ECFMG 2012 Information Booklet

Eligibility for Examination

Medical School Students | Medical School Graduates | Reverification of Eligibility | Fifth Pathway Participants

The eligibility requirements for examination differ depending on whether you are a medical school student or a medical school graduate.

Medical School Graduates

To be eligible for Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 2 CS, you must be a graduate of a medical school located outside the United States and Canada that is listed in IMED. Your graduation year must be included in the medical school’s IMED listing. 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 IMED. An authorized official of your medical school must certify your status as a graduate of the school; instructions will be provided at the time of application for examination.

Two photocopies of your medical diploma must be submitted at the time of exam application if your diploma has not been sent to ECFMG previously. See the Reference Guide for Medical Education Credentials on the ECFMG website for the exact name of the final medical diploma you must provide. One full-face, passport-sized, color photograph must accompany the photocopies of your diploma. The photograph must be current; it must have been taken within six months of the date that your exam application is sent to ECFMG. A photocopy of a photograph is not acceptable. If you have graduated and met all requirements for your medical diploma but your medical diploma has not yet been issued, a current, full-face, passport-sized, color photograph and a letter signed by your Medical School Dean, Vice Dean, or Registrar 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 the photocopies of your medical diploma to ECFMG as soon as your diploma is issued. See Medical Education Credentials.

All documents that are not in English must be accompanied by an official English translation that meets ECFMG’s translation requirements. See English Translations in Medical Education Credentials.

If you have passed the former ECFMG CSA, you are not eligible to take Step 2 CS, except under certain, well-defined circumstances. Eligible circumstances include: taking Step 2 CS to permanently validate an expired CSA examination date for the purpose of entering U.S. GME (See Validity of Examinations for Entry into Graduate Medical Education in ECFMG Certification.), taking Step 2 CS because your most recent performance on a clinical skills exam (CSA or Step 2 CS) is a failing performance (See Official Performance of Record for Examinees Retaking a Previously Passed Step in the USMLE Bulletin of Information.), and retaking Step 2 CS to meet a time limit (See Reexamination and Reapplication in Applying for Examination and Retakes in the USMLE Bulletin of Information.).

Important Note: If your eligibility for an exam changes after you apply but before you take the exam, you are required to inform ECFMG immediately in writing of this change in your status. Such notification must be sent to ECFMG’s Applicant Information Services. Use the contact information for General Inquiries on the Contact ECFMG page of the ECFMG website. Failure to inform ECFMG of a change in your eligibility for examination may result in a finding of irregular behavior. See ECFMG Policies and Procedures Regarding Irregular Behavior.

Last updated: September 15, 2011

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