Medical Education Credentials
Medical Education Credential Requirements
|
Transfer Credits
|
Credentials for ECFMG Certification
|
Final
Medical Diploma
|
Final Medical School Transcript
|
Transcript(s) to Document Transferred Credits
| Name on
Medical Diploma and Transcript(s) |
English Translations
|
Verification of Credentials
Name on Medical Diploma and Transcript(s)
The name on your medical diploma and transcript(s) must match exactly the name in your ECFMG record. If the
names do not match exactly, you must submit documentation that verifies the name on your medical
diploma/transcript(s) is (or was) your name. The documentation must show your name exactly as it appears on
your medical diploma/transcript(s). See
Your Name
and
Changing or Verifying Your Name
in Your ECFMG
Record.
If the name on your credentials does not match the name in your ECFMG record and you do not submit
acceptable documentation that verifies the name on your credentials is (or was) your name, your exam
application will be rejected.
An example of a discrepancy between the name in your ECFMG record and the name on your medical
diploma/transcript(s) would be if your ECFMG record lists your married name, but your medical
diploma/transcript(s) lists your maiden name.
Other examples of a discrepancy include, but are not limited to, the following:
Use of initials for the first name or last name (surname) on the medical diploma/transcript(s)
Example: “Mary Smith” in your ECFMG record, but “M. Smith” or “Mary S.” on your medical
diploma/transcript(s).
Difference in the sequence of names
Example: “Pravin Chandra Patel” in your ECFMG record, but “Pravin Patel Chandra” or “Chandra Pravin
Patel” on your medical diploma/transcript(s).
Hyphenations and separations in names
Example: “Alice Al Quigley” in your ECFMG record, but “Alice Al-Quigley” or “Alice Alquigley” on your
medical diploma/transcript(s).
Last updated: September 15, 2011
Copyright © 2011 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
81
Medical Education Credentials
Medical Education Credential Requirements
|
Transfer Credits
|
Credentials for ECFMG Certification
|
Final
Medical Diploma
|
Final Medical School Transcript
|
Transcript(s) to Document Transferred Credits
|
Name on
Medical Diploma and Transcript(s)
| English Translations |
Verification of Credentials
English Translations
Any document submitted to ECFMG that is not in English must be accompanied by an English translation,
prepared by and certified to be correct by a government official (for example, a Consular Officer), medical school
official (for example, a Dean or Registrar), or a professional translation service.
The translation must appear on letterhead. It must bear the signature and title of the government or medical
school official or representative of the translation service and, if there is one, the seal of the government official,
medical school, or translation service. If the translation service is a private company, the letterhead must identify
the company as a translation service. The translation must be a word-for-word translation of the original language
document. An abstract or summary translation of the document is not acceptable. The translation must be
prepared from the original document or a photocopy of the original document. ECFMG will not accept a translation
prepared from a transcription (transcribed version) of the document.
An English language certificate issued by the medical school that is not a word-for-word English language version
of the degree, transcript, or other document in the original language is not acceptable as a translation. English
translations that do not meet the requirements above will not be accepted. Examples of unacceptable translations
include, but are not limited to:
translations prepared by a notary who is not a government or medical school official or representative of a
professional translation service
a translation that was not signed by the translator or official or representative of the translation service, and
a translation that is not a word-for-word translation of the original language document.
Additionally, applicants are not permitted to translate their own documents.
Documents submitted to ECFMG as part of the exam application and certification processes, including
translations, will not be returned.
ECFMG does not endorse or recommend individual translation services. However, you can locate a translation
service by consulting the website of the
American Translators Association
.
Last updated: September 15, 2011
Copyright © 2011 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
82
Medical Education Credentials
Medical Education Credential Requirements
|
Transfer Credits
|
Credentials for ECFMG Certification
|
Final
Medical Diploma
|
Final Medical School Transcript
|
Transcript(s) to Document Transferred Credits
|
Name on
Medical Diploma and Transcript(s)
|
English Translations
| Verification of Credentials
Verification of Credentials
ECFMG verifies every international medical graduate’s final medical diploma with the appropriate officials of the
medical school that issued the diploma and requests the medical school to 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. You will not fulfill the ECFMG medical education credential requirements until
verification of your final medical diploma, final medical school transcript, and, if required, transfer credit
transcript(s) is received directly from the issuing school(s) and accepted by ECFMG.
In some instances, the verification process can be lengthy due to the processing time required by the institutions
and, for verifications done by mail, prevailing postal conditions. ECFMG will notify you when your diploma has
been sent to your medical school for verification. If ECFMG does not receive a response from your medical school
within the anticipated time period, ECFMG will send subsequent verification requests to your medical school.
ECFMG will notify you when it sends these subsequent requests. ECFMG will also notify you after receiving and
evaluating the verification from your medical school. You can check the status of these medical education
credentials on-line using
OASIS
.
ECFMG reserves the right to reverify with the medical school the eligibility of medical school graduates who apply
for examination. This may include reverification of the graduate’s medical education credentials with the issuing
medical school. If such reverification is requested by ECFMG, the graduate will be registered for examination only
after ECFMG has received reverification of the graduate’s credentials directly from the medical school. If
reverification is requested by ECFMG after the graduate has been registered for examination, ECFMG may cancel
the graduate’s registration or withhold the graduate’s score report until ECFMG has received reverification of the
graduate’s medical education credentials directly from the issuing school. If your registration is canceled, you may
be required to reapply.
Important Notes: Applicants are responsible for any fees associated with the verification of the final
medical diploma, final medical school transcript, and transcript(s) to document transferred credits. If
your medical school charges a fee for the verification of your diploma and/or transcript, ECFMG will
advise you to contact your medical school directly regarding the fee and the method of payment. If the
final medical school transcript provided by your medical school is not in English, ECFMG will have the
transcript translated into English by an independent translation service, will charge your ECFMG
financial account for the translation, and will notify you of the charge. The current translation fee is
$220. See
Methods of Payment
in Your ECFMG Financial Account for information on how to make a
payment to your ECFMG financial account.
In 2011, ECFMG will begin to pilot electronic primary-source verification of medical education
credentials through the
ECFMG Medical School Web Portal (EMSWP)
. Monitor the ECFMG website
for additional information.
Last updated: September 15, 2011
Copyright © 2011 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
83