Telemedicine Physician Jobs in Hawaii

How To Become a Remote Physician in Hawaii

Aspiring telemedicine physicians should know that they’ll be held to the same standards and need the same qualifications as their peers who practice at in-person facilities.

To be eligible for one of the many virtual care jobs open in Hawaii, you’ll need to take the traditional medical education and training path. You will also need to either be board eligible or board certified. Here’s how you can become a remote physician in Hawaii:

• Education: You’ll need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution before going on to med school to earn a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).

• Exams: Towards the end of your program, you’ll need to take and pass the first portion of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).

• Residency: Once you obtain a medical degree, you’ll have to complete a residency program to become specialized in your area of choice. Typically, specialities like internal medicine, emergency medicine, and family medicine are highly sought after by telemedicine companies since they treat a wide range of health conditions and patient demographics.

• Become licensed to practice medicine in Hawaii: You’ll have to take the final portion of the USMLE exam to legally practice medicine in Hawaii. Those seeking licensure as a Doctor of Osteopathic medicine will need to complete the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA). The last step is to submit an application for physician licensure to the Hawaii Medical Board. You also need to pay a $50 application fee.

• Board certification: To become board certified, which many telehealth positions require, you’ll need to pass the ABMS exam.

Requirements for Remote Physicians in Hawaii

Becoming a telemedicine physician is an ideal way to supplement your income while working from home and maintaining a flexible schedule. Whether you’re interested in full-time or part-time virtual work, you’ll find a number of remote opportunities available in Hawaii for MDs and DOs.

Once you obtain your license and are board certified, you can determine which type of telehealth position suits you best whether you live in Honolulu, Hilo, Pearl City, or anywhere else in Hawaii.

Here’s what you should know before applying to telehealth positions in the Aloha State:

• Work-from-home physicians: Physicians must adhere to the same standard of care whether they see patients remotely or practice in an in-person healthcare facility. The key difference lies in how telemedicine physicians conduct consultations with their patients. With virtual care, you’ll utilize technology to complete synchronous (video or phone) and asynchronous (chat) patient visits. Note that legally, remote physicians can only treat patients physically located in the state where they are licensed.

• Additional training: The standard of patient care in telehealth is the same as with in-person care. While there is no state-mandated training specific to virtual care, many telehealth companies provide onboarding to educate doctors on how to use relevant telemedicine technology and platforms. They’ll also offer best practices for good webside manner.

• Necessary documentation: When applying for remote physician roles, be sure to update your resume and have appropriate documentation ready that shows your education and credentials.

When telemedicine companies are hiring, they often post open roles on job posting sites like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn. This is an excellent place to start looking for remote physician opportunities. Wheel matches clinicians with virtual care positions and has an array of opportunities available for MDs and DOs in Hawaii. Check out this article for tips on how to evaluate telehealth job opportunities in primary care.