Travel Status
Applicants traveling to the United States to take an exam are responsible for making the necessary travel and
accommodation arrangements. If you are neither a U.S. citizen nor a U.S. lawful permanent resident, you are
Page 39
responsible for obtaining required travel documents. These documents may include a visa to enter the United States.
The requirements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. embassies and consulates regarding
issuance of visas and travel to and from the United States are subject to change. You should review current
requirements before applying for a visa. For additional information, visit the
DHS website
and the
U.S. Department of
State website
.
Step 2 CS is administered only in the United States. Upon request, ECFMG provides Step 2 CS applicants with a
letter that may assist during the process of applying for a visa. The letter indicates that the applicant is registered for
Step 2 CS, one of the exams required for ECFMG Certification. The letter also indicates that the applicant is required
to travel to the United States to take the exam and provides the date by which the applicant must complete the exam.
You can request this letter when you apply for Step 2 CS. After completion of the registration process, ECFMG will
issue the letter, and it will be available to you through
IWA
. If you are unable to obtain the appropriate visa to enter the
United States to take Step 2 CS, you may request a full refund of the exam fee. See
Refunds
in Your ECFMG
Financial Account.
If you are traveling from a distant location, you should consider arriving a day or two before the examination in order to
be rested.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 40
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)
About USMLE
|
Registration and Test Delivery Entities
|
Applying for Examination
|
Scheduling the Examination
|
Preparing for Examination
|
Taking the Examination
| USMLE Program and Irregular Behavior |
Examination Results
|
Reexamination and Reapplication
USMLE Program and Irregular Behavior
The USMLE program defines irregular behavior as including, "any action by applicants, examinees, potential
applicants, or others when solicited by an applicant and/or examinee that could compromise the validity, integrity, or
security of the USMLE examination process." Test center staff monitor, in person and via video/audio recording,
testing sessions for USMLE Steps and are required to report any violations of USMLE or test center rules. You must
follow instructions from test center staff throughout the examinations; failure to do so may result in a determination of
irregular behavior and permanent annotation of your USMLE transcript. See Testing Regulations and Rules of
Conduct and Irregular Behavior in the
USMLE Bulletin of Information
. See
ECFMG Policies and Procedures
Regarding Irregular Behavior
, which also may apply.
Important Notes: Providing information relating to examination content that may give or attempt to give
unfair advantage to individuals who may be taking the examination, which includes postings regarding
examination content and/or answers on the Internet, is a violation of the USMLE Rules of Conduct.
Evidence of violation of any test administration rule, including the USMLE Rules of Conduct, will result in
actions being taken under USMLE policies and procedures on irregular behavior. If you are found to have
engaged in irregular behavior, your score report and transcripts will include this finding, and you may be
barred from taking the USMLE in the future and your score may be canceled.
Anomalous performance and/or unusual testing history may impact your access to the USMLE. If your
performance raises concerns about your readiness to test or your motivation to pass, the USMLE program
reserves the right to restrict your future access to its examinations and/or impose conditions upon future
access. Do not test if you are not able or not ready on your scheduled test date. Taking a Step examination
to familiarize yourself with the examination format, or for any reason other than to pass, is prohibited and
may limit your future access to the USMLE.
The above-described conduct may also be considered irregular behavior under
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 41
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)
About USMLE
|
Registration and Test Delivery Entities
|
Applying for Examination
|
Scheduling the Examination
|
Preparing for Examination
|
Taking the Examination
|
USMLE Program and Irregular Behavior
| Examination Results |
Reexamination and Reapplication
Examination Results
For ECFMG Certification, you must obtain at least the USMLE-recommended pass outcome for each required Step or
Step Component. See
Examination Requirements
in Examinations for ECFMG Certification.
Score Reporting
Results for Step 1 and 2 CK are typically available three to four weeks after your test date. However, release of results
may take longer for various reasons. In selecting your test date and inquiring about results, you should allow at least
eight weeks to receive notification that your score report is available. Results for Step 2 CS are available according to
the Step 2 CS Schedule for Reporting Results, available on the
USMLE
and
ECFMG
websites. To avoid
misinterpretation and to protect the privacy of examinees, ECFMG will not provide scores or pass/fail outcomes by
telephone, fax, or e-mail to anyone, including examinees.
ECFMG reserves the right to reverify with the medical school the eligibility of medical school students and graduates
who are registered for examination. If ECFMG requests reverification of your student/graduate status with your
medical school, your score report will be issued only after reverification of your status has been received by ECFMG.
Score reports are issued in electronic format only and can be accessed using ECFMG's
OASIS
; you will not receive
a paper score report by postal mail. Once your score report has been issued, ECFMG will send a notification to the
e-mail address in your ECFMG record. Instructions for accessing your examination results will be available in the
e-mail notification.
Score reports are available for approximately 120 days from the date of e-mail notification. Once the score report is
removed from the website, your results will be provided to you only in the form of an official USMLE transcript. To
obtain a transcript, you will be required to submit a request and pay a fee. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that
you print and/or save your score report while it is available.
Important Note: ECFMG may provide your medical school with data on your performance on
administrations of USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2 CK, and USMLE Step 2 CS. Data provided include
whether you passed or failed the exam administration, and, for Step 1 and Step 2 CK, your numerical
score. You have the option to withhold your exam results from your medical school; data are not made
available on examinees who exercise this option. See ECFMG's Provision of Performance Data to Medical
Schools in
IWA
for more information.
See Score Reporting in the
USMLE Bulletin of Information
for additional information. For up-to-date information on
minimum passing scores, examination performance data, and general scoring methodology, please visit the
USMLE
website
.
Score Validity
The USMLE program reserves the right to cancel scores that are at or above the passing level if the USMLE program
has a good faith basis for questioning whether they represent a valid measure of knowledge or competence as
sampled by the examination. If there are questions related to the validity of your score, your score report may be
delayed, or any further reporting or verification of such scores may be withheld, pending completion of further review
and/or investigation. See Score Validity in the
USMLE Bulletin of Information
.
USMLE Transcripts
To request an official USMLE transcript, you must contact the appropriate registration entity. You must contact the
Federation of State Medical Boards if you are registered for or have taken Step 3 and/or you want to send your
transcript to a U.S. medical licensing authority. In all other cases, submit your transcript request to ECFMG by sending
a completed
Request for Official USMLE
®
Transcript (Form 172)
and the appropriate fee to ECFMG. Form 172 and
additional information are available in the Resources section of the ECFMG website and from ECFMG, upon request.
You can use
OASIS
to check whether your USMLE transcript has been sent.
Page 42
If you apply to residency programs through the
Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)
, you may request
electronic transmittal of your USMLE transcript to these programs. For additional information, refer to the
ERAS
applicant information
available in the ERAS Support Services section of the ECFMG website. Information on the status
of requests for electronic transmittal of USMLE transcripts via ERAS is not available through OASIS. If the program
does not participate in ERAS, you must submit a transcript request using Form 172 and pay the required fee.
Important Note: If you took the former ECFMG CSA, your USMLE transcript will indicate only that you
have CSA examination history. It will not provide any additional information on your attempt(s) on the CSA.
To request official copies of your CSA performance history, you must complete a
Request for an Official
ECFMG
®
CSA
®
History Chart (Form 297)
and submit it to ECFMG with the appropriate fee. Form 297 is
available in the Resources section of the ECFMG website and from ECFMG, upon request. For each
attempt on the ECFMG CSA, the Official ECFMG CSA History Chart includes the month and year of the
administration and the result of your performance. For additional information, refer to the instructions that
accompany Form 297.
Score Rechecks
For all Steps and Step Components, a change in your score or in your pass/fail outcome based on a recheck is an
extremely remote possibility. However, a recheck will be performed if you submit a
Request for Recheck of USMLE
®
Step 1, Step 2 CK, or Step 2 CS Score (Form 265)
and the fee for this service to ECFMG. Form 265 is available in the
Resources section of the ECFMG website and from ECFMG, upon request. Your request must be received at ECFMG
no later than 90 days after your score report release date. See Score Rechecks in the
USMLE Bulletin of Information
for more information.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 43
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)
About USMLE
|
Registration and Test Delivery Entities
|
Applying for Examination
|
Scheduling the Examination
|
Preparing for Examination
|
Taking the Examination
|
USMLE Program and Irregular Behavior
|
Examination Results
|
Reexamination and Reapplication
Reexamination and Reapplication
USMLE policy generally does not allow applicants to retake a Step or Step Component if they have already passed
that Step or Step Component. However, there are exceptions for the purpose of complying with a time limit imposed by
a medical licensing authority or another authority recognized by the USMLE program. See 'Time Limit for Completing
Examination Requirements' below.
If you fail a Step or Step Component, you must reapply, including payment of the appropriate fee(s), to retake the
exam. If you do not take an exam during your assigned eligibility period, you must reapply, including payment of the
appropriate fee(s), if you wish to take the exam; in this event, you may reapply at any time, however, ECFMG
cannot begin to process a subsequent application for this exam until at least four weeks after the end of the
eligibility period for the exam you did not take.
Number of Attempts Allowed
The USMLE program limits to six the total number of times an examinee can take the same Step or Step Component.
An examinee is ineligible to take a Step or Step Component if the examinee has made six or more prior attempts to
pass that Step or Step Component, including incomplete attempts. All attempts at a Step or Step Component are
counted toward the limit, regardless of when the exams were taken.
For the purpose of U.S. medical licensure, state medical licensing authorities may limit the number of attempts allowed
to pass each Step or Step Component. Information regarding specific state requirements can be obtained on the
FSMB website
.
Time Between Examination Attempts
The USMLE program sets rules on how quickly you can retake the same Step or Step Component. You may not take
the same examination more than three times within a 12-month period. Your fourth and subsequent attempts must be
at least 12 months after your first attempt at that exam and at least six months after your most recent attempt at that
exam.
Example: An examinee took and failed her first attempt at Step 1 on January 15, 2014, her second attempt
at Step 1 on April 15, 2014, and her third attempt at Step 1 on September 15, 2014. In January 2015, the
examinee applied for a fourth attempt at Step 1, and wanted the March-April-May eligibility period. The
earliest date that was both 12 months after her first attempt on January 15, 2014 and six months after her
most recent attempt on September 15, 2014 was March 15, 2015. Since the March-April-May eligibility
period began before this date, the earliest eligibility period that the applicant could request was April-
May-June.
When you reapply, your eligibility period will be adjusted, if necessary, to comply with these rules. You must read the
editions of the ECFMG Information Booklet and the USMLE Bulletin of Information that pertain to the eligibility period
in which you take the exam.
Time Limit for Completing Examination Requirements
For the purpose of ECFMG Certification, you must pass the USMLE Steps and Step Components required for ECFMG
Certification within a seven-year period. If you do not pass all Steps and Step Components required for ECFMG
Certification within a maximum of seven years, your earliest USMLE passing performance will no longer be valid for
ECFMG Certification. See
Time Limit for Completing Examination Requirements
in Examinations for ECFMG
Certification.
If you have passed a Step or Step Component but this passing performance is no longer valid for ECFMG
Certification, you may request an exception to retake the previously passed exam that is no longer valid.
For the purpose of U.S. medical licensure, time limits to complete the USMLE are established by state medical
Page 44
licensing authorities and may require completion of all Steps or Step Components (including Step 3, which is not
required for ECFMG Certification) within seven years from the date the first Step is passed. Information regarding
specific state requirements can be obtained on the
FSMB website
. You may request an exception to retake a
previously passed exam to comply with the time limit of a medical licensing authority. Visit the
USMLE website
for
more information.
Important Notes: You may only request an exception at the time that you apply for the previously passed
exam. Complete requirements and instructions will be provided at the time of exam application. Exceptions
to the reexamination policy are not approved prior to your submitting the exam application.
Applicants who retake a previously passed Step or Step Component to comply with a time limit should
understand the implications of a failing retake performance on their Step 3 eligibility. See Retaking
Previously Passed Steps in the
USMLE Bulletin of Information
.
If an applicant’s earliest USMLE passing performance that is valid for ECFMG Certification took place
before June 14, 2004, the applicant is required to pass only Step 1 and Step 2 CK within seven years of
each other for ECFMG Certification; if required for ECFMG Certification, Step 2 CS can be passed outside
the seven-year period. See
Time Limit for Completing Examination Requirements
in Examinations for
ECFMG Certification. If this applicant passes Step 1 and Step 2 CK within a seven-year period, these
passing performances will remain valid for ECFMG Certification, regardless of when Step 2 CS is taken
and passed. This applicant will not be eligible to retake Step 1 or Step 2 CK for the purpose of
meeting a time limit imposed by a state medical licensing authority until after he or she is certified
by ECFMG.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 45
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
Medical Education Credential Requirements
To be eligible for ECFMG Certification, you 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 of Medical Schools (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. There are
restrictions on credits transferred to the medical school that awards your medical degree that can be used to meet this
requirement. Your graduation year must be included in the ECFMG note on the Sponsor Notes tab of your medical
school’s World Directory listing.
Note Regarding Ineligible Practitioners: Graduates not eligible for admission to the exams or for
ECFMG Certification include, but are not limited to: Graduates licensed only in stomatology, ayurvedic or
homeopathic medicine, or those awarded only the diploma of Physician-Epidemiologist-Hygienist,
Physician-Biochemist, Physician-Cyberneticist, Physician-Biophysicist, Licensed Medical Practitioner, or
Assistant Medical Practitioner.
International medical graduates must document the completion of all requirements for, and receipt of, the final
medical diploma. ECFMG verifies every international medical graduate’s final medical diploma with the appropriate
officials of the medical school that issued the diploma. When ECFMG requests verification of your medical diploma
from your medical school, ECFMG will request the medical school to provide your final medical school transcript.
Verification by ECFMG with the issuing school may also be required for transcripts that are submitted to document
transferred credits. An international medical graduate’s credentials are not considered complete until ECFMG receives
and accepts verification of the final medical diploma, final medical school transcript, and, if required, transfer credit
transcript(s) directly from the issuing school(s).
Please do not send original documents; photocopies of documents are sufficient. All documents submitted to ECFMG
as part of the certification process, including translations, will become part of your permanent ECFMG record and will
not be returned to you. Please do not send any credentials not required by ECFMG (such as licenses, certificates of
full registration, high school diplomas, academic awards, etc.). Submission of unnecessary documents can delay the
processing of your exam application.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 46
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
Transfer Credits
Transfer credits are credits earned for a course taken at one institution (such as a medical school) that are accepted
by another medical school toward meeting its degree requirements. For example, a student attends a medical school
for one year and earns credits for 12 courses. The student transfers to another medical school, which accepts the
credits for those 12 courses toward meeting its degree requirements. The credits for those 12 courses are then
referred to as transfer credits.
If you transferred credits to the medical school that awarded or will award your medical degree, you must disclose and
document these credits when you apply to ECFMG for examination, regardless of when the credits were earned.
See
Credentials for ECFMG Certification
in Medical Education Credentials. Failure to disclose and document these
credits may have a number of negative consequences, including delaying exam registration and certification by
ECFMG, and may result in a finding of irregular behavior. See
ECFMG Policies and Procedures Regarding Irregular
Behavior
.
Additionally, for the purpose of ECFMG Certification, credits earned on or after January 1, 2008 that are transferred to
the medical school that awarded or will award your medical degree must meet all of the following criteria:
If credits for more than eight courses were transferred, all credits must be transferred from one medical school
to another medical school, both of which must be:
located in the United States or Canada and listed in the World Directory, or
listed in the World Directory as meeting eligibility requirements for its students and graduates to
apply to ECFMG for ECFMG Certification and examination.*
Credits must be for courses that were passed at the medical school at which the course was taken.
If your transferred credits do not comply with all the criteria listed above, you will not meet the requirements to be
registered by ECFMG for examination or the requirements to be certified by ECFMG. If your transferred credits do not
meet all the criteria listed above, you may request an exception from the ECFMG Medical Education Credentials
Committee.
*Important Note: The requirement that credits must be transferred from one medical school that meets the
criteria above to another medical school that meets the criteria above does not apply to credits transferred
only to the pre-medical portion of the curriculum of the medical school that awarded or will award the
medical degree. If you transferred credits to the pre-medical portion of the curriculum at the medical school
that awarded or will award your medical degree from an institution that does not meet the criteria listed
above, you must provide ECFMG with a letter from the medical school that awarded or will award your
medical degree confirming that the credits were transferred to the pre-medical portion of the curriculum
only. This letter must be on the letterhead of the medical school and be signed by an authorized official of
your medical school. This letter must be submitted in conjunction with the application for examination and
must accompany the Certification of Identification Form (Form 186) or Certification Statement (Form 183).
Applications received without this letter may be rejected. This letter is in addition to disclosing and
documenting all transferred credits as described above.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Page 47
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 48
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
Credentials for ECFMG Certification
The credentials required for ECFMG Certification are:
Final Medical Diploma
Final Medical School Transcript
Transcript(s) to Document Transferred Credits
, if applicable
All documents that are not in English must be accompanied by an official
English translation
that meets ECFMG’s
translation requirements. All credentials sent to ECFMG must be accompanied by a photograph. You may also be
required to submit additional forms, depending on the credential submitted. See
Final Medical Diploma
,
Final Medical
School Transcript
,
Transcript(s) to Document Transferred Credits
, and
English Translations
for complete information on
required items.
Important Note: You must include your full name and USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number on the front
of all credentials and the back of photographs before sending them to ECFMG.
If you are a medical school graduate when you submit your first exam application, your credentials must be
submitted with this initial exam application. If you have graduated and met all requirements for your medical diploma
but your medical diploma has not yet been issued, a current (it must have been taken within six months of the date
that you send it), full-face, passport-sized, color photograph and a letter signed by an authorized official of your
medical school must be submitted with your exam application. The letter you submit must be the original document
and must be written on your medical school’s letterhead. The letter must include the following statement:
This is to confirm that [applicant name] has graduated and completed all requirements to receive
the [degree title] degree from [medical school/university name]. The degree will be issued [month
and year].
You must then send your diploma to ECFMG as soon as the diploma is issued.
If you graduated from medical school and do not submit your medical diploma or a letter from your medical
school, as described above, and these documents have not been received previously by ECFMG, your exam
application will be rejected.
If you are a medical school student when you submit your first exam application, send your medical education
credentials as soon as you graduate and receive them.
You may not submit the credentials required for ECFMG Certification to ECFMG until you apply for an exam. If you
send credentials to ECFMG before you apply for an exam, they will not be processed. To submit your credentials and
required photographs and forms at the time of application, follow the instructions for additional documents in the
USMLE exam application
overview
in ECFMG's IWA.
After you have applied for an exam, if you need to send credentials to ECFMG separately from an exam application,
you must send the credentials to the following address:
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
Attn: Registration and Certification Services
3624 Market St., 4th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19104-2685
USA
If your credentials are complete, you are generally not required to resend these documents when you apply for
Page 49
subsequent exams.
ECFMG will not accept letters or other deliveries that arrive with postage or other fees due.
When your credentials have been processed, ECFMG will notify you. You can also check the status of your credentials
by accessing
OASIS
. If you have questions or concerns about your credentials, you can
contact ECFMG
by e-mail,
telephone, or fax using the contact information for Registration and Certification Services on the Contact ECFMG page
of the ECFMG website.
Documents submitted to ECFMG as part of the exam application and certification processes, including translations,
will not be returned.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 50
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
Final Medical Diploma
ECFMG requires all medical school graduates to submit copies of their final medical diploma. You must send two
photocopies of your final medical diploma to ECFMG. Do not send an original diploma. The exact degree title of the
final medical diploma you must provide is listed in the
Reference Guide for Medical Education Credentials
on the
ECFMG website. The Reference Guide lists these medical credential qualifications by country of medical school.
Although this Reference Guide is based upon information that was current at the time of publication, this information is
subject to change.
The photocopies of your medical diploma must be 216 mm x 279 mm (8½ in x 11 in). If these documents are
larger than 216 mm x 279 mm (8½ in x 11 in), you must send reduced photocopies that are 216 mm x 279 mm
(8½ in x 11 in).
You must send the photocopies of your diploma to ECFMG by mail or courier service. ECFMG does not accept these
documents by fax or e-mail. You must send one full-face, passport-sized, color photograph with the photocopies of
your medical diploma. The photograph that you send must be current; it must have been taken within six months of
the date that you send it. A photocopy of a photograph is not acceptable.
You must submit the photocopies of the final medical diploma in the original language, containing the issue date and
all of the appropriate signatures of the medical school and/or university officials. Documents that are not in English
must be accompanied by an official English translation. ECFMG will not accept copies of a medical diploma that is not
in English without an official English translation. Likewise, ECFMG will not accept an English translation of a diploma
without copies of the original language document from which the English translation was prepared. See
English
Translations
in Medical Education Credentials.
Do not submit professional evaluations of your final medical diploma. ECFMG does not accept such evaluations in lieu
of your final medical diploma.
You must also complete and submit with your medical diploma two copies of the
Medical School Release Request
(Form 345)
. This form is available in the Resources section of the ECFMG website and from ECFMG, upon request. If
you are submitting the photocopies of your medical diploma with an exam application, follow the instructions for
additional documents in the USMLE exam application
overview
in ECFMG's IWA.
The name on your medical diploma must match exactly the name in your ECFMG record. If the name on your
diploma does not match the name in your ECFMG record, you must submit documentation that verifies the name on
your diploma is (or was) your name. See
Name on Medical Diploma and Transcript(s)
in Medical Education
Credentials.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 51
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
Final Medical School Transcript
When ECFMG requests verification of your medical diploma from your medical school, ECFMG will request the
medical school to provide your final medical school transcript.
If ECFMG is unable to obtain your final medical school transcript directly from your medical school, ECFMG will
contact you and request that you submit to ECFMG two photocopies of your final medical school transcript. If ECFMG
has previously verified your medical diploma with your medical school but not the final medical school transcript, you
must send two photocopies of the final medical school transcript to ECFMG. ECFMG will then send a copy of the final
medical school transcript to the medical school for verification.
The photocopies of your final medical school transcript must be 216 mm x 279 mm (8½ in x 11 in). If these
documents are larger than 216 mm x 279 mm (8½ in x 11 in), you must send reduced photocopies that are 216
mm x 279 mm (8½ in x 11 in).
You must send the photocopies of your transcript to ECFMG by mail or courier service. ECFMG does not accept these
documents by fax or e-mail. You must send one full-face, passport-sized, color photograph with the photocopies of
your final medical school transcript. The photograph that you send must be current; it must have been taken within six
months of the date that you send it. A photocopy of a photograph is not acceptable.
You must submit the photocopies of the final medical school transcript in the original language. Documents that are
not in English must be accompanied by an official English translation. ECFMG will not accept copies of a final medical
school transcript that is not in English without an official English translation. Likewise, ECFMG will not accept an
English translation of a transcript without copies of the original language document from which the English translation
was prepared. See
English Translations
in Medical Education Credentials.
Do not submit professional evaluations of your final medical school transcript. ECFMG does not accept such
evaluations in lieu of your final medical school transcript.
The name on your final medical school transcript must match exactly the name in your ECFMG record. If the name on
your transcript does not match the name in your ECFMG record, you must submit documentation that verifies the
name on your transcript is (or was) your name. See
Name on Medical Diploma and Transcript(s)
in Medical Education
Credentials.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 52
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
Transcript(s) to Document Transferred Credits
If you have transferred credits to the medical school that awarded or will award your medical degree, you must
document these credits when you apply for examination, regardless of when the credits were earned. You must send
to ECFMG two photocopies of an official transcript issued by the school or institution at which the course was taken.
The photocopies must be 216 mm x 279 mm (8½ in x 11 in). If these documents are larger than 216 mm x 279
mm (8½ in x 11 in), you must send reduced photocopies that are 216 mm x 279 mm (8½ in x 11 in).
You must send the photocopies of your transcript to ECFMG by mail or courier service. ECFMG does not accept these
documents by fax or e-mail. You must send one full-face, passport-sized, color photograph with the photocopies of
your transcript. The photograph that you send must be current; it must have been taken within six months of the date
that you send it. A photocopy of a photograph is not acceptable.
You must submit the photocopies of the transcript in the original language. Documents that are not in English must be
accompanied by an official English translation. ECFMG will not accept copies of a transcript that is not in English
without an official English translation. Likewise, ECFMG will not accept an English translation of a transcript without
copies of the original language document from which the English translation was prepared. See
English Translations
in
Medical Education Credentials.
Do not submit professional evaluations of your transcript. ECFMG does not accept such evaluations in lieu of your
transcript.
To submit the transcript to ECFMG, follow the instructions for additional documents in the USMLE exam application
overview
in ECFMG's IWA.
The name on your transcript(s) to document transferred credits must match exactly the name in your ECFMG record.
If the name on your transcript does not match the name in your ECFMG record, you must submit documentation that
verifies the name on your transcript is (or was) your name. See
Name on Medical Diploma and Transcript(s)
in
Medical Education Credentials.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 53
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 that requires such verification would be if your ECFMG record lists your married name,
but your medical diploma/transcript(s) lists your maiden name.
Other examples of discrepancies that require such verification 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 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 54
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 that meets
ECFMG's translation requirements. The English translation must:
be prepared by a government official (for example, a Consular Officer), medical school official (for example, a
Dean or Registrar), or a professional translation service.
include a statement from the government or medical school official or representative of the translation service
certifying that the translation is correct.
appear on letterhead. If the translation service is a private company, the letterhead must identify the company
as a translation service.
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.
be a word-for-word translation of the original language document. An abstract or summary translation of the
document is not acceptable.
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, if you do not have a resource, one
option is to consult the website of the
American Translators Association
.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 55
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. As part of the verification process, ECFMG also may provide the medical school
with other documents, including copies of your photograph, Certification Statement (Form 183), or Certification of
Identification Form (Form 186), to aid in identification. If ECFMG does not receive a response from your medical
school, ECFMG will follow up with your medical school. ECFMG will notify you after receiving and evaluating the
verification from your medical school. You can check the status of your 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 or if an acceptable
English translation is not provided, 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. ECFMG will not notify you before sending the document for translation. The
current translation fee is $200 (fee subject to change without notice). See
Methods of Payment
in Your
ECFMG Financial Account for information on how to make a payment to your ECFMG financial account.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 56
Related ECFMG Services
Confirmation of ECFMG Certification Status |
Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) Support Services
|
J-1
Visa Sponsorship
|
ECFMG Certificate Holders Office
Confirmation of ECFMG Certification Status
ECFMG’s Certification Verification Service (CVS) provides primary-source confirmation of the ECFMG certification
status of international medical graduates. The Joint Commission, the organization that evaluates and accredits U.S.
health care organizations and programs, has determined that direct verification with ECFMG of a physician’s
certification status satisfies The Joint Commission’s requirement for primary-source verification of medical school
completion for graduates of international medical schools.
ECFMG will confirm your certification status when a request is received from a U.S. medical licensing authority,
residency program director, hospital, or other organization that, in the judgment of ECFMG, has a legitimate interest in
such information. For status reports sent to medical licensing authorities, the request can also be made by you.
Requesting organizations must normally secure and retain your signed authorization to obtain certification information.
Please note that there may be a fee for this service.
Requests for confirmation must contain your name, date of birth, USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number, and name
and address of the organization to which the confirmation should be sent. To obtain the appropriate request form or to
make an on-line request, visit the CVS section of the ECFMG website at
www.ecfmg.org/cvs
. Confirmations are sent
to the requesting organization within approximately two weeks. Confirmations are not sent to applicants directly.
If the requesting organization requests to receive a paper report but does not receive the report, ECFMG will honor
requests for duplicate reports at no additional cost up to 90 days after the date that the original report was processed.
If you apply to residency programs through ERAS, ECFMG will transmit an electronic ECFMG Status Report
automatically to the ERAS application, where it can be downloaded by all of the programs to which you apply. If your
ECFMG certification status changes during the ERAS application season, ECFMG will transmit an updated status
report automatically to the ERAS application, where it can be downloaded by all of the programs to which you apply.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 57
Related ECFMG Services
Confirmation of ECFMG Certification Status
| Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) Support Services |
J-1
Visa Sponsorship
|
ECFMG Certificate Holders Office
Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) Support Services
International medical graduates who wish to enter programs of graduate medical education in the United States that
are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) must be certified by ECFMG.
ECFMG Certification does not, however, guarantee that an international medical graduate will be accepted into a
graduate medical education program; the number of applicants for residency and fellowship programs each year
exceeds the number of available positions.
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) established the Electronic Residency Application Service
(ERAS) to allow medical students and graduates to apply electronically for residency positions in accredited U.S.
programs of graduate medical education. Most U.S. graduate medical education programs participate in ERAS. If you
apply to participating programs, you must submit your residency application using ERAS.
Since ERAS was established, ECFMG has served as the designated Dean’s office for students and graduates of
international medical schools, including Fifth Pathway participants, assisting these individuals with the ERAS
application process for first- and second-year (PGY-1 and PGY-2) residency positions.
International medical students/graduates who apply to programs that participate in ERAS must request an ERAS
Token, a unique identification number, from ECFMG. The Token allows applicants to access AAMC’s MyERAS
website, where they can complete their residency application, select the programs to which they will apply, and assign
supporting documents to these programs.
As the designated Dean’s office, ECFMG receives supporting documents for the ERAS application, such as medical
student performance evaluations (MSPEs), medical school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and photographs
from applicants and their medical schools. ECFMG then transmits these documents to the ERAS application. ECFMG
also transmits to the ERAS application the applicant’s ECFMG Status Report, which includes the applicant’s ECFMG
certification status and, if requested by the applicant, his/her USMLE transcript. Once supporting documents have
been received at the ERAS application, they can be downloaded by the programs to which the applicant has applied.
For detailed, up-to-date information on ERAS Support Services at ECFMG, visit the ERAS section of the ECFMG
website at
www.ecfmg.org/eras
.
Important Note About U.S. State Medical Licensure Requirements: In the United States, medical
licensure requirements vary by individual state medical licensing authorities. You should be aware that:
A training or restricted license may be required to participate in programs of graduate medical education.
Participants in graduate medical education programs may also be required to obtain an unrestricted medical
license by a certain point in their training in order to progress in the program.
Some states have established additional criteria with respect to international medical schools for the purpose of
eligibility for licensure. When you plan to apply to residency programs, consult the state’s medical licensing
board to determine if graduates of your medical school are eligible for licensure in that state.
If you are certified by ECFMG based on former medical science exams (such as the Visa Qualifying
Examination [VQE] or the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in the Medical Sciences [FMGEMS]), you
should be aware that these exams may not be acceptable for the purpose of eligibility for a training license.
ECFMG does not create or control the medical licensure requirements for any jurisdiction and does
not create or control the eligibility requirements for any graduate medical education program.
Additionally, ERAS does not preclude any students/graduates from participating in ERAS, based on
their eligibility for licensure. Before applying to residency programs in a given state, it is your
responsibility to become familiar with that state’s licensure requirements and to ensure that you meet any
licensure requirements to enter and complete residency training in that state. For a directory of U.S. state
medical licensing authorities, visit the
Federation of State Medical Boards website
.
Page 58
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 59
Related ECFMG Services
Confirmation of ECFMG Certification Status
|
Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) Support Services
| J-1
Visa Sponsorship |
ECFMG Certificate Holders Office
J-1 Visa Sponsorship
Foreign national physicians who seek entry into U.S. programs of graduate medical education or training must obtain
an appropriate visa that permits clinical training activities. One visa commonly used by foreign national physicians is
the J-1, a temporary nonimmigrant visa reserved for participants in the Exchange Visitor Program. As a public
diplomacy initiative of the U.S. Department of State, the Exchange Visitor Program was established to enhance
international exchange and mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other nations. In
keeping with the program's goals for international education, J-1 Exchange Visitor physicians are required to return
home for at least two years following their training before being eligible for certain U.S. visas.
The U.S. Department of State has designated ECFMG as the visa sponsor for all J-1 Exchange Visitor physicians who
participate in clinical training programs. ECFMG sponsorship is also available for physicians’ eligible dependents. As
the visa sponsor, ECFMG processes applications for J-1 visa sponsorship and, for eligible applicants, issues a
document that the applicant can use to apply for the J-1 visa. ECFMG is responsible for ensuring that J-1 physicians
and host institutions meet the federal requirements for participation throughout the duration of sponsorship. ECFMG
does not sponsor physicians for other U.S. visa types.
For detailed, up-to-date information on J-1 visa sponsorship by ECFMG, visit the Exchange Visitor Sponsorship
Program (EVSP) section of the ECFMG website at
www.ecfmg.org/evsp
.
Important Note: Foreign national physicians seeking ECFMG J-1 visa sponsorship to enroll in graduate
medical education programs must, among other requirements, have passed USMLE Step 1 and Step 2
CK; or the former Visa Qualifying Examination (VQE), National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Part 1
and Part 2, or Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in the Medical Sciences (FMGEMS) examinations; or
an acceptable combination thereof. The former one-day ECFMG Examination and three-day Federation
Licensing Examination (FLEX) do not meet the requirements for J-1 visa sponsorship.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 60
Related ECFMG Services
Confirmation of ECFMG Certification Status
|
Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) Support Services
|
J-1
Visa Sponsorship
| ECFMG Certificate Holders Office
ECFMG Certificate Holders Office
The ECFMG Certificate Holders Office (ECHO
SM
) provides free resources to ECFMG-certified physicians, and
physicians about to be certified, as they plan their careers. If you are certified by ECFMG, or are about to be certified,
you already know that ECFMG Certification is just one step in your career development.
Be connected.
Use ECHO to stay connected with ECFMG and to access ECFMG's decades of experience in areas such as
international medical education, physician credentials, assessment of physicians, immigration options for U.S. GME,
and medical registration/licensure. ECHO also provides connections to information and expertise from other
organizations that can be important to physicians' careers. And through ECHO, you can connect with other ECFMG-
certified physicians at different stages of their careers to share experiences, both successes and challenges.
Staying connected is critical to your success as an applicant to U.S. GME programs, as a physician in training, and as
a practicing clinician. Take the first step now by subscribing to ECHO News, a free e-newsletter, at
www.ecfmg.org/echo/news.html
.
Be heard.
ECHO provides new ways for certified physicians to communicate with ECFMG. Visit the ECFMG ECHO website to
take one of our surveys and view results of previous surveys; send us feedback on our resources; or just e-mail us
about an experience you’ve had. We want to hear from you!
Be informed.
Successfully navigating the U.S. GME system can be difficult. You need to interact with multiple organizations, each
with its own roles, requirements, processes, and deadlines. The same is true when you apply for a residency position,
a visa, and U.S. medical licensure. Knowing what to do and when to do it is key.
ECHO provides free resources that you can use to be better prepared and organized when making career decisions.
For more information, visit the ECHO section of the ECFMG website at
www.ecfmg.org/echo
.
Last updated: September 9, 2015
Copyright © 2015 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved.
Page 61
Document Outline - 01-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - About the ECFMG Information Booklet and Application Materials
- 02-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - About ECFMG Certification
- 03-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Requirements for ECFMG Certification
- 04-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Standard ECFMG Certificate
- 05-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Validity of Examinations for Entry into Graduate Medical Education
- 06-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - ECFMG Identification Number
- 07-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Your Name
- 08-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Changing or Verifying Your Name
- 09-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Contact Information
- 10-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Fees
- 11-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Payment
- 12-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Methods of Payment
- 13-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Refunds
- 14-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Forfeiture of Funds
- 15-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - ECFMG Policies and Procedures Regarding Irregular Behavior
- 16-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Application for ECFMG Certification
- 17-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Examination Requirements
- 18-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Time Limit for Completing Examination Requirements
- 19-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Eligibility for Examination_ Students
- 20-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Eligibility for Examination_ Graduates
- 21-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Eligibility for Examination_ Reverification
- 22-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Eligibility for Examination_ Fifth Pathway Participants
- 23-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - About USMLE
- 24-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Registration and Test Delivery Entities
- 25-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Applying for Examination
- 26-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Scheduling the Examination
- 27-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Preparing for Examination
- 28-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Taking the Examination
- 29-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - USMLE Program and Irregular Behavior
- 30-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Examination Results
- 31-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Reexamination and Reapplication
- 32-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Medical Education Credential Requirements
- 33-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Transfer Credits
- 34-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Credentials for ECFMG Certification
- 35-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Final Medical Diploma
- 36-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Final Medical School Transcript
- 37-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Transcript(s) to Document Transferred Credits
- 38-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Name on Medical Diploma and Transcript(s)
- 39-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - English Translations
- 40-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Verification of Credentials
- 41-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Confirmation of ECFMG Certification Status
- 42-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) Support Services
- 43-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - J-1 Visa Sponsorship
- 44-ECFMG 2016 Information Booklet - ECFMG Certificate Holders Office
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