EDUCATIONAL COMMISSION FOR
FOREIGN MEDICAL GRADUATES
EDUCATIONAL COMMISSION FOR
FOREIGN MEDICAL GRADUATES
2016
Information Booklet
CERTIFICATION
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2685 USA
www.ecfmg.org
Form 100s, September 9, 2015
Visit www.ecfmg.org to
Get updates on ECFMG Certification and related policies and services.
Complete the Application for ECFMG Certification using the Interactive Web Applications
(IWA).
Apply for Step 1 and Step 2 (Clinical Knowledge and Clinical Skills) of the United States
Medical Licensing Examination
®
(USMLE
®
) using IWA.
Subscribe to The ECFMG
®
Reporter for important updates on ECFMG Certification and entry
into graduate medical education in the United States.
Access your information using the On-line Applicant Status and Information System (OASIS).
Follow us on Facebook
Download the MyECFMG mobile app
About the ECFMG Information Booklet
and Application Materials .........................1
ECFMG Certification
About ECFMG Certification ............................3
Requirements for ECFMG Certification ..........4
Standard ECFMG Certificate ......................... 6
Validity of Examinations for Entry
into Graduate Medical Education ............... 7
Your ECFMG Record
USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number ..........9
Your Name ....................................................10
Changing or Verifying Your Name ................11
Contact Information ......................................13
Your ECFMG Financial Account
Fees..............................................................14
Payment .......................................................15
Methods of Payment.....................................16
Refunds ........................................................17
Forfeiture of Funds .......................................18
ECFMG Programs and
Irregular Behavior....................................19
Application for ECFMG Certification ........22
Examinations for ECFMG Certification
Examination Requirements ..........................23
Time Limit for Completing
Examination Requirements .......................24
Eligibility for Examination
Medical School Students ..............................26
Medical School Graduates ...........................28
Reverification of Eligibility .............................30
Fifth Pathway Participants ............................31
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The United States Medical Licensing
Examination (USMLE)
About USMLE ...............................................32
Registration and Test Delivery Entities .........33
Applying for Examination ..............................34
Scheduling the Examination .........................36
Preparing for Examination ............................38
Taking the Examination ................................39
USMLE Program and Irregular Behavior ......41
Examination Results .....................................42
Reexamination and Reapplication ................44
Medical Education Credentials
Medical Education
Credential Requirements ...........................46
Transfer Credits ...........................................47
Credentials for ECFMG Certification ............49
Final Medical Diploma ..................................51
Final Medical School Transcript....................52
Transcript(s) to Document
Transferred Credits ....................................53
Name on Medical Diploma
and Transcript(s)........................................54
English Translations .....................................55
Verification of Credentials .............................56
Related ECFMG Services
Confirmation of ECFMG
Certification Status ....................................57
Electronic Residency Application
Service (ERAS) Support Services .............58
J-1 Visa Sponsorship ....................................60
ECFMG Certificate Holders Office................61
® The terms ECFMG
®
and CSA
®
are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG
®
). All rights reserved. Portions reprinted,
with permission, from the USMLE 2016 Bulletin of Information, copyright © 2015-2016 by the Federation of State Medical Boards of
the United States, Inc., and the National Board of Medical Examiners
®
(NBME
®
).
About the ECFMG Information Booklet and Application Materials
The ECFMG Information Booklet contains detailed information on ECFMG’s program of certification. The information
contained in this booklet pertains only to the ECFMG certification process and related applications and services. This
booklet should not be used as a guide to ECFMG's other programs and services, such as the Electronic Portfolio of
International Credentials (EPIC
SM
). Please visit the
ECFMG website
for information on ECFMG's programs and
services. You also can access this publication, the Application for ECFMG Certification, and the application for Step 1
and Step 2 (Clinical Knowledge and Clinical Skills components) of the United States Medical Licensing Examination
®
(USMLE
®
) on the
ECFMG website
.
Applicants for examination must use the applicable edition of the Information Booklet. The 2016 Information Booklet
pertains to eligibility periods in 2016. If your eligibility period extends into 2017 and you test in 2017, you must become
familiar with and will be subject to the policies and procedures detailed in the 2017 Information Booklet. The 2017
Information Booklet is expected to be available in September 2016. See the information on eligibility periods under
Applying for Examination
in The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) section of this booklet.
The
USMLE Bulletin of Information
provides information about the USMLE, a three-step examination for medical
licensure in the United States. In the event that information about the USMLE in the ECFMG Information Booklet
differs from the corresponding information in the USMLE Bulletin of Information, the information in the USMLE Bulletin
of Information controls.
IMPORTANT
Applicants for examination are required to read and become familiar with the information contained in and
referenced in both the ECFMG Information Booklet and the USMLE Bulletin of Information. The USMLE
Bulletin of Information is available on the
USMLE website
. Exam applicants should also carefully read the USMLE
exam application
overview
and
instructions
available in ECFMG's Interactive Web Applications (IWA). Applicants
should review and be familiar with the
ECFMG Policies and Procedures Regarding Irregular Behavior
.
Although current at the time of publication, the information contained in the 2016 Information Booklet is subject to
change. If changes occur, information will be posted on the
ECFMG website
. You must obtain the most recent
information to understand current policies and procedures.
The ECFMG
®
Reporter
, ECFMG’s free e-mail newsletter, provides important updates on ECFMG Certification and
entry into graduate medical education in the United States. All applicants should
subscribe
to The ECFMG
®
Reporter.
The Information Booklet describes deadlines related to exam applications, scheduling, and other services. Unless
otherwise indicated, deadlines are calculated using Eastern Time in the United States.
Consistent with ECFMG's Privacy Policy, ECFMG may share the information contained in your application, or that
otherwise may become available to ECFMG, with any federal, state or local governmental department or agency, with
any hospital or with any other organization or individual who, in the judgment of ECFMG, has a legitimate interest in
such information. This may include reporting determinations of irregular behavior to the USMLE Committee for
Individualized Review, Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, U.S. state and international medical
licensing authorities, directors of graduate medical education programs, and to any other organization or individual
who, in the judgment of ECFMG, has a legitimate interest in such information. For further information regarding
ECFMG's data collection and privacy practices, please refer to our
Privacy Policy
.
ECFMG strives to ensure proper processing of applications for ECFMG Certification and examination, other service
requests related to ECFMG Certification and examination, and the information contained in such applications and
requests. In the unlikely event that an error occurs in the processing of applications, requests, or associated materials,
ECFMG will make reasonable efforts to correct the error, if possible, or permit you either to reapply at no additional fee
or to receive a refund. These are the exclusive remedies available to applicants for errors in processing applications
and other service requests related to ECFMG Certification, examination, and the other programs described in this
booklet.
Please note that ECFMG will not provide services of any kind if doing so would be considered violative of any
Page 1
applicable federal, state, or local laws or regulations. Additionally, ECFMG may delay provision of services
while investigating whether the services violate such laws or regulations.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 2
ECFMG Certification
About ECFMG Certification |
Requirements for ECFMG Certification
|
Standard ECFMG Certificate
|
Validity of
Examinations for Entry into Graduate Medical Education
About ECFMG Certification
The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), through its program of certification, assesses
whether international medical graduates are ready to enter residency or fellowship programs in the United States that
are accredited by the
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
. ACGME requires international
medical graduates who enter ACGME-accredited programs to be certified by ECFMG.
ECFMG Certification assures directors of ACGME-accredited residency and fellowship programs, and the people of
the United States, that international medical graduates have met minimum standards of eligibility to enter such
programs. ECFMG Certification does not, however, guarantee that these graduates will be accepted into programs;
the number of applicants each year exceeds the number of available positions.
ECFMG Certification is also one of the eligibility requirements for international medical graduates to take Step 3 of the
three-step
United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)
. Medical licensing authorities in the United States
require that international medical graduates be certified by ECFMG, among other requirements, to obtain an
unrestricted license to practice medicine.
ECFMG and its organizational members define an international medical graduate as a physician who received his/her
basic medical degree or qualification from a medical school located outside the United States and Canada*. Citizens
of the United States who have completed their medical education in schools outside the United States and Canada
are considered international medical graduates; non-U.S. citizens who have graduated from medical schools in the
United States and Canada are not considered international medical graduates.
* The United States and Canada refer to the geographic locations where citizens are issued passports by the
governments of either the United States or Canada.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 3
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
World Directory of Medical Schools ( World Directory)
as meeting eligibility requirements for its students and graduates
to apply to ECFMG for ECFMG Certification and examination. For those medical schools that meet ECFMG eligibility
requirements, there will be an ECFMG note on the Sponsor Notes tab of the schools’ World Directory listing. If there is
no ECFMG note on your medical school’s Sponsor Notes tab, you are not eligible to apply to ECFMG for ECFMG
Certification or examination. As part of the application, international medical students/graduates must also confirm
their understanding of the purpose of ECFMG Certification and release certain 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.
2. Satisfy the clinical skills requirement.
Step 2 CS of the USMLE is the exam currently administered that satisfies this requirement.
There are time limits for completing the examinations required for ECFMG Certification.
For detailed information, including information on time limits 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 must be listed in the World Directory as meeting eligibility requirements for its students
and graduates to apply to ECFMG for ECFMG Certification and examination. The World Directory is available at
www.wdoms.org
. For those medical schools that meet ECFMG eligibility requirements, there will be an ECFMG note
on the Sponsor Notes tab of the schools’ World Directory listing. If there is no ECFMG note on your medical school’s
Sponsor Notes tab, you are not eligible to apply to ECFMG for ECFMG Certification or examination. The physician’s
graduation year also must be included in the ECFMG note on the Sponsor Notes tab of 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 as meeting 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
Transfer Credits
in Medical Education Credentials.
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 to document transferred credits. See
Medical Education Credentials
.
Page 4
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 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 5
ECFMG Certification
About ECFMG Certification
|
Requirements for ECFMG Certification
| Standard ECFMG Certificate |
Validity of
Examinations for Entry into Graduate Medical Education
Standard ECFMG Certificate
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires international medical graduates who
enter ACGME-accredited programs of graduate medical education in the United States to 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 to applicants 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.
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 were 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 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 6
ECFMG Certification
About ECFMG Certification
|
Requirements for ECFMG Certification
|
Standard ECFMG Certificate
| Validity of
Examinations for Entry into Graduate Medical Education
Validity of Examinations for Entry into Graduate Medical Education
Clinical Skills Examinations
For individuals who satisfy the clinical skills requirement for ECFMG Certification by passing Step 2 CS, this passing
performance is not subject to expiration for the purpose of entering U.S. programs of graduate medical education. Use
of a passing result on any USMLE Step or Step Component for ECFMG Certification, including Step 2 CS, is subject
to certain time limits, see
Time Limit for Completing Examination Requirements
in Examinations for ECFMG
Certification.
For individuals who satisfied the clinical skills requirement for ECFMG Certification by passing the former ECFMG
CSA and an English language proficiency test, passing performance on the CSA may be subject to expiration for the
purpose of entering U.S. graduate medical education, as described below.
Passing performances on CSA administrations that took place on or after June 14, 2001 are not subject to
expiration for the purpose of entering graduate medical education programs. If you are certified by ECFMG and
your Standard ECFMG Certificate lists a “valid through” date for an administration of the CSA that took place on
or after June 14, 2001, you may request a permanent validation sticker (indicating the CSA passing
performance is “valid indefinitely” for entry into graduate medical education) that you can affix to your certificate.
To request a sticker, access
OASIS
.
Passing performances on CSA administrations that took place before June 14, 2001 were valid for three years
from the date passed for the purpose of entering graduate medical education programs. The date through
which passing performance on the CSA remained valid for entry into graduate medical education (the CSA
“valid through” date) will be listed on the applicant’s Standard ECFMG Certificate. If the applicant entered a
program before expiration of the valid through date, the applicant may request permanent validation. This
means that the CSA date is no longer subject to expiration. To request permanent validation, the applicant and
an authorized official of the training institution must complete a
Request for Permanent Validation (Form 246)
,
available in the Resources section of the ECFMG website and from ECFMG, upon request. On receipt of this
form, ECFMG will provide a permanent validation sticker to be affixed to the certificate. If an applicant who
passed CSA before June 14, 2001 did not enter a program within three years of the CSA pass date, the
applicant’s CSA passing performance has expired for the purpose of entering graduate medical education.
Before entering a program, these applicants must pass Step 2 CS. Passing performance on Step 2 CS does
not expire for the purpose of entry into graduate medical education.
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