Active License: Licensee may practice medicine, osteopathic medicine, or podiatry in New Jersey.
Admitting Privileges: The level of privilege that allows the licensee to admit patients under his or her care at that particular hospital.
Board of Medical Examiners ("the Board"): Entity responsible for protecting the public's health and safety by determining qualifications of applicants for licensure, establishing standards for practice, and disciplining licensees who do not adhere to those requirements.
Board Certified: Licensee has met the requirements for certification as defined by the American Board of Medical Specialties
(AMBS), the Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists of the American Osteopathic Association
(AOA), the American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry
(ABMSP), or the Council on Podiatric Medical Education of the American Podiatric Medical Association.
Complaint: A written allegation that a practitioner has committed a prohibited act for which the Board of Medical Examiners can take disciplinary action or deny licensure.
Conclusions of Law: A determination by the Board about whether a practitioner violated the law and/or regulation.
Consent Order: An Order
(see below) that is issued by the Board that is agreed to by the practitioner.
Continuing Education: The additional training the licensee pursues after becoming licensed.
Disciplinary Action: A formal action taken by the Board against the practitioner's license.
Expired: Practitioner may not engage in the practice of his or her profession as a result of failure to renew his or her license within 30 days of its expiration.
Fellowship: Medical study program with specific training usually within the doctor's chosen field of specialty.
Findings of Fact: The facts as determined by the Board pursuant to the evidence and testimony presented at the administrative proceeding or as agreed to in a consent order.
Hospital Affiliations: Any type of relationship a licensee has with a hospital either as an employee, independent contractor, or through a type of privilege. The definition of the various categories of privilege varies from hospital to hospital.
Inactive License: Practitioner may not engage in the practice of his or her profession as a result of licensee's affirmative decision to cease the practice of his or her profession in New Jersey..
Interim Consent Order: An order that is agreed to by the petitioner until a certain event, such as the occurrence of a hearing or a judicial or Board decision.
Judgment: In the context of a malpractice claim, a judgment is an award by a court, with or without a jury, to the plaintiff, in response to a lawsuit.
Licensee: A person who meets the requirements to have a license in the State of New Jersey.
Malpractice: A professional mistake that is a direct cause of injury or harm to a patient. It may result from a lack of knowledge, experience, or skill that can be expected in others in the profession. It may also result from a failure to use reasonable care or judgment.
Order: The document issued by the Board indicating the Board's decision that the practitioner, as a matter of past or present fact, is or is not in violation of a law or regulation. Orders containing the Board's resolution of allegations are public documents and copies are available on the Board's website.
Paid Claim: In the context of malpractice, a paid claim is a payment made to a person in response to a claim. It may be in the form of a "judgment" or "settlement."
Peer-Reviewed Literature: A journal or publication whose articles are reviewed and selected by an editorial board comprised of individuals having attained similar certification, education, training, and experience.
Probation: A status whereby a practitioner maintains his or her license but must comply with the terms and conditions required by the Board. The conditions may restrict the practice in some manner.
Residency: Extended postgraduate training usually in relation to establishing a specialty field of medical practice.
Revocation: An action by the Board which rescinds the license previously issued to the physician. A physician whose license has been revoked may not engage in any medical practice in the State of New Jersey.
Retired: Practitioner may not engage in the practice of his or her profession as a result of licensee's affirmative decision to retire from his or her profession in New Jersey.
Settlement: In the context of a paid malpractice claim, a settlement is an agreement between the parties in which payment is made to the plaintiff to resolve the claim without proceeding to court. A court may approve the settlement, but it is not an award of the court. A settlement does not necessarily mean that the practitioner admits liability for damages sustained by the plaintiff.
Surrendered: Practitioner may not engage in the practice of his or her profession as a result of a voluntary election to relinquish his or her license in lieu of investigation, administrative action(s) and/or other penalty assessment(s).
Suspension: An action by the Board which precludes a practitioner from engaging in medical practice for a set period of time
(for example, the Board may suspend a license for a period of six months, one year etc.). A suspension may be entirely active, include both an active and a stayed portion, or be stayed in its entirety.
