ECFMG Home > Publications > 2003 Information Booklet > Medical Education Credentials

The 2003 USMLE application materials are no longer valid. The current application materials for USMLE Step 1 / Step 2 CK and CSA are the 2004 editions. If you wish to apply for these exams, you must use the 2004 Information Booklet and application materials.

MEDICAL EDUCATION CREDENTIALS

Applicants for ECFMG certification must document the completion of all requirements for, and receipt of, the final medical diploma.

An international medical graduate must have had at least four credit years (academic years for which credit has been given toward completion of the medical curriculum) in attendance at a medical school that is listed in the International Medical Education Directory (IMED) of the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER). The physician's graduation year must be included in the medical school's IMED listing. The FAIMER IMED contains information supplied by countries about their medical schools. FAIMER is not an accrediting agency.

ECFMG verifies every applicant's medical school diploma with the appropriate officials of the medical school that issued the diploma. An applicant's credentials are not considered complete until ECFMG receives such verification directly from the medical school.

Note Regarding Ineligible Practitioners: 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 are not eligible for admission to the exams or for ECFMG certification.

Provision of Credentials and Translations

Credentials for ECFMG Certification

You must send two photocopies of your final medical school diploma to ECFMG. The exact name of the final medical diploma you must provide is listed in the Reference Guide for Medical Education Credentials. The Reference Guide lists these medical credential qualifications by country. 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 your medical diploma is larger than 216 mm x 279 mm (8½ in x 11 in), you must obtain reduced photocopies of the medical diploma that are 216 mm x 279 mm (8½ in x 11 in) and send the reduced photocopies of the medical diploma to ECFMG. You should not submit the diploma by fax only. You must send photocopies to ECFMG by mail or courier service.

You must submit the copies 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. (See English Translations.)

ECFMG will not accept a copy 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 a copy of the original-language document from which the English translation was prepared. (See English Translations.)

The name on your medical diploma must match exactly the name you entered on your application. If the names do not match exactly, you must submit legal documentation that confirms the name on your medical diploma is (or was) your name. (See Name on Medical Diploma)

An example of a discrepancy between the name on your application and the name on your medical diploma would be if you use your married name on your application, but your medical diploma lists your maiden name.

Other examples of a discrepancy include the following:

• Use of initials for the first or last (surname) on the medical diploma
  

  Example: "Mary Smith" on your application, but "M. Smith" or "Mary S." on your medical diploma.

• Difference in the sequence of names
  

  Example: "John James Clark" on your application, but "James John Clark" or "Clark James John" on your medical diploma.

• Hyphenations and Separations in names
  

  Example: "Alice Al Quigley" on your application, but "Alice Al-Quigley" or "Alice Alquigley" on your medical diploma.

If the name on your diploma is different from the name you entered on your application, you must submit a copy of a legal document verifying that the name on your medical diploma is (or was) your name. If the name on your diploma is different than the name you entered on the application and you do not submit a copy of a legal document verifying that the name on your medical diploma is (or was) your name, your application will be rejected. (Refer to Name on Medical Diploma.)

You must send one full-face photograph with the copies of your 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.

Important Note: Submitting altered or falsified documents to ECFMG may be sufficient cause for ECFMG to bar you from the exam, to terminate your participation in the exam, to withhold and / or invalidate the results of your exam, to withhold a certificate, revoke a certificate or to take other appropriate action. ECFMG may also report instances of altered or falsified documents to the USMLE Committee on Irregular Behavior, state medical licensing authorities and directors of graduate medical education programs or to any other organization or individual who, in the judgment of ECFMG, has a legitimate interest in such information.

In all cases when the ECFMG Committee on Medical Education Credentials, the CSA Committee on Irregular Behavior or the USMLE Committee on Irregular Behavior has taken an action with respect to an examinee, an annotation will be included in the ECFMG Status Report and ECFMG Certification Verification Service (CVS) Report.

Representative Examples of Irregular Behavior

Credentials for Exam Registration

If you are a medical school graduate, you must send the copies of your medical diploma and the current photograph with your application for examination (if you have not submitted your diploma and photograph to ECFMG previously). If your medical diploma has not yet been issued, you must send with the application a current photograph and a letter signed by your Medical School Dean, Vice Dean or Registrar that confirms you graduated from medical school, have met all requirements to receive your medical diploma, and states the date (month and year) that your medical diploma will be issued. If you apply on-line, you must submit these items with your completed Certification Statement. You must then send the photocopies of your diploma to ECFMG as soon as the diploma is issued. (See Credentials for ECFMG Certification.)

If you graduated from medical school and do not submit your medical diploma or a letter from your medical school, as described above, and this documentation has not been received previously by ECFMG, your application will be rejected.

If you are a medical school student, you should send the copies of your medical diploma and current photograph to ECFMG as soon as you graduate and receive the diploma. (See Credentials for ECFMG Certification.)

If your credentials are complete, you are generally not required to resend these documents when you apply for subsequent exams. After receiving your medical diploma, ECFMG will write to you to acknowledge receipt and to advise if additional credentials are required.

You can check the status of your medical education credentials on-line using OASIS. If you have questions or concerns about your credentials, you can contact ECFMG by e-mail at credentials@ecfmg.org or by telephone or fax (see General Inquiries).

English Translations

All documents that are not in English must be accompanied by English translations. The translation must be prepared by and certified to be correct by a government official, medical school official or recognized translation service. The translation must appear on official stationery, must identify the translator, and must bear the signature of the official or representative of the translation service. A copy of the document from which the translation was made must accompany the translation.

Verification of Credentials

ECFMG verifies every applicant's medical school diploma with the appropriate officials of the medical school that issued the diploma. You will not fulfill the ECFMG medical education credential requirements until such verification is received directly from your medical school and accepted by ECFMG.

In some instances, the verification process for medical diplomas can be lengthy due to the processing time required by the institutions and prevailing postal conditions. ECFMG will write to you to advise when your diploma is sent to your medical school for verification. If ECFMG does not receive a response from your medical school within the anticipated time period, ECFMG will send subsequent verification requests to your medical school. ECFMG will notify you when it sends these subsequent requests. ECFMG will also notify you after receiving the verification from your medical school.