Starting residency · VA
Starting residency in Virginia
Virginia requires residents to hold a training license from the Virginia Board of Medicine: the Intern/resident/fellow training license. Virginia has a graduated income tax (top rate 5.75% above $17,000 for 2026).
Training license
- Status
- Training license required
- Called
- Intern/resident/fellow training license (board rules call it a temporary or limited license)
- Apply
- The board says to apply as soon as the appointment is confirmed and not to begin training before approval; it publishes no number of days.
- Fee
- $55; renewal $35
- Renewal
- Annual, on the recommendation of the program's GME director
Who applies: Resident, online. The program certifies training dates on Form A and the medical school sends Form B.
Virginia law bars GME programs from employing unlicensed interns or residents, so each resident needs this license or a full license before starting. The license is valid only within the training program's hospitals and clinics, and board rules bar outside employment that requires a full license.
Full license: After 12 months of training in one accredited program (MD or DO); IMGs also need ECFMG certification. A full license matters if you plan to moonlight.
Source: Virginia Board of Medicine
State income tax
Graduated income tax: top rate 5.75% above $17,000 for 2026.
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
Virginia training license
Apply for your Virginia training license as soon as your program sends instructions. Applications often need school records and background checks that take weeks.
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.
One board licenses MDs and DOs.
Related
- Compare RAP, IBR and Tiered Standard on a resident's income
- Virginia 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 Virginia Board of Medicineand your program before you apply.