative staff of the Division of Health Related Boards supports the Board by issuing licenses. Renewal notices are mailed from Board’s administrative office sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the license to the current address on record. Licensees are responsible for renewing their license on time and keeping the Board apprised of current information. Licenses can be renewed on-line sixty (60) days prior to expiration. It is a violation of the law and of the board’s rules to practice on an expired license.

Licenses awarded by the Board include:

  • Full Licensure
  • Locum Tenens Licensure
  • Single Purpose Licensure
  • Visiting Faculty Licensure
  • Special Training Licensure
  • Distinguished Faculty Licensure
  • Inactive Volunteer Licensure
  • Administrative License

The Board is also vested with the responsibility of ratifying all licenses or certificates for physicians’ assistants, acupuncture, clinical perfusion, polysomnography, genetic counseling, surgical assistants, medical spas, office bassurgery centers, and x-ray operators in medical doctor’s offices.

All members of the Board are appointed by the Governor and serve five (5) year terms. The twelve (12) member board consists of nine (9) licensed physicians with at lest six (6) years of experience in the practice of medicine and surgery and three (3) members who are health care consumers.

Click for Meeting Recordings of the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners

Licensure Scam Alert

The Department of Health has been made aware that some licensees of a few different health licensure boards have received fraudulent communications from individuals claiming to be from those licensee’s licensing boards. The communications, often by phone, may threaten arrest or license suspension, demand personal information, or require payment of fines.  Some of them have been accompanied by fraudulent letters claiming to suspend the license. Please note: 

  • Phone calls may “spoof” or appear to be from the boards’ number;
  • If you need to verify the identity of a TN board investigator, call (615) 741-8485 or email OIV.Complaints@tn.gov.
  • The health-related board investigators will never demand that you provide personally identifying information, such as a social security number, date of birth, or bank or credit card account numbers over the phone;
  • These types of licensing scams are a problem nationwide.

 If you believe you are the recipient of a fraudulent communication claiming to be from your licensing board:

  • If you believe you are the recipient of a fraudulent communication claiming to be from your licensing board:
  • Report the communication to the Internet Crime Complaint Center Internet Crime Complaint Center at using the code "TDHHPBSCAM2026".  This will allow law enforcement to link these scams for improved investigation.
  • Complainants can alternatively call the Fusion Center Tipline (800TBIFIND) or submit a tip online at TBI but the IC3 is preferred.

·         Notify the Department of Health at (615) 741-8485 or email OIV.Complaints@tn.gov

  • The Federal Trade Commission also accepts reports about “Imposter Scams” online or at 1-877-382-4357.

Featured Links

Contact

Contact the Board of Medical Examiners
615-532-3202 local or 1-800-778-4123 nationwide
Medical.Health@tn.gov
665 Mainstream Drive, 2nd Floor
Nashville, TN  37243

Filing Complaints

Click to file an online complaint against a healthcare provider.

Call 800-852-2187 to speak with someone in the Office of Investigations.

Click to download a copy of the complaint form to print and mail.

Board Websites & Meeting Playlists

Click the alphabetical menu below to visit the websites of individual Health Professional Boards

Click the alphabetical menu below to view recorded meetings of Tennessee Health Professional Boards

Applying for Licensure

Applications

Portability Act for Military and Military Spouse with transfer Orders to Tennessee

Please fill out the application below and email to Medical.Health@tn.gov with a copy of the military orders

Forms

Interstate Medical Licensure Compact 

► The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) is an alternative pathway to medical licensure for physicians seeking to practice medicine in multiple states. The IMLC creates a streamlined process for obtaining multiple state licenses. Applicants for licensure through the IMLC must meet the rigorous qualifications for licensure which are established under the compact. 

Tennessee is one of more than forty states participating in the IMLC. For a complete list of participating states, minimum applicant qualifications, and information how to apply for licensure through the IMLC, please visit the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission website at www.imlcc.com. 

Anesthesiologist Assistant

Office Based Surgery

Genetic Counselors

Radiologist Assistant

Meetings, Members, & Minutes

Meeting Schedule

Click for the Board of Medical Examiners Calendar of Events

Public Notices will remain online until the minutes are ratified and posted on the Meeting Minutes page.

Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at 665 Mainstream Drive, MetroCenter.

Members

Member Position Representation Term Expires
Stephen Loyd, MD President Addiction Medicine  04-30-2029
Samantha McLerran, MD Vice President Family  Medicine 04-30-2029
Randall E. Pearson MD Board Member Urology 04-30-2030
Todd Tillmanns, MD Board Member Gynecologic Oncology 04-30-2027
John Hale, MD Board Member Family Medicine  04-30-2027
Keith G. Anderson, MD Board Member Internal Medicine 06-30-2026
Deborah Christiansen, MD Board Member Pediatrician 06-30-2027
Bethany Lawrence, MD Board Member Internal Medicine 04-30-2026
Damon Petty, MD Board Member Orthopaedic Surgery 06-30-2030
Michael Bittel Secretary Citizen 06-30-2027
James Diaz-Barriga Board Member Citizen 06-30-2026
Ricky Shelton Board Member Citizen 04-30-2026

Meeting Minutes

Copies of all minutes are maintained in the official record section of the administrative office. Please contact the board administrator to make arrangements to review minutes of meetings held prior to 2004.

Continuing Education

Continuing Education Requirements for Identified High Prescribers 

Medical Board failure to obtain required CE Policy 

Continuing Education for controlled substance prescribing. These sessions meet T.C.A 63-1-402 and Rule 0880-02-.19(b). 

Earning CME Credits for your ACGME Residency or Fellowship Training Program

Continuing Education FAQs 

Failure to comply with continuing education requirements may result in disciplinary action against the licensee or registrant. The disciplinary action will be reported on the Department of Health license verification web site.

All licensees are required to renew their license every two years. The renewal cycle is set up whereby everyone renews in their birth month. The year they renew depends on whether they were born in an even or odd year. Thus the renewal of their professional license is set up in their birth month every two years.

When renewing, the document that is signed states the licensee has fulfilled all the requirements for renewal. That means no continuing education documentation is to be mailed in with the renewal and that the licensee attests to having obtained the required continuing education. The only time continuing education is to be mailed in is when an official audit is conducted and the licensee receives notice from this office requiring submission of the documentation.

The Board may waive or otherwise modify the requirements in cases where there is retirement, or an illness, disability or other undue hardship that prevents a licensee from obtaining the requisite number of continuing education hours. Requests for waivers or modification must be sent in writing to the Administrative Office prior to the expiration of the renewal period in which the continuing education is due. *This request must be received by our office, in writing, prior to your licensure expiration date and prior to renewing your license*

CE Broker

At this time, it is not required that licensees register for an account but the board is encouraging licensees utilize CE Broker as a tool to track required continuing education. CE Broker is the official tracking system for the Tennessee Division of Health Professional Boards. Your professional board has provided you with a free Basic Account, so you'll have their helpful continuing education tracking tools right at your fingertips.

Free Access

Within the free Basic Account, you will have access to your Course History and CE Compliance Status. This lists all of the courses which have been reported thus far and indicates whether or not you have satisfied your renewal requirements. From here, you may easily find and report any CE that might be missing. CE Broker is 100% free to use and you will never have to pay to access all of the necessary tools to renew your license!

How to activate your free CE Broker account

Activating your free Basic Account provided to you by your board is a simple 3-step process.

  1. Visit the CE Broker basic account webpage
  2. Next, enter your license number
  3. Track your continuing education!

Comprehensive Course Search

One of the best free tools CE Broker provides is the Course Search. You can easily find every course needed to successfully complete your license renewal, with just a few clicks! After you are finished with each course, educational providers will report the credits directly into CE Broker for you - but you should always retain a copy of the certificates for your records. To find courses, visit courses.cebroker.com/search/tn and select your profession.

Helpful Support Center

CE Broker provides dedicated support 8AM- 8PM ET, Monday through Friday, with a team of experts trained on the rules and regulations of the Tennessee's Health Professional Boards. You can Reach CE Broker by phone at 877-434-6323, or click for information on the CE Broker Customer Support Team.

Other Benefits of using CE Broker

Track and know precisely how many hours you've completed and how many hours are remaining;

Available convenience features like a personalized transcript and a personal account manager;

Bring CE compliance wherever you go with the CE Broker mobile app (available for Iphone and Android).

Educational Programs

Educational Programs

University of Tennessee Memphis
The Health Science Center
800 Madison Avenue
Memphis, TN 38103
Phone: 901-448-5500

University of Tennessee Knoxville
Graduate School of Medicine
1924 Alcoa Highway
Knoxville, TN 37920-6999
Phone: 423-544-9339

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
1161 22nd Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37232
Phone: 615-322-2164

East Tennessee University
Quillen College of Medicine
P. O. Box 70694
Johnson City, TN 37614-0694
Phone: 423-439-6315

Meharry Medical College
105 D. B Todd Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37208
Phone: 615-327-6111

Thomas F. Frist, Jr., College of Medicine
1900 Belmont Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37212

Policies, Rules, & Statutes

Policies

Rules

Click here for Rules and Regulations pertaining to the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners

Statutes

Statutes are proposed and made law by the Tennessee State General Assembly (Legislature). The Board, following specific notice requirements and hearings, adopts rules. Both have the force of law and may be used in the regulation of a profession. The statutes pertaining to this Board are found at T. C. A. 63-1 (Division of Health Related Boards), T.C.A. 63-6 (Medicine and Surgery) and T.C.A. 63-2 (Medical Records).

Click here to review the Tennessee Code Annotated. (This link will take you to a website that is not maintained by the Tennessee Department of Health).

This Page Last Updated: March 31, 2026 at 9:50 PM