International medical graduates (IMGs) who need to satisfy the clinical and communication skills requirements for ECFMG Certification must use the Pathways. An accepted Pathway is subject to expiration. The expiration date is based on the Pathways season for which the Pathways application was accepted. The Pathways expiration dates are published on the ECFMG website.
An accepted, unexpired Pathway is required to participate in the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®) Main Residency Match® (The Match®), among other requirements. An accepted, unexpired Pathway is required to become ECFMG Certified, among other requirements. ECFMG will not issue an ECFMG Certificate based on an expired Pathway.
ECFMG Certificates issued based on a Pathway also are subject to expiration. If you are certified by ECFMG based on a Pathway, your ECFMG Certificate will expire when your Pathway expires, unless you have met the requirements to have your certificate made valid indefinitely. A valid, unexpired ECFMG Certificate is required to enter a U.S. graduate medical education training program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Revalidating a Pathway
IMGs who have an accepted Pathway from a previous Pathways season and wish to revalidate a Pathway for any of the purposes described above will need to complete the Pathways revalidation process. Detailed information on the Pathways revalidation process is now available on the ECFMG website.
ECFMG expects to launch the on-line application for revalidating an expired or expiring Pathway later this year. Please note that IMGs cannot use the currently available Application for 2025 Pathways for ECFMG Certification to revalidate a Pathway.
