Telemedicine Physician Jobs in South Carolina

How To Become a Remote Physician in South Carolina

Remote doctors must adhere to the same standards and earn the same qualifications as their colleagues who treat patients at an in-person healthcare facility.

To be able to apply for one of the numerous telehealth physician roles open in South Carolina, you must receive traditional medical education and training. You must also be either a board-eligible or board-certified clinician.

These are the steps you need to take in order to practice virtual care as a physician in South Carolina:

• Education: Aspiring telemedicine physicians must first obtain a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution before earning a degree as a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).

• Exams: Towards the end of medical school, you’ll be ready to take the first portion of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). Receiving passing marks on this exam is a necessary step to become a licensed physician.

• Residency: Once you have your medical degree, you need to apply for residency programs in the specialized field of your choice. For a career in telemedicine, consider family medicine, internal medicine, or emergency medicine. Virtual care companies are seeking doctors in these specialties, because they tend to treat a broad range of health concerns and patient demographics.

• Become licensed to practice medicine in South Carolina: To obtain your medical license in South Carolina, you must pass the final portion of the USMLE. Those working to become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine must complete the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA). The final step is to submit an application for medical licensure to the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners, in addition to a $580 application fee.

• Board certification: To become a board-certified physician, you’ll have to pass the ABMS exam. Note that some telehealth positions require doctors to be board certified.

Requirements for Remote Physicians in South Carolina

Working as a remote physician is an excellent way to supplement your income and maintain a flexible schedule. Whether you’re looking for full-time or part-time virtual work, you’ll find a number of opportunities available in South Carolina for MDs and DOs living in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, or elsewhere in the state.

Once you receive your medical license and board certification, you can determine the type of telehealth role that suits you best. Before you start applying to virtual care roles, here’s what you should know:

• Work-from-home physicians: Telehealth doctors must maintain the same standard of care as they would if they were practicing in an office setting. The key difference is that with virtual care, clinicians rely on technology to conduct synchronous (video or phone) and asynchronous (chat) visits with patients. It’s important to remember that as a telemedicine physician, you can only treat patients physically located in the state where you’re licensed.

• Additional training: The standard of care in telehealth is the same as it is for in-person care. However, telehealth companies typically provide onboarding to teach doctors how to use relevant technology and platforms. This may also include best practices for good webside manner.

• Necessary documentation: When applying for virtual care jobs, make sure to update your resume and have appropriate documentation ready that confirms your education and credentials.

Virtual care companies usually post open roles on job search sites like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn. These websites are a great place to start looking for telehealth physician opportunities. Wheel matches doctors with virtual care positions and has a variety of roles available for M.D.s and D.O.s in South Carolina. Check out this article for tips on how to evaluate telehealth job opportunities in primary care.