Ecfmg 2015 Annual Report

ECFMG Certificate Holders Office 

Te ECFMG Certifcate Holders Ofce (ECHO

SM

) was established 

as an initiative of ECFMG’s Board of Trustees in 2012. Te ECHO 

To learn more about ECHO and to 

program provides support and service to physicians certifed by 

access its library of resources, visit 

ECFMG and those nearing certifcation. ECHO helps physicians 

www.ecfmg.org/echo/.

stay connected to ECFMG and to each other; develops free, 

web‐based resources; and conducts outreach activities. 

Trough ECHO’s IMG Advisors Network (IAN), qualifying physicians who are pursuing ECFMG 

Certifcation and entry into U.S. GME can connect with a volunteer advisor to get frst‐hand advice on 

applying to U.S. GME, what to expect as a new resident, and important considerations for living and working 

in the United States. Volunteer advisors are ECFMG‐certifed physicians who have entered or completed a U.S. 

GME program. At the end of 2015, approximately 740 advisors and 3,000 advisees were registered with IAN, 

and there were more than 250 active advisor‐advisee matches. 

ECHO develops and publishes free resources that can help international physicians be better prepared 

when making career plans. Since its launch, the program has produced more than 30 resources on topics such 

as applying to U.S. residency programs, obtaining a visa to 

participate in U.S. GME, orienting to U.S. GME and health 

care, the importance of research, appropriate use of social 

media, and bedside teaching. Tese resources are developed in 

conjunction with internal and external experts who can share 

important experience, knowledge, and insights. 

2015 Webinars Bring Expert Perspectives to International Medical 

Students/Graduates Pursuing U.S. Residencies 

ECHO partners with internal and external experts to host webinars for international medical students/ 

graduates pursuing ECFMG Certification and U.S. residency positions. These live events ofer a variety 

of expert perspectives and the opportunity for participants to ask questions, which are answered by 

invited experts and staf. In 2015, ECHO ofered three large-scale webinars. More than 650 individuals 

registered for each of these free events. 

•   In July, ECHO collaborated with ERAS Support Services at ECFMG to host two webinars 

titled “Preparing for the U.S. Residency and Recruitment Process.” Targeted to international 

medical student/graduate participants in the 2016 Match, these events provided information 

to help participants make well-informed decisions during the U.S. residency application and 

recruitment processes. 

•   In October, international medical students/graduates preparing for residency interviews were 

ofered helpful advice during “Residency Interview Tips, Questions, and Answers!” hosted by 

ECHO and ERAS Support Services at ECFMG. 

•   In December, ECHO partnered with the American Medical Association’s International Medical 

Graduates Section (AMA-IMGS) to host “By the Numbers,” which presented data and trends 

relating to international medical graduates who pursue ECFMG Certification and enter the U.S. 

health care workforce. 

suPPor

ting u

.s. gMe And internA

tionAl PhY

siCiAns entering u

.s. gMe 

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ECHO News, the program’s free e‐newsletter, is an important part of staying connected. Occasional issues 

highlight new and existing ECHO resources, upcoming events, and other timely information. By the end of 2015, 

more than 45,000 individuals were receiving this publication. 

Outreach is another important component of ECHO’s activities. In 2015, ECHO staf attended a variety 

of meetings, including meetings of U.S. ethnic physician organizations and other organizations concerned with 

medical education in the United States. Tese meetings are important opportunities to raise awareness of the 

ECHO program and to hear about the needs of ECFMG‐certifed physicians from the physicians themselves, their 

mentors, and their medical schools and training programs. 

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Meeting the World’s needs for 

VerifiCAtion of PhYsiCiAn QuAlifiCAtions 

ECFMG is a leader in verifying the authenticity of the credentials issued to the world’s physicians. ECFMG 

employs primary-source verifcation—verifying the authenticity of a credential directly with the institution 

that issued the credential. Primary-source verifcation is the process used by ECFMG to verify credentials for 

ECFMG Certifcation, the standard for international physicians entering the U.S. health care system, and for 

ECFMG’s international credentials services, which are used by regulatory authorities and other entities around 

the world. Primary-source verifcation is a best practice and the best protection against fraudulent credentials. 

Primary-source Verification 

Primary-source verification is a rigorous, multi-step process that ECFMG employs to ensure the integrity 

and authenticity of a physician’s medical credentials and other qualifications. 

When ECFMG receives a credential issued by a licensing authority or postgraduate training institution, 

it first reviews the credential to determine that it contains the relevant postgraduate or licensing 

information that ECFMG expects to be contained in such credentials. If the postgraduate or licensing 

credential passes this preliminary review, ECFMG will then communicate directly with the issuing 

institution to request verification of the credential’s authenticity. 

When ECFMG receives a credential issued by a medical school, it first reviews the credential and 

compares it to sample primary-source verified documents from its Medical Credentials Reference 

Library to confirm that it is consistent with the format of credentials issued by the medical school. The 

library is a one-of-a-kind resource on the world’s medical education credentials, developed over the 

course of nearly 60 years of certifying international medical graduates. Its holdings include samples of 

authentic verified credentials, such as medical diplomas and transcripts, as well as oficial signatures 

and institutional seals. It also includes lists of the oficials authorized by the various medical schools to 

sign ECFMG verification forms and applications. 

If the medical school credential is determined to be consistent with verified samples, ECFMG will 

communicate directly with the issuing institution to request verification of the credential’s authenticity. 

If ECFMG believes it will facilitate the verification process, ECFMG will communicate with an institution 

in the language of the country in which the institution is located. For the purposes of ECFMG 

Certification, ECFMG currently verifies documents using 10 languages. 

Once ECFMG receives the verification, another review is conducted to confirm that the verification 

meets ECFMG’s standards. ECFMG only accepts verifications directly from the issuing institution. 

Meeting the W

orld’s needs f

or VerifiC

Ation of PhY

siCiAn Qu

AlifiC

Ations 

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