Minnesota Government Shut Down Affects Medical Licensing


Due to disagreements about whether or not to raise taxes or cut spending to balance their budget, the state of Minnesota has shut down most of their governmental offices. More than 20,000 of Minnesota's 36,000 state employees have been laid off in the shutdown including all staff at the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice. The shutdown officially went into effect on Friday, July 1st but operations at the medical board ceased June 30th at noon. We're hoping for a fast resolution. 

Minnesota has endured just one other governmental shut down in 2005 when all but essential activities stopped for nine days. For those of you who are in the midst of your licensing process in Minnesota, please remain patient, it can't last long. For those of you who are looking at signing contracts in Minnesota, I'd advise against it unless, of course, you already hold a Minnesota medical license. It's a rare occasion that a state shuts down operations but it has happened in the past in New Jersey and California.