ECFMG® Certification

International medical graduates (IMGs) are

physicians who receive their basic medical TM

education outside the United States and Canada. A Division of Intealth

These physicians are a critical part of the U.S. ECFMG, a division of Intealth™,
health care workforce, comprising about 25% of all serves the U.S. public and GME
community by assuring that IMGs
physicians in graduate medical education (GME) are ready to enter U.S. GME.
and in practice in the United States.

Our nation’s ability to provide accessible, high-quality health care depends upon
the talents and essential contributions of IMGs.

Assuring the Qualifications of Health Care Professionals

Medical schools outside the United States and Canada vary in educational standards, curricula, and
evaluation methods. ECFMG, through its program of certification, assesses whether IMGs are ready to train
in U.S. GME programs, where they provide supervised patient care.
ECFMG Certification is a rigorous process, evaluating medical knowledge using the same examinations
taken by U.S. medical school graduates. IMGs also must demonstrate appropriate clinical and
communication skills. Additionally, ECFMG verifies the authenticity of their medical education credentials
directly with their medical schools. ECFMG Certification is required for IMGs who wish to:
• Enter a U.S. program of GME accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
(ACGME)
• Apply for Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®)
• Obtain an unrestricted license to practice medicine in the United States

IMGs — Essential to U.S. Health Care

• Comprise about 25% of all U.S. physicians • Provide essential health care services
in medically underserved areas, rural
• Serve frequently in primary-care and urban
specialties such as Family Medicine,
Pediatrics, and Internal Medicine • Enrich clinical learning and practice
environments with international
• Add diversity to the U.S. physician perspectives
workforce

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Requirements for ECFMG Certification
Medical School Requirements
• The applicant’s medical school must meet requirements established by ECFMG. A school that meets
all requirements is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (World Directory) with an
ECFMG note stating that the school meets eligibility requirements for their students and graduates
to apply to ECFMG for ECFMG Certification and examination. For more information on the ECFMG
Sponsor Note see Information on Sponsor Notes in the World Directory of Medical Schools.
• The ECFMG note also will include the graduation years for which the school meets ECFMG’s
requirements. The applicant’s graduation year must be included.

Application for ECFMG Certification

The Application for ECFMG Certification consists of two parts: an on-line application and the
Certification of Identification Form (Form 186). Applicants must confirm their identity, contact
information, and graduation from or enrollment in a medical school that meets ECFMG’s requirements.

Examination Requirements
• Medical Science Examination Requirement
Applicants must pass USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 In 2022, ECFMG certified 11,413
Clinical Knowledge (CK). physicians representing 1,411
• Clinical Skills Requirement and medical schools in 134 countries.
Communication Skills Requirement
Applicants must: The opportunity to train in the
United States attracts some of the
॰ Complete an ECFMG Pathway, OR
world’s most gifted physicians to
॰ Have a passing performance on the former our health care system.
Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) component of
USMLE that is valid for ECFMG Certification.

Medical Education Credential Requirements

• Applicants 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 meets ECFMG’s 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.
• Applicants must document the completion of all requirements for, and receipt of, the final medical
diploma. See the Reference Guide for Medical Education Credentials for the exact title of the final
medical diploma the applicant must have earned (and must provide).
• 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.

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Next Steps
• Learn More About ECFMG Certification. Before
applying, applicants must read the ECFMG Information
Booklet and the USMLE Bulletin of Information and
review the information on ECFMG Certification on
ECFMG’s website. These resources include detailed
information on eligibility requirements, policies, and
procedures, and also provide guidance on next steps.
• Stay Connected. For important updates, subscribe
to The ECFMG Reporter, our free e-mail newsletter for
IMGs interested in ECFMG Certification, and follow
ECFMG on Twitter @ECFMG_IMG.
• Research U.S. GME Programs. Basic information
about all ACGME-accredited programs is available
on ACGME’s website. FREIDA™, published by the
American Medical Association (AMA), provides access
to information on more than 13,000 residency and
fellowship programs. Application deadlines vary among
programs. You should contact programs directly for
information on their deadlines.

Related Programs
ECFMG provides a range of programs to support IMGs who seek GME in the United States. Applicants
interested in ECFMG Certification also should learn more about:

ERAS® Support Services at ECFMG

The Electronic Residency Application Service® (ERAS), offered by the Association of American
Medical Colleges (AAMC), is used to apply to first- and second-year (PGY-1 and PGY-2) residency
positions in most U.S. GME programs. IMGs access ERAS through ECFMG, which supports IMGs
throughout the ERAS application process. The ERAS application season typically begins in June
for residency positions that begin in July of the following year. The ERAS information at ECFMG’s
website also provides an introduction to applying to the National Resident Matching Program®
(NRMP®), or “The Match®”, which matches residency applicants with available positions in the U.S.
GME programs to which they have applied.

Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program

IMGs who are neither citizens nor lawful permanent residents of the United States must obtain an
appropriate visa to participate in U.S. GME programs. A common visa employed for this purpose
is the J-1 visa, which is reserved for participants in the U.S. Department of State (DOS) BridgeUSA
program. ECFMG is authorized by DOS to sponsor foreign national physicians for the J-1 visa. All
initial applicants for ECFMG J-1 visa sponsorship are advised that sponsorship eligibility should not
be presumed and cannot be determined until a complete review of an individual’s U.S. visa history
has been conducted. The EVSP information at ECFMG’s website also provides a variety of general
resources on the entry of foreign nationals to the United States.

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About Us
Intealth™ is a private nonprofit organization that advances quality in health care education worldwide in order to
improve health care for all. Through strategic integration of its divisions, ECFMG® and FAIMER®, Intealth offers
a flexible and multi-layered portfolio of services. These services enhance the education and training of health care
professionals around the world, verify their qualifications required to practice, support international physicians
in U.S. graduate medical education, and inform the development of health workforce policies worldwide. By
leveraging these combined competencies, Intealth powers innovation in areas critical to the health professions.

VISION: The trusted global authority on health care education

TM

MISSION MISSION
To serve the public by: Through partnership and collaboration:
• Assuring the qualifications of • Conduct data analyses and research to
health care professionals inform policies and program development
in support of ECFMG missions
• Providing primary-source verification of
credentials of health care professionals, • Support the education of physicians and
as they serve throughout the world other health care professionals worldwide

• Supporting international medical graduates who • Develop resources on the health care workforce
seek graduate medical education in the United States used by global communities

VALUES

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Integrity and Trust Commitment
We embrace ethnic and cultural diversity,
We uphold the highest ethical standards We are passionate about our work
invite varied perspectives, and
and align our words and dedicated to meeting internal and
provide fair access and
with our actions. external expectations.
opportunity for all individuals.

Mindful Leadership
Accountability
Respect We recognize that we each have a
We take personal responsibility for our
We value the contributions of others and role in fostering a culture of collaboration,
own behaviors, performance,
treat one another with dignity. creativity, and compassion in the service of
and decisions.
others.

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