ECFMG Certification
About ECFMG Certification
| Requirements for ECFMG Certification |
Standard ECFMG Certificate
|
Validity of
Examinations for Entry into Graduate Medical Education
Requirements for ECFMG Certification
To be eligible for certification by ECFMG, international medical graduates must meet the following requirements.
Application for ECFMG Certification
International medical students/graduates must submit an Application for ECFMG Certification before they can
apply to ECFMG for examination. The Application for ECFMG Certification consists of questions that require
applicants to confirm their identity, contact information, and graduation from or enrollment in a medical school that
is listed in the
International Medical Education Directory (IMED)
of the
Foundation for Advancement of
International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER)
. As part of the application, international medical
students/graduates must also confirm their understanding of the purpose of ECFMG Certification and consent to a
release of legal claims. See
Application for ECFMG Certification
.
Examination Requirements
The examination requirements for ECFMG Certification include passing Step 1 and Step 2 of the USMLE. The
Step 2 exam has two separately administered components, the Clinical Knowledge (CK) component and the
Clinical Skills (CS) component.
To meet the examination requirements for ECFMG Certification, applicants must:
1. Satisfy the medical science examination requirement.
Step 1 and Step 2 CK of the USMLE are the exams currently administered that satisfy this
requirement. To meet the medical science examination requirement for ECFMG Certification,
applicants must pass both Step 1 and Step 2 CK within a specified period of time.
2. Satisfy the clinical skills requirement.
Step 2 CS of the USMLE is the exam currently administered that satisfies this requirement. Specific
time limits for passing Step 2 CS for ECFMG Certification may apply.
For detailed information, including information on time limits for completing the examinations for ECFMG
Certification and using a passing performance on former exams to satisfy these requirements, see
Examinations
for ECFMG Certification
.
Medical Education Credential Requirements
The physician’s medical school and graduation year must be listed in the
International Medical Education
Directory (IMED)
, available on the ECFMG website. 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 IMED. 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
Transfer Credits
in Medical Education Credentials.
The information available through IMED is derived from current and historical data collected by ECFMG
throughout its history of evaluating the medical education credentials of international medical graduates. A
medical school is added to IMED after FAIMER receives confirmation from the Ministry of Health or other
appropriate agency that the Ministry or agency has recognized that school.
FAIMER
also updates IMED as new
information is received from appropriate government agencies and from officials of the medical schools. FAIMER
is not an accrediting agency. Listing of a medical school in IMED does not denote recognition, accreditation, or
endorsement by FAIMER.
Applicants must document the completion of all requirements for, and receipt of, the final medical diploma.
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 by applicants to
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document transferred credits. See
Medical Education Credentials
.
Important Note: Submitting falsified or altered documents may result in a finding of irregular behavior.
For more information and potential consequences, see
ECFMG Policies and Procedures Regarding
Irregular Behavior
.
Last updated: September 15, 2011
Copyright © 2011 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
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ECFMG Certification
About ECFMG Certification
|
Requirements for ECFMG Certification
| Standard ECFMG Certificate |
Validity of
Examinations for Entry into Graduate Medical Education
Standard ECFMG Certificate
International medical graduates who wish to enter an accredited program of graduate medical education in the
United States must be certified by ECFMG.
ECFMG issues the Standard ECFMG Certificate to applicants who meet all of the requirements for certification.
International medical graduates must also pay any outstanding charges on their ECFMG financial accounts before
their certificates are issued. Standard ECFMG Certificates are sent approximately two weeks after all of these
requirements have been met. Currently, ECFMG sends the Standard ECFMG Certificate to the applicant’s
address of record by Federal Express. If the address in your ECFMG record is a U.S. post office box, the
certificate will be sent by certified mail.
The Standard ECFMG Certificate includes:
The name of the applicant;
The applicant’s USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number;
The dates that the examination requirements were met; and
The date that the certificate was issued.
Important Note: Prior to June 14, 2004, passing performances on an English language proficiency
test and the ECFMG Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) were requirements for ECFMG Certification.
Passing performances on these exams were subject to expiration for the purpose of entering U.S.
programs of graduate medical education; Standard ECFMG Certificates based on these exams may
list “valid through” dates, the dates through which the passing performances are valid for this purpose.
Effective June 14, 2004, some of these examinations are no longer subject to expiration, regardless of
whether a “valid through” date is listed on the Standard ECFMG Certificate. See
Validity of
Examinations for Entry into Graduate Medical Education
in ECFMG Certification.
Last updated: September 15, 2011
Copyright © 2011 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
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