Your pursuit of a residency position involves three separate organizations:
Several resources available from these organizations are listed below. However, it is vital that you read each organization’s website carefully to understand the role of each organization and to understand the intricacies of resident recruitment, eligibility criteria, and what is expected of you as a prospective candidate for a residency position.
ECFMG Policies and Procedures Regarding Irregular Behavior
ECFMG Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program
ECFMG is designated by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to sponsor foreign national physicians as Exchange Visitors in accredited programs of graduate medical education or training or advanced research programs (involving primarily observation, consultation, teaching, or research). The Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program Reference Guide provides a comprehensive overview of ECFMG J-1 sponsorship of foreign national physicians.
Website: www.ecfmg.org/evsp
E-newsletters
Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)
For technical support, contact the ERAS Client Technical Support.
Contact Form: Send a Message
Phone: (202) 862-6264
Website: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-residency/applying-residencies-eras/
AAMC Publication: Roadmap to Residency
Recommendations for Revising the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE)
AAMC Applying to Residencies with ERAS®
ERAS Integrity Promotion Education Program
FindAResident (FAR) is a year-round, web-based search tool developed by the AAMC that is designed to help applicants find open residency and fellowship positions. It supplements ERAS and is ideal for finding unfilled positions—especially if an applicant did not obtain a position through the NRMP Main Residency Match or the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program® (SOAP®).
AAMC has also worked collaboratively with nine other organizations, including ECFMG, to develop Residency Explorer, a tool which allows applicants to research residency programs across 23 specialties and compare their characteristics to those who previously matched to those programs. Please note that Residency Explorer does not advise applicants on where they should apply or to which programs they may match. However, it may help applicants identify programs worth researching further.
National Resident Matching Program (NRMP)
E-mail: support@nrmp.org
Phone: (202) 400-2233; or toll-free in the United States: (866) 653-NRMP (6767)
Website: www.nrmp.org
Results of the NRMP Program Director Survey
Charting Outcomes in the Match - International Medical Graduates
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is a private, nonprofit council responsible for the accreditation of residency education programs within the United States. ACGME accreditation is accomplished through a peer review process and is based upon established standards and guidelines.
FREIDA lists information for the more than 11,000 graduate medical education programs, all accredited by the ACGME, as well as over 100 Board-approved combined specialty programs. Users can search for training programs using a variety of selection criteria such as specialty, state, and 35 other filters.
Directory of U.S. State Medical Boards
Phone: (817) 868-4000
Website: www.fsmb.org
FAIMER is a nonprofit foundation established by ECFMG in 2000. In partnership with ECFMG, FAIMER promotes excellence in international health professions education through programmatic and research activities. FAIMER maintains a number of data resources on international medical schools and international medical education, including:
E-mail: inquiry@faimer.org
Website: www.faimer.org
Back to top
[Last update: February 28, 2022]