Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
The Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials (EPIC℠) offers primary-source verification of medical credentials to physicians and organizations worldwide. In verifying the authenticity of physician credentials related to medical education, training, and registration/licensure, EPIC employs the same world-class, primary-source verification process used by ECFMG to verify credentials for other ECFMG services, including ECFMG Certification, the standard for international physicians entering the U.S. health care system. EPIC’s services are delivered through a web-based platform that offers users security, convenience, and efficiency.
Primary-source verification or source verification is, by definition, confirming authenticity directly with the source. For a credential (qualification), this means confirming that the credential is authentic directly with the institution that issued the credential. It is a best practice and the best protection against fraudulent credentials. ECFMG employs a rigorous, multi-step primary-source verification process to ensure the integrity and authenticity of physician credentials.
For the world's physicians, EPIC is an innovative way to build a digital career portfolio of the credentials related to their medical education, training, and registration/licensure—a portfolio that can grow with their careers. Physicians can upload credentials to their portfolio, have those credentials primary-source verified by ECFMG, and request reports verifying the authenticity of those credentials for organizations worldwide. Whether pursuing education, training, registration/licensure, employment, research, volunteer, or other opportunities, physicians must demonstrate their qualifications throughout their careers. EPIC is a convenient and secure way to provide their verified credentials to organizations around the world. To learn more, see An Innovation for Physicians Building a Career Portfolio.
If you are pursuing ECFMG Certification and applying for USMLE, you are not required to use EPIC. You will provide your medical education credentials to ECFMG for verification through the ECFMG Certification program.
You are welcome to use EPIC to build a portfolio of your medical credentials, if desired, at any time. Please contact us if you have any questions.
For the organizations worldwide that are responsible for evaluating physician qualifications, EPIC provides the opportunity to incorporate primary-source verification into the evaluation of their applicants’ credentials. ECFMG provides EPIC to organizations such as medical regulatory authorities, hospitals, credential verification organizations, and academic institutions at no cost. By using EPIC, these organizations—regardless of their size, resources, or location—can make primary-source verification a part of their processes for evaluating their physician applicants and furthering their mission of protecting the public. To learn more, see Primary-source Verification Service for Organizations around the World.
Throughout its nearly 70 years of experience in evaluating physician credentials, ECFMG has established relationships with thousands of medical schools, postgraduate training programs, and medical regulatory authorities worldwide. With more than 35 years of experience in primary-source verification of physician credentials, ECFMG is able to offer unparalleled expertise in the medical credentials issued to physicians around the world. ECFMG’s Medical Credentials Reference Library is a one-of-a-kind resource on the world’s medical education credentials that captures ECFMG’s interactions with more than 2,500 medical schools in nearly 180 countries or territories, and contains samples of authentic verified credentials, such as medical diplomas, licenses, certificates of registration, and medical school transcripts, as well as official signatures and institutional seals. ECFMG’s multi-step primary-source verification process is recognized worldwide for its rigorous authentication of physician credentials.
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To begin using EPIC, the physician submits a request to establish an EPIC Account, which includes basic biographic information, details about his/her medical education and licensure history (if applicable), a recent photo, and a scanned image of the photograph page of his/her passport. The photo and passport will appear on the EPIC Identification Form (EIF), which the physician must have certified by an authorized official. The physician must have a valid EIF on file with ECFMG in order to use EPIC.
With a valid EIF on file, the physician is able to upload electronic copies (PDF, JPG, or TIF) of his/her medical credentials to EPIC. Currently, the types of credentials a physician can upload to EPIC are:
If a physician uploads a credential that is not in English, he/she also must provide an English translation that meets ECFMG’s translation requirements.
For every credential uploaded to EPIC, ECFMG uses its established process to primary-source verify the credential directly with the issuing institution. The process is not complete until ECFMG receives and accepts verification of these credentials directly from the issuing institution. Once a credential has been verified, it will become part of the physician’s secure EPIC Portfolio.
Using EPIC, the physician can request verification reports demonstrating the authenticity of the primary-source verified credentials for organizations worldwide. EPIC Reports include the physician’s name, photo, date of birth, EPIC ID, the physician’s name as it appears on the credential, and information on the institution that issued the credential. Verification reports are accompanied by a copy of the credential and, if the credential is not in English, an English translation of the credential.
EPIC offers organizations the flexibility to choose between two options for secure, electronic access to reports.
If the organization establishes an EPIC Report Portal Account, reports will be delivered through the secure EPIC Report Portal. Through the portal, the organization’s authorized users can view all reports sent to the organization; sort these reports; and access copies of the reports, credentials, and the verification forms completed by the institutions that verified the credentials.
If the organization does not establish an EPIC Account, reports will be delivered through a secure, one-time-use version of the portal. Instructions for obtaining the report will be sent to the e-mail address provided by the physician at the time the report is requested.
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[Last update: June 15, 2023]
