Verification of Credentials
To be eligible for ECFMG Certification, international medical
graduates (IMGs) must provide copies of their
medical education credentials—currently the final medical diploma, final medical
school transcript, and, if applicable, transcripts to document transfer credits.
Since 1986, ECFMG has verified the authenticity of applicants’
credentials directly with authorized officials of the
applicants’ medical schools. An applicant’s credentials
are not considered complete until ECFMG receives and accepts
verification of these credentials directly from the issuing
school(s).
Primary-source verification is a rigorous, multi-step process that
ECFMG employs to ensure the integrity and authenticity of a
physician’s medical education credentials.
- When ECFMG receives a credential issued by a medical school, it first reviews the credential and compares it to sample primary-source verified documents from its Medical Credentials Reference Library (see below) to confirm that it is consistent with the format of credentials issued by the medical school.
- If the credential is determined to be consistent with verified samples, ECFMG will communicate directly with the issuing institution to request verification of the credential’s authenticity. If ECFMG believes it will facilitate the verification process, ECFMG will communicate with an institution in the language of the country in which the institution is located. ECFMG currently verifies documents using 10 languages.
- Once ECFMG receives this verification, another review is conducted to confirm that the verification meets ECFMG’s standards. ECFMG only accepts verifications directly from the issuing institution.
For more information on the medical education credential requirements for Certification, see Medical Education Credentials in the ECFMG Information Booklet.
Medical Credentials Reference Library
Since the beginning of the ECFMG certification program, applicants for examination have been required to submit copies of their medical education credentials. After more than 60 years of evaluating physician credentials and more than 30 years of direct credential verification with international medical schools, ECFMG’s Medical Credentials Reference Library has become an outstanding resource on credentials issued by medical schools around the world. The library’s holdings include samples of authentic verified credentials, such as medical diplomas and transcripts, as well as official signatures and institutional seals. It also includes lists of the officials authorized by the various medical schools to sign ECFMG verification forms and applications.
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