In this blog, we’ll explore what the 2025 IMLC updates mean for you as a physician and how they can enhance your career flexibility, increase your earning potential, and make your job easier.

As we start off 2025, there’s a significant shift underway that has a major impact on how physicians, particularly those who work as locum tenens, can practice medicine across state lines. The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) is evolving to better meet the needs of physicians and healthcare systems. These changes, which rolled out earlier this month, make it easier, faster, and more affordable for physicians to get licensed in multiple states—giving locum professionals even more opportunities to work and serve patients across the country.If you're a locum tenens provider or considering entering this field, understanding these changes and how they benefit you is essential. In this blog, we’ll explore what the 2025 IMLC updates mean for you as a physician and how they can enhance your career flexibility, increase your earning potential, and make your job easier.<h2>What is the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC)?</h2>The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact is an agreement between 37 states (and counting) that allows physicians to obtain licensure in multiple states through a streamlined, expedited process. The IMLC helps physicians like you who wish to practice across state lines without having to navigate the lengthy and often costly individual state licensure process.<h2>Changes to the IMLC in 2025</h2>The changes to the IMLC in 2025 take an already efficient system and make it even more accessible and practical for locum tenens physicians. Let’s look at the key updates that directly benefit you:<h3>1. Expansion of Eligibility Criteria</h3>One of the most important changes in 2025 is the expanded eligibility for physicians to join the IMLC. While the compact previously only applied to certain specialties or license types, the updated rules make more physicians eligible to apply. This includes:<ul><li>Specialties in high demand (such as behavioral health and telemedicine).</li><li>Expanded license types, allowing more types of medical professionals, like certain advanced practitioners, to be included in the compact.</li></ul> For locum tenens physicians, this means more opportunities to practice in different states under the same compact system, even if your specialty wasn't previously eligible. This helps expand your job options, especially in underserved areas where your expertise is needed.<h3>2. Faster Processing Times</h3>One of the most common frustrations with medical licensure is the length of time it takes to obtain approval. Under the updated IMLC framework, the licensure process will be faster and more efficient.<ul><li>Reduced processing times makes it possible to receive approval for new state licenses in a matter of weeks, rather than months.</li></ul> For you as a locum provider, time is money—and this change enables you to get started on assignments more quickly, without waiting through long state-specific licensing procedures.<h3>3. Telemedicine Licensure Updates</h3>Telemedicine is rapidly growing, and the IMLC is adapting to this new reality. The compact now introduces specific provisions for telemedicine licensure, allowing you to provide remote care across state lines with much less friction. Physicians who practice telemedicine are able to leverage the IMLC to expand their reach without needing a license in every state where they provide virtual care.For locum tenens physicians offering telehealth services, this change is particularly valuable. You can now:<ul><li>Practice telemedicine across multiple states with ease.</li><li>Help fill virtual care gaps in rural and underserved areas, where telemedicine is often a lifeline.</li><li>Increase your earning potential by providing remote care to patients in different states, without the need to apply for separate licenses.</li></ul> If you’ve been considering telemedicine as a part of your locum tenens career, the 2025 changes to the IMLC make it much easier for you to build a telemedicine practice across multiple states.<h3>4. Cost Adjustments</h3>Another positive change for 2025 is an adjustment to the costs associated with the licensure process. The fees involved in applying for licensure through the IMLC are more affordable, making it financially easier to obtain multiple state licenses.As a locum physician, this cost reduction is significant because it:<ul><li>Lowers the barrier to entry for physicians looking to work in multiple states.</li><li>Reduces the upfront costs of getting licensed, making it easier to take on multiple short-term assignments.</li><li>Potentially increases your profitability by allowing you to access more work without the financial burden of multiple individual state licenses.</li></ul> <h2>How Will These Changes Benefit You as a Locums?</h2>The 2025 updates to the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact are a big win for locum physicians. With faster processing times, expanded eligibility, and the ability to practice telemedicine across state lines, you’ll find more opportunities to work in different locations, earn more, and reduce administrative hassles. If you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/locums/hotjobs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">explore how Cross Country Locums</a> and the IMLC can help you take your locum tenens career to the next level.

The 2025 IMLC Changes: A Game Changer for Locum Physicians