Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
To be eligible for certification by ECFMG, international medical graduates must meet the following requirements.
The physician’s medical school must meet requirements established by ECFMG. Schools that meet all requirements will be listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (World Directory) with an ECFMG note stating that the school meets eligibility requirements for their students and graduates to apply to ECFMG for ECFMG Certification and examination. The ECFMG note also will include the graduation years for which the school meets these requirements. Since ECFMG is a sponsor of the World Directory, the ECFMG note is located on the “Sponsor Notes” tab of the medical school listing. If there is no ECFMG note on the Sponsor Notes tab of your medical school’s listing, you are not eligible to apply to ECFMG for ECFMG Certification and examination. To confirm that your medical school meets ECFMG’s requirements, access the World Directory at www.wdoms.org . For information on the ECFMG Sponsor Note, see Information on Sponsor Notes in the World Directory of Medical Schools on the ECFMG website.
Important Note: In 2024, ECFMG will begin implementation of the Recognized Accreditation Policy. The policy involves the reporting of a medical school’s recognized accreditation status. It will not affect an individual’s eligibility for ECFMG Certification. For the latest information, please monitor the ECFMG website at www.ecfmg.org/accreditation.
To be eligible for ECFMG Certification, international medical students/graduates must submit an Application for ECFMG Certification, which confirms their intent to pursue ECFMG Certification and their understanding of the purpose of the certification program. The Application for ECFMG Certification consists of an on-line application and the Certification of Identification Form (Form 186), available via our on-line services. Among other things, the Application for ECFMG Certification requires applicants to confirm their identity, contact information, and graduation from or enrollment in a medical school that is listed in the World Directory with an ECFMG note stating it meets ECFMG eligibility requirements. See Medical School Requirements above and the Application for ECFMG Certification section for more information.
To meet the medical science examination requirement for ECFMG Certification, applicants must pass Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).
To meet the clinical skills requirement and communication skills requirement for ECFMG Certification, applicants must:
ECFMG has established time limits and other rules for completing the examination requirements for ECFMG Certification. For detailed information, see Examinations for ECFMG Certification.
The physician’s graduation year must be included in the ECFMG note in the medical school’s World Directory listing. International medical graduates must have been awarded credit for at least four credit years (academic years for which credit has been given toward completion of the medical curriculum) by a medical school that is listed in the World Directory with an ECFMG note stating it meets ECFMG eligibility requirements. There are restrictions on credits transferred to the medical school that awards an applicant’s medical degree that can be used to meet this requirement. See ECFMG Policy on Transfer Credits in Medical Education Credentials.
Applicants must document the completion of all requirements for, and receipt of, the final medical diploma. See the Reference Guide for Medical Education Credentials on the ECFMG website for the exact title of the final medical diploma you must have earned (and must provide). ECFMG verifies every applicant’s medical school diploma with the appropriate officials of the medical school that issued the diploma and requests that the medical school provide the final medical school transcript. Verification by ECFMG with the issuing school may also be required for transcripts that are submitted to document transferred credits. See Medical Education Credentials.
Important Note: Submitting falsified or altered documents may result in a finding of irregular behavior and permanent annotation of your record. For more information and potential consequences, see Policies and Procedures Regarding Irregular Behavior.
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[Last update: August 21, 2023]
