Resources

Data

ECFMG Certification

USMLE Performance

ECFMG J-1 Visa Sponsorship

Residency Match

ECFMG J-1 Visa Sponsorship

For additional data related to international medical students and graduates and to ECFMG’s programs and services, see:

New to ECFMG Certification? Click here for more information.

New to ECFMG Certification?

Then you probably have a lot of questions. Here are a few answers to get you started.

What is the purpose of ECFMG Certification?

ECFMG Certification is the standard for evaluating the qualifications of IMGs entering the U.S. health care system. It is a requirement for IMGs to:

enter residency or fellowship programs that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME),
take Step 3 of the three-step United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), and
obtain an unrestricted license to practice medicine in the United States.

What is an IMG?

ECFMG defines an international medical graduate (IMG) as a physician who received his/her basic medical degree or qualification from a medical school located outside the United States and Canada. The location of your medical school, not your citizenship, is what determines whether you are an IMG. This means that U.S. citizens who graduated from medical schools outside the United States and Canada are considered IMGs. Non-U.S. citizens who graduated from medical schools in the United States and Canada are not considered IMGs.

What are the requirements for ECFMG Certification?

The requirements for ECFMG Certification include:

completion of the Application for ECFMG Certification;
passing performance on USMLE Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge, and Step 2 Clinical Skills; and
primary-source verification of your medical education credentials.

How do I begin the certification process?

The certification process begins when you request a USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number, which you can do through ECFMG’s Interactive Web Applications (IWA) by clicking on the link to establish an account.

Learn more about ECFMG and the certification process »

Top Resources for IMGs Applying for ECFMG Certification »

Want to subscribe to one of ECFMG’s free E-Newsletters?

The ECFMG Reporter provides its nearly 200,000 subscribers with regular e-mail updates on ECFMG Certification, GME in the United States, and other issues important to IMGs.

ECHO News provides ECFMG-certified physicians with updates on new ECHO resources and other news related to planning their careers.

ECFMG Focus provides nearly 4,000 representatives of international medical schools with updates on ECFMG's activities and services for the international medical education community.

Reference Guide for Medical Education Credentials

FAIMER’s Data Resources on International Medical Education

Contact ECFMG

Resources

Data

ECFMG J-1 Visa Sponsorship

Top 10 Nations of Origin for Exchange Visitor Physicians, 2018 Calendar Year

States with Highest Numbers of Exchange Visitor Physicians, 2018 Calendar Year

Specialties Pursued by Exchange Visitor Physicians, 2018 Calendar Year

Number of Exchange Visitor Physicians Sponsored, 2008-2018 Calendar Years

New to ECFMG Certification?

What is the purpose of ECFMG Certification?

What is an IMG?

What are the requirements for ECFMG Certification?

How do I begin the certification process?