Picture it! It’s 2021 and you’re an IMG (International Medical Graduate) who wants to live in the USA, and you want to train as a resident-physician at a well-renowned American teaching hospital. Well, hold your horses because stepping into the greener pastures of a U.S. Residency requires two things:
- Pass your STEP 1 USMLE
- And pass STEP 2 CK USMLE exam
You must do this in order to apply for ECFMG certification to be eligible for a US medical residency.
ECFMG stands for Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates was established in 1956. The commission assesses whether foreign medical graduates are prepared to work and be accepted in ACGME residencies or fellowships in the U.S. The requirements for ECFMG certification according to the foundation’s website include:
- being a currently enrolled student or graduate of a medical school that meets ECFMG requirements.
- completion of the Application for ECFMG Certification, including the notarized Certification of Identification Form (Form 186);
- satisfying the examination requirements (medical science examination requirement, clinical skills requirement, and communication skills requirement);
- and primary-source verification of your medical education credentials. You can get more details here: ECFMG Eligibility Requirements
The foundation is known to issue 10,000 certificates annually along with 23% of those certifications going to Indian students. 14 states may require additional documents which are Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. OASIS (Online Applicant Status and Information System) is the domain to apply for ECFMG and will update you on your status. Residents Medical has helped hundreds of IMGs with their ECFMG certification by helping our students prepare for the USMLE exams and matriculating them to residency. They are one of the most accessible and friendly custodians of guidance to ECFMG. Call them today!
Resources
MLA (7th ed.)
Iserson, Kenneth V. Iserson's Getting into a Residency: A Guide for Medical Students. Tucson, Ariz: Galen Press, 2006. Print.
