Issue Eight - April 17, 2002
Modification to Medical Education Policy Requirements for ECFMG Certification
Effective April 1, 2002, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) requires that an international medical school student or graduate's medical school be listed in the International Medical Education Directory (IMED). If you are a medical school student and you want to apply for USMLE Step 1 / Step 2 or the ECFMG CSA, your medical school must be listed in IMED both at the time you apply for the exam and at the time you take the exam. If you are a medical school graduate, your medical school and graduation year must be listed in IMED to be eligible for these exams and for ECFMG certification. The International Medical Education Directory is available on the ECFMG website at www.ecfmg.org.
The purpose of IMED is to provide an accurate and up-to-date resource of information about international medical schools that are recognized by the government agencies in the countries where the medical schools are located. The agency responsible for this recognition in most countries is the Ministry of Health. Medical schools that are recognized by the government agencies in their respective countries are listed in the International Medical Education Directory.
The Directory has been developed and will be maintained by FAIMERSM, the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research. FAIMER is a non-profit foundation of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. FAIMER will update the International Medical Education Directory as information is received from Ministries of Health or other appropriate agencies concerning their recognition of medical schools. In the months ahead, FAIMER will enhance the International Medical Education Directory with additional information about international medical schools.
Current ECFMG medical education policy also requires all international medical graduates to document completion of all requirements for, and receipt of, the final medical diploma. Graduates 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 listed in the International Medical Education Directory. All medical diplomas must be verified by ECFMG directly with appropriate officials of the medical schools that issued the diplomas.
To access IMED or for complete information on exam eligibility and ECFMG certification, visit the ECFMG website at www.ecfmg.org.
Modification to Reexamination Policy for ECFMG Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA)
Currently, applicants who fail the ECFMG Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) must wait at least three months before retaking CSA. This policy is being modified. If you take and fail CSA on or after February 1, 2003, the waiting period may change, depending on the total number of times you have failed CSA.
A. If Your Most Recent CSA Fail Is Before February 1, 2003
If your most recent failing attempt on CSA is before February 1, 2003, you must wait at least three months before retaking CSA, regardless of the number of times you have failed CSA.
B. If Your Most Recent CSA Fail Is On / After February 1, 2003
If your most recent failing attempt on CSA is on or after February 1, 2003, the period of time you must wait before retaking CSA depends on the total number of times you have failed CSA, as described below. For purposes of calculating the waiting period, all failing attempts on CSA are counted, regardless of whether they are before or on / after February 1, 2003.
B.1. If you have failed CSA a total of one time, you must wait at least three months from the date of your most recent CSA fail before retaking CSA.
B.2. If you have failed CSA a total of two times, you must wait at least six months from the date of your most recent CSA fail before retaking CSA.
B.3. If you have failed CSA a total of three or more times, you must wait at least one year from the date of your most recent CSA fail before retaking CSA.
Example 1
An applicant who failed CSA on August 5, 2002 and November 15, 2002 applies to take CSA for the third time. The applicant may schedule a third assessment for a date after February 15, 2003.
Example 1 Explanation
Because the applicant's most recent failing attempt is before February 1, 2003, the applicant must wait only three months from the most recent CSA fail, or until after February 15, 2003, before retaking CSA. The new waiting periods do not apply since the applicant's most recent fail is before February 1, 2003.
Example 2
The applicant in Example 1 fails the third CSA attempt, which takes place on February 20, 2003. The applicant may schedule a fourth assessment for a date after February 20, 2004.
Example 2 Explanation
Because the applicant's most recent CSA fail is after February 1, 2003, the new waiting periods do apply. Since the applicant has failed CSA a total of three times, the applicant must wait at least one year from the date of the last CSA fail, or until after February 20, 2004, before retaking CSA.
If You are Taking CSA to Revalidate the CSA Date
Passing performance on CSA is valid for three years from the date passed for the purpose of entering a program of graduate medical education. If your CSA date expires and you wish to revalidate your CSA date for an additional three-year period, you must pass a subsequent CSA. The new waiting periods described above also apply to applicants who take and fail CSA while trying to revalidate the CSA date. However, failing attempts on CSA that occurred before your most recent CSA pass are not counted in calculating the waiting period between revalidation attempts.
Example:
An applicant passed CSA on March 5, 2000 after failing CSA twice before. On March 20, 2003, the applicant retakes CSA to revalidate the CSA date but fails the CSA. The applicant may schedule another assessment for a date after June 20, 2003.
Explanation:
Because the applicant's failing revalidation attempt on CSA is after February 1, 2003, the new waiting periods do apply. However, since the applicant is taking CSA for purposes of revalidation, attempts on CSA that occurred before the applicant's most recent CSA pass on March 5, 2000 are not counted. The applicant is considered to have one CSA fail (March 20, 2003) and may retake CSA after a three month waiting period, or after June 20, 2003.
Other aspects of the CSA reexamination policy remain unchanged:
- There is no limit on the number of attempts to pass CSA. If you have not passed CSA, you may continue to take CSA until you pass it.
- Although you cannot retake the CSA during the applicable waiting period, you can reapply for the CSA, provided your application is received no more than three months before the end of the waiting period. If your application is received more than three months before the end of the waiting period, it will be rejected.
- For each attempt on CSA, you must submit an application and assessment fee.