Starting residency · NY
Starting residency in New York
New York does not issue a separate training license for residents; check your program's onboarding instructions. New York has a graduated income tax (top rate 10.9% above $25,000,000 for 2026).
Training license
- Status
- No separate training license
NYSED does not require a license or limited permit for people employed in ACGME-approved training programs to work in those programs. It issues a limited permit ($105) for other supervised hospital practice, which ACGME residents do not need. NYSED's page does not address moonlighting.
Full license: After 1 year of accredited residency for graduates of accredited or NYS-registered schools (MD or DO); 3 years for graduates of other schools. A full license matters if you plan to moonlight.
Source: New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions
State income tax
Graduated income tax: top rate 10.9% above $25,000,000 for 2026. New York City residents pay city income tax of 3.078% to 3.876% (2026). Yonkers residents pay a surcharge of 16.75% of their net state tax; nonresidents pay 0.5% on wages earned in Yonkers.
Source: taxfoundation.org
Match Day to your first loan payment
Assumes you enroll in RAP or IBR when the grace period ends, recertify once a year, and file each tax return by April. Your servicer's dates govern.
Mid-March
Match Day
You learn where you'll train. Your program sends its residency (GME) agreement and onboarding steps.
March–April
New York training license
New York does not issue a separate training license; follow your program's onboarding steps instead.
April–June
Credentialing and onboarding
Hospital credentialing, health screening, payroll and benefits forms, and a DEA registration if your program requires one.
Late June–July 1
Move and start
Intern orientation usually starts in the last week of June. When the first paycheck arrives depends on the hospital's payroll schedule, so budget for a few weeks of moving costs without one.
About 6 months after graduation
Federal loan grace period ends
Payments start 6 months after you leave school. Choose a plan before then, or request residency forbearance, during which interest accrues and months don't count toward PSLF.
First year of payments
Payments use last year's income
RAP and IBR use the adjusted gross income on your most recent tax return, which for most new residents is a student year. Payments rise after you recertify with a resident's income.
NYSED licenses MDs and DOs.
Related
- Compare RAP, IBR and Tiered Standard on a resident's income
- New York physician non-compete law, for when you sign your first attending contract
- All states
General information, checked on the date above. Board requirements and fees change; confirm with the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professionsand your program before you apply.