Cruise Physician Requirements

While most people associate Cruise Medicine with scenes from the TV show ``Love Boat", there is serious medicine to be practiced at sea. Because of the relative lack of medical high technology in the middle of the ocean the practice of Cruise Medicine requires physicians with a degree of flexibility and creativity. Sometimes you have to make do with what you've got, and the ability to think of new ways to solve problems with available resources is essential.

The cruise physician also has to be able to accept responsibility and make tough decisions in unfamiliar circumstances. He/she has to have broad clinical experience. You can't defer a decision to a consultant or elect to just watch a patient while the ship sails away from the nearest hospital.

Our minimum requirements for cruise physicians are:

• Three years clinical experience
• BC/BE in Emergency Medicine, Family Practice, or Internal Medicine
• Current ACLS certification if not an Emergency Physician
• Fluency in English
• Licensure in the USA, Canada, UK, or Scandinavian country

If you are interested, here are the steps to follow:

1. Look at the schedule page and choose the dates and ship where you would like to work.
2. Fill out and submit the application form (click on the App button below) and mail in your supporting documents (license, ACLS card, diploma, board certification, curriculum vitae).
3. You'll get back a contract and orientation materials from us. Fill in your address and payroll information on the contract and sign it. Read the orientation manual and answer the quiz at the end. Send us the contract, quiz and a $200 deposit (You'll get this back with your first paycheck).
4. When we finish credentialling you we'll send you back a copy of the contract, an orientation tape, and your final instructions and boarding information.
5. You'll need to tell us the names and dates of any guests you plan to have on board with you.

 Please contact our Webmaster with questions or comments.

Copyright 1997 Maritime Health Systems, Ltd. All rights reserved.