News

Requirement for ERAS 2019 Applicants to Emergency Medicine Programs

During the ERAS 2018 application season, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) conducted a pilot of their Standardized Video Interview (SVI) program. The AAMC will continue to pilot this program during the ERAS 2019 season.

The SVI pilot is mandatory for ERAS 2019 applicants to Emergency Medicine programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Emergency Medicine program directors will include the video interview as a component when evaluating applications. The SVI does not replace or replicate in-person interviews.

The deadline to complete the video interview is July 15, 2018, 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time in the United States, so ERAS applicants planning to apply to ACGME-accredited Emergency Medicine programs are encouraged to purchase their ERAS Token and register with MyERAS early to allow enough time to complete the SVI process. Tokens for ERAS 2019 are expected to be available for purchase through OASIS or the MyECFMG mobile app beginning June 21, 2018.

For complete information and helpful resources, please visit the AAMC Standardized Video Interview web page at: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-residency/applying-residencies-eras/aamc-standardized-video-interview/.

You can view the latest SVI webinars from AAMC at: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-residency/article/svi-webinar-archive/.

(Posted April 27, 2018; updated June 1, 2018)

ECFMG and FAIMER Host Inaugural Stakeholder Engagement Forum

Meeting Series Enhances Partnerships and Perspectives

The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®) and its Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER®) have launched a new meeting series designed to strengthen partnerships and enhance the perspectives available to governance and staff. The inaugural Stakeholder Engagement Forum took place on Friday, April 6, in conjunction with the meeting of the Boards of ECFMG and FAIMER in Philadelphia. The ECFMG-FAIMER forums invite leaders in the fields of medical education, assessment, and regulation to share insights on issues of mutual interest as well as updates on their organizations’ activities.

Inaugural ECFMG-FAIMER Stakeholder Engagement Forum Guests
Inaugural ECFMG-FAIMER Stakeholder Engagement Forum Guests, from left: Richard Hawkins, MD, ABMS; Alison Whelan, MD, AAMC; Mellie Pouwels, MA, AMA; Scott Steingard, DO, FSMB

The first session in this series featured leaders from long-standing associates, including the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), American Medical Association (AMA), Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB). For future sessions, ECFMG and FAIMER will extend invitations to new and potential partners. The Stakeholder Engagement Forums will be held twice annually in Philadelphia.

“It is vital that we stay connected with other organizations committed to quality medical education and health care,” said ECFMG President and FAIMER Board Chair William W. Pinsky, MD. “The forums create regular touchpoints to share ideas, challenges, and solutions.”

About ECFMG and FAIMER

ECFMG and FAIMER are private, nonprofit organizations based in Philadelphia in the United States. In partnership with each other and with other organizations around the world, ECFMG and FAIMER work to promote quality medical education and health care worldwide. ECFMG and FAIMER are leading experts on the world’s medical education systems and their graduates, the authenticity of physician credentials, the assessment of physicians, and research on physician migration and U.S. physician workforce issues. ECFMG and FAIMER offer programs and resources that serve global communities of medical educators and regulators; physicians and medical students; and those investigating issues in medical education, assessment, and health workforce planning. Learn more at www.ecfmg.org and www.faimer.org.

Results Reporting Schedule for Step 2 CS

Click here for 2019 schedule

2018 Reporting Schedule – Step 2 CS

Testing Period

Reporting Period

For examinees who test

Reporting start date

Reporting end date

January 1 through January 27

March 7

March 28

January 28 through March 24

April 25

May 23

March 25 through May 19*

June 20

July 18

May 20 through July 14

August 15

September 12

July 15 through September 8

October 10

November 7

September 9 through November 3

December 12

January 9 (2019)

November 4 through
December 31

January 30 (2019)

February 20 (2019)

*No Step 2 CS exams will be delivered March 26 through March 31.

2019 Reporting Schedule – Step 2 CS

Testing Period

Reporting Period

For examinees who test

Reporting start date

Reporting end date

January 1 through January 26

March 6

March 27

January 27 through March 23*

April 24

May 22

March 24 through May 18*

June 19

July 17

May 19 through July 13

August 14

September 11

July 14 through September 7

October 9

November 6

September 8 through November 2

December 11

January 8 (2020)

November 3 through December 31

January 29 (2020)

February 19 (2020)

*No Step 2 CS exams will be delivered March 22 through March 30.

Note: In each scoring cohort there will be occasional dates when individual test centers or the entire testing network are unavailable. These are typically known in advance, and the dates will be displayed as unavailable when examinees schedule appointments.

For each “Testing Period” in the above schedule, Step 2 CS scores are released every Wednesday over a corresponding four-to five-week “Reporting Period.” It is expected that results for the vast majority of examinees who take the exam during the testing period will be reported on the first Wednesday of the Reporting Period. Results for 98%-99% of examinees who take the exam during the testing period are reported by the third Wednesday in a Reporting Period. For a small percentage of examinees (1%-2%), scoring and quality assurance may be not completed in time for these examinees to be reported by the first three reporting dates; these will typically be examinees who took the exam in the latter part of the testing period. Results for these examinees will be reported each week throughout the reporting period, and should be reported no later than the last day of the score reporting period.

This schedule allows USMLE staff to enhance the quality assurance and data collection/scoring procedures performed prior to score reporting. Additionally, it provides examinees, as well as others who rely on Step 2 CS results, with guidelines regarding when a result will be reported for a given exam date. These guidelines allow examinees to plan their exam registration and scheduling in order to have their results in time to meet specific deadlines, such as those related to graduation or participation in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), or “the Match.”

(posted June 4, 2008; updated June 27, 2008, June 16, 2009, May 26, 2010, July 19, 2011, September 29, 2011, March 30, 2012, June 22, 2012, February 26, 2013, June 20, 2013, June 26, 2014, January 14, 2015, April 16, 2015, July 2, 2015, May 3, 2016, January 9, 2017, April 20, 2017, April 18, 2018)

IMGs Participating in 2019 Match Should Apply for Step 2 CS Now

To participate in the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®) Main Residency Match®, international medical students/graduates must have passed all exams required for ECFMG Certification. If you plan to participate in the 2019 Match (in March 2019) and still need to pass Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS), you should register now to take the examination.

To help ensure that your result will be available in time to participate in the 2019 Match, you must take Step 2 CS by December 31, 2018. If you do not register now and schedule soon, it is possible that you will not be able to obtain a test date in 2018. At the time of this writing, the earliest available test date at any test center is in August 2018.

The USMLE program also strongly encourages medical students/graduates to schedule their exams early to obtain a testing appointment this year.

If you register and schedule now, you can change your scheduled testing appointment (subject to availability) at no cost, provided you give notice of more than 14 days.

For periodic updates on the availability of Step 2 CS testing appointments, like ECFMG on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Detailed information on the results reporting schedule for Step 2 CS is available on the ECFMG website.

Announcement Regarding ERAS 2018 Token Issuance

Please note that you can no longer use ECFMG’s OASIS or the MyECFMG mobile app to request a Token for the ERAS 2018 season. If a program requests that you submit an ERAS application for the 2018 season and you do not already have a 2018 Token, please call (215) 966-3520 to reach an ERAS Support Services representative to request a 2018 Token.

If you plan to use ERAS to apply for residency positions that start on July 1, 2019, you can request a 2019 Token via ECFMG’s OASIS or the MyECFMG mobile app beginning in late June, 2018.

ECFMG Closing Early on March 30

ECFMG will close early in observance of Good Friday at 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time (ET) in the United States, on Friday, March 30. We will be unavailable for calls and e-mails until we re-open at 9:00 a.m., ET, on Monday, April 2.

ECFMG and FAIMER Named 2018 Top Workplaces in the Delaware Valley

The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®) and its Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER®) have been recognized as Top Workplaces by the Philadelphia Media Network. ECFMG and FAIMER were among 125 companies to be honored at an awards ceremony last week. ECFMG and its foundation ranked 27th among 40 companies in the mid-sized category.

2018 Top Workplaces in the Delaware Valley
ECFMG and FAIMER leadership and staff attended the Top Workplaces award ceremony on March 14.

top workplacesWinners are based solely on employee feedback, gathered through third-party research partner Energage, LLC (formerly WorkplaceDynamics). The anonymous survey measures several aspects of workplace culture, including alignment, execution, and connection, to name just a few.

“I am thrilled that we are succeeding in creating a positive and engaging work experience for employees,” said ECFMG President and CEO, William W. Pinsky, MD (pictured, back row, second from left). “By investing in our employees, we are investing in our mission to promote quality health care around the world.”

About ECFMG and FAIMER

ECFMG and FAIMER are private, nonprofit organizations based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a combined total of nearly 1,000 employees. In partnership with each other and with other organizations around the world, ECFMG and FAIMER work to promote quality health care worldwide. More information is available at www.ecfmg.org and www.faimer.org.

Established in 1956, ECFMG offers a variety of programs for the world’s physicians; medical educators; medical regulatory authorities; and other organizations that train, assess, and license physicians. Through its program of certification, ECFMG evaluates whether international medical graduates (IMGs) are qualified to enter U.S. programs of graduate medical education; one-quarter of physicians in training and practice in the United States are IMGs. ECFMG also is a world leader in the primary-source verification of medical credentials, a service that it offers at no cost to organizations worldwide.

Established by ECFMG in 2000, FAIMER offers educational programs for mid- to senior-level health professions educators around the world; conducts research on international medical education programs, IMGs, and the migration of physicians; and builds high-quality data resources that facilitate evaluation and research. In partnership with the World Federation for Medical Education, FAIMER has developed the World Directory of Medical Schools, a comprehensive resource on more than 3,000 medical schools worldwide.

IMGs Show Strong Performance in the 2018 Match

IMG Match Rates are Highest in 25 Years

International medical graduates (IMGs) showed strong performance in the 2018 Main Residency Match®, according to results published today by the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®). The NRMP Match determines where medical school graduates will enter residency (medical specialty) training each year in the United States.

While the overall number of IMGs participating in the Match declined by 211 compared to last year, their success rate in obtaining first-year residency positions was 56.5%, up from 53.3% last year.

Among U.S. citizen IMGs, 2,900 (57.1%) matched to first-year residency positions, an increase of 123 over last year. The number of U.S. citizen IMGs matching to first-year positions has increased in 13 of the last 15 years. For non-U.S. citizens, 3,962 (56.1%) matched, an increase of 148 positions. This is the seventh annual increase in the number of non-U.S. citizen IMGs who matched. For both groups, these match rates are the highest since 1993.

Today’s results show 16 consecutive years of growth in the number of first-year residency positions offered through the Match. In the 2018 Match, 30,232 first-year positions were offered, an increase of 1,383 (4.8%) compared to 2017 and a cumulative increase of more than 9,500 positions since 2002.

“The success of IMGs in this year’s Match demonstrates the importance of this talented and qualified pool of applicants for U.S. training programs,” said ECFMG President & CEO William Pinsky, M.D. “The growth in available residency positions, particularly in primary-care specialties like Internal Medicine, represents continued opportunities for IMGs interested in training in the United States.”

A detailed infographic on IMG performance in the 2018 Match can be found here.

About IMGs in U.S. Health Care

IMGs, physicians who received their medical education from medical schools outside the United States and Canada, comprise one-quarter of physicians in training and practice in the United States. IMGs are essential to the U.S. graduate medical education (GME) and health care systems, ensuring that our physician workforce is adequate to care for patients. IMGs frequently specialize in primary care, practice in medically underserved areas, and add much needed diversity to our physician workforce.

[posted March 16, 2018; updated April 27, 2018]