never mind

I just renewed my license to practice medicine in the state of Michigan.  Confirmation came right after my $562.50 AmEx cleared.  Now I can continue to see patients and bill for my services, should I see fit, right up to the end of 2026.  Now, right now I have no desire to do such a thing, but should Uncle Joe keep chopping away at my retirement pile, it might become important.  Plus, there’s an ego thing with the medical license. This is the second renewal I’ve faced in my retirement, always motivated by seeing that expiry date on the medical license that hangs on my wall, now just another decoration.  My whole identity for the past 44 years has been as a doctor.  How can I shed the piece of paper that says I’m a legit one?  So, for three more years at least, I can be the guy that listens to you, places my stethescope on your chest, pokes at your belly, squeezes your joints, and offers advice.  Sure, there are other things licensed MDs can do, but all I’ve ever wanted is to be is a a doctor.

I thought it would be a lot harder getting to this point.  Shortly after I decided to renew, I checked the LARA (Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) website for guidelines.  I knew CME (continuing medical education) was a big part of qualification.  When I was still active at the U, that was so easy, as there were conferences left and right.  Now, I was on my own.  Early on in my retirement, I was dialing in regularly to my division’s conferences, sometimes even giving them.  The came January 6^th. Yes, that January 6^th.  My department chair issued a politically charged e-mail to all his charges on the happenings, and I responded with 4 words that indicated my displeasure with him using his forum in that manner “shut up and sing”.  These derived from Laura Ingraham’s book on how entertainers, athletes, media types, public speakers, and academics misuse their platforms to dispense political messages (1).  Needless to say, my chief didn’t like my comment and set about punishment that included severance from any communication with my department or division.  He tried to strip me of my emeritus status but found he’d have to go through the Regents for that.  But ever since, there were no Rheumatology Grand Rounds or Core Curriculum Conferences.  Fortunately, the way to U of M grand rounds was still open.  I also sought out other institutions with virtual conferences, finding Case Western Reserve for their medical grand rounds and my old home, Barnes (Wash U), both for a Grand Rounds and a Friday CPC.  I found some other freebie CME oppt’ys here and there.  I marched steadily to the 150 hours LARA said I would need.  My requirements would be reduced as I’d authored papers in peer-reviewed journals and also a book chapter.  Of course, I kept track of all this, waiting for the day of reckoning.  My first inkling that this would be less than I anticipated was when I re-read LARA’s requirements which said certain CME requirements would be “subject to audit”.  I thought that as a 4 year retiree away from a med center, that would surely be me.  But all they wanted was for that AmEx to clear.  Talk about a disappointment!  Well, I’ve learned a lot with all that CME and plan to keep doing it.  Who knows when the audit will come, and meanwhile keep filling me up with knowledge!

And about that CME, Emily Litella said it best.(2)  

References

1.  Ingraham L.  Shut up and sing.  How Elites from Hollywood, Politics, and the Media are Subverting America.  New York: Regnery Publishing, 2006. https://www.amazon.com/Shut-Up-Sing-Hollywood-Subverting/dp/0895260816
2. Emily Litella.  I’m Sorry – Nevermind. https:/www.youtube.com/shorts/gGQO1_3YpT8