For a locum physician, state licenses are inventory: the more you hold, the more assignments you can say yes to. Which is why the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact quietly became one of the most useful institutions in medicine. More than 200,000 licenses have now been issued through it, according to the AMA, and in 2026 the compact spans the large majority of US jurisdictions, Pennsylvania among them.
How it works, in one paragraph
Qualify once through your state of principal license, with an unrestricted license, board certification, and a clean history, and you can then obtain licenses in other member states through an expedited pathway instead of assembling a fresh application for every board. Physicians who have done it both ways describe the difference bluntly: the compact route is dramatically less painful.
The Michigan lesson
This spring offered a rare reminder that the compact is legislation, not geography. Michigan's membership carried a sunset date of March 28, 2026, and as the deadline approached, thousands of physicians who held Michigan licenses through the compact faced losing their authority to practice there. Lawmakers reached a deal and the Senate voted with days to spare. Good ending, useful warning: if your assignment inventory depends on compact licenses, it depends on state legislatures keeping their membership current.
What this means in practice
- If you plan to work multiple states, ask early whether the compact route fits your profile. It is usually the faster path, but not always the right one.
- Keep your state of principal license unambiguous; it anchors your eligibility.
- Watch the edges: a few large states remain outside the compact, and member status can change.
WPA's team helps clinicians navigate licensing for assignments, including high-demand states. Tell a recruiter where you want to work and we will map the licensing route: 888-461-0860.