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The ECFMG(r) Reporter

An E-Newsletter for International Medical Graduates Pursuing Graduate Medical Education in the United States

Issue 163 – December 22, 2010

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IN THIS ISSUE:

– EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2011: NEW FEES FOR CHANGING APPOINTMENTS AT PROMETRIC TEST CENTERS

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EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2011: NEW FEES FOR CHANGING APPOINTMENTS AT PROMETRIC TEST CENTERS

Effective January 1, 2011, Prometric will charge a fee if USMLE examinees change testing appointments (e.g., reschedule, cancel, change test center location) at Prometric Test Centers thirty or fewer calendar days before their scheduled test date. No fee is charged for changing testing appointments 31 or more calendar days prior to the first day of the scheduled test. 

The date that you change your appointment, using local time at the Regional Registration Center for the Prometric Testing Region, will determine whether you pay a fee and the amount of this fee. 

– If you change your appointment 31 or more calendar days before (but not including) the first day of your scheduled test date, there is no fee. 

– If you change your appointment fewer than 31 calendar days but more than 5 business days before (but not including) the first day of your scheduled test date, there is a $50 fee. 

– If you change your appointment 5 or fewer business days before (but not including) the first day of your scheduled test date, there is a higher fee. This fee varies by Prometric Testing Region and by exam.

For complete information and a schedule of fees, visit the USMLE website at http://www.usmle.org.

This policy applies only to appointments for USMLE Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK), and Step 3. For information on the fees associated with changing testing appointments for Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS), refer to Rescheduling in the ECFMG Information Booklet, available on the ECFMG website at http://www.ecfmg.org.

Issue 161 – September 22, 2010

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IN THIS ISSUE:

- ECFMG TO REQUIRE MEDICAL SCHOOL ACCREDITATION FOR INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL SCHOOL GRADUATES SEEKING CERTIFICATION BEGINNING IN 2023

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ECFMG TO REQUIRE MEDICAL SCHOOL ACCREDITATION FOR INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL SCHOOL GRADUATES SEEKING CERTIFICATION BEGINNING IN 2023

The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG(r)) has
announced that, effective in 2023, physicians applying for ECFMG
Certification will be required to graduate from a medical school that
has been appropriately accredited. To satisfy this requirement, the
physician's medical school must be accredited through a formal process
that uses criteria comparable to those established for U.S. medical
schools by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or that
uses other globally accepted criteria, such as those put forth by the
World Federation for Medical Education (WFME). 

Unlike in the United States and Canada, where LCME and the Committee on
Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) set standards for,
evaluate, and accredit medical schools and programs, there are no
universally accepted standards for evaluating undergraduate medical
education internationally. An accreditation system comprised of rigorous
standards and procedures helps ensure quality medical education, and
quality medical education leads to quality health care. The ECFMG Board
of Trustees has determined that it can enhance its protection of the
public by incorporating medical school accreditation using globally
accepted criteria into ECFMG's requirements for certification of
international medical graduates (IMGs). Recognizing, however, that the
efficacy of such a requirement depends on a universally accepted
accreditation process, which does not currently exist, this requirement
is not scheduled to take effect until 2023.

ECFMG's Board believes that this additional requirement for ECFMG
Certification, and the timing of its implementation, will catalyze
efforts to develop a formal accreditation process for international
medical education that utilizes globally accepted criteria. While it is
unlikely that a single entity would have the resources needed to
accredit the world's 2,000 operating international medical schools, a
viable model envisions evaluation and recognition by an internationally
accepted organization, such as WFME, of the various bodies that accredit
international medical schools. Such a process will have the effect of
harmonizing accreditation standards, and creating a meaningful
international accreditation system that will improve the quality of
medical education and health care worldwide.

In the United States, IMGs comprise one-quarter of the physician
workforce. ECFMG Certification is a prerequisite for IMGs to enter the
U.S. health care system. ECFMG's decision to require medical school
accreditation as a requirement for ECFMG Certification is a significant
step in its continuing efforts to enhance protection of the public. It
will also advance ECFMG's overall mission of promoting excellence in
international medical education.

ABOUT ECFMG AND ECFMG CERTIFICATION

ECFMG is a private, nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. Its organizational members are the American Board of
Medical Specialties; American Medical Association; Association of
American Medical Colleges; Association for Hospital Medical 
Education; Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States,
Inc.; and the National Medical Association.

For more than 50 years, ECFMG has promoted quality health care for the
public by certifying IMGs for entry into U.S. graduate medical education
(GME). ECFMG and its organizational members define an IMG as a physician
who received his/her basic medical degree or qualification from a
medical school located outside the United States and Canada. Through its
program of IMG certification, ECFMG assesses whether these physicians
are ready to enter U.S. GME; ECFMG Certification is a requirement for
IMGs who wish to enter such programs. ECFMG Certification is also one of
the eligibility requirements for IMGs to take Step 3 of the United
States Medical Licensing Examination(r) (USMLE(r)). Medical licensing
authorities in the United States require ECFMG Certification, among
other requirements, for IMGs to obtain an unrestricted license to
practice medicine. 

In addition to its primary mission of certifying international medical
graduates, ECFMG offers a variety of other programs and services to
physicians educated abroad and other members of the international
medical education, regulatory, and research communities. 

For more information on ECFMG, including a background document on the
new accreditation requirement titled “Requiring Medical School
Accreditation for ECFMG Certification-Moving Accreditation Forward,”
visit the ECFMG website at http://www.ecfmg.org/accreditation.

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Issue 159 - September 2, 2010


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IN THIS ISSUE:

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON TRANSITION TO ECFMG 2011 INFORMATION BOOKLET
AND APPLICATION MATERIALS

- AVAILABILITY OF 2011 INFORMATION BOOKLET AND APPLICATION MATERIALS
- INCOMPLETE IWA APPLICATIONS WILL BE DELETED ON SEPTEMBER 14
- NEW REQUIREMENT FOR ECFMG CERTIFICATION

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AVAILABILITY OF 2011 INFORMATION BOOKLET AND APPLICATION MATERIALS

The ECFMG 2011 Information Booklet and the 2011 exam application
materials are expected to be available on the ECFMG website on September
15, 2010. In preparation for the transition to the new materials, the
Interactive Web Application (IWA) will be unavailable beginning at
approximately 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 14. IWA is expected to be
available by the end of the day on Wednesday, September 15. All times
are calculated using Eastern Time in the United States.

For Step 1/Step 2 CK, you will be able to use the 2011 materials to
apply for:

- available Step 1/Step 2 CK eligibility periods ending in 2010
(September 2010 - November 2010 and October 2010 - December 2010) and 

- all Step 1/Step 2 CK eligibility periods ending in 2011, beginning
with the November 2010 - January 2011 eligibility period.

For Step 2 CS, you can use the 2011 materials to obtain a 12-month
eligibility period that begins on the date that the processing of your
application is completed.


INCOMPLETE IWA APPLICATIONS WILL BE DELETED ON SEPTEMBER 14

As part of the transition to the 2011 materials, IWA applications that
have been saved but not submitted will be deleted. If you have a saved
application, you must complete the application, including payment, by
5:00 p.m. on September 14. All times are calculated using Eastern Time
in the United States. If, when IWA becomes unavailable on this date, you
have begun but not yet submitted the on-line part of an exam
application, your incomplete application will be deleted. If your
application is deleted, you will be required to begin a new application
in order to apply for examination.


NEW REQUIREMENT FOR ECFMG CERTIFICATION

Concurrent with the transition to the 2011 materials, the Application
for ECFMG Certification will become a requirement for ECFMG
Certification. Effective on this date, international medical
students/graduates must submit an Application for ECFMG Certification
before they can apply to ECFMG for examination. 

The Application for ECFMG Certification consists of questions that
require applicants to affirm their identity, contact information, and
graduation from or enrollment in a medical school that is listed in the
International Medical Education Directory (IMED) of the Foundation for
Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER). As
part of the application, international medical students/graduates must
also confirm their understanding of the purpose of ECFMG Certification
and consent to a release of legal claims. Once submitted to ECFMG, an
Application for ECFMG Certification typically will remain valid
throughout the ECFMG certification process. 

The Application for ECFMG Certification will be available through IWA on
the ECFMG website. There is no fee associated with the Application for
ECFMG Certification. 

See Application for ECFMG Certification in the 2011 Information Booklet.

Delay in USMLE Step 2 CK Score Reporting

Most score reporting of Step 2 CK results occurs within four weeks of testing. However, because of necessary modifications to the test item pool, there will be a delay in reporting for some examinees testing beginning in mid-August 2010. The target date for reporting Step 2 CK scores for most examinees testing from August 12 through mid-September will be Wednesday, October 6, 2010.

It is possible that scores will be available earlier than this date; please check the USMLE website for updates.

Issue 156 – June 11, 2010

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IN THIS ISSUE:

– PREPARING FOR THE ERAS 2011 APPLICATION SEASON

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PREPARING FOR THE ERAS 2011 APPLICATION SEASON

Information on the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) 2011
application season is now available. If you plan to apply for U.S.
residency positions that begin in July 2011, visit the ECFMG ERAS
Support Services website at http://www.ecfmg.org/eras/index.html for
important information. Most U.S. residency programs participate in ERAS.
If you apply to participating programs, you must apply to these programs
using ERAS.

At ECFMG's ERAS Support Services website, you will be able to:

– View instructions on how to obtain an ERAS Token, which will allow you
to access the MyERAS website to work on your residency applications.

– Review policies and procedures that are new for ERAS 2011.

– Find instructions for submitting your supporting documents, such as
letters of recommendation and transcripts, to ERAS Support Services for
transmission to the ERAS PostOffice.

– Subscribe to ECFMG-ERAS News, a free e-mail newsletter that provides
international medical students and graduates who use ERAS with
important, updated information as it becomes available. 

The ERAS 2011 application season begins on Tuesday, June 29, 2010 when
2011 Tokens become available through OASIS. This 2011 Token can be used
to register with MyERAS beginning on Thursday, July 1, 2010.

ERAS was developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges
(AAMC) to allow medical school students and graduates to apply
electronically for first- and second-year (PGY-1 and PGY-2) residency
positions in U.S. programs of graduate medical education. ECFMG serves
as the designated Dean's office for all international medical
students/graduates and graduates of Fifth Pathway Programs who use ERAS.
Detailed information on ERAS 2011 is also available on the AAMC website
at http://www.aamc.org/audienceeras.htm.

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ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION

As an organization, ECFMG is committed to providing information on
issues of importance to international medical graduates. We realize that
many individuals would like updated information on developing issues
related to ECFMG Certification and entry into graduate medical education
in the United States. As a result, ECFMG has developed The ECFMG(r)
Reporter to provide international medical graduates worldwide with
timely, objective information on current topics of interest. It is our
hope that this newsletter will allow physicians educated outside the
United States and Canada to make informed choices on issues that shape
their careers.

Previous issues of The ECFMG(r) Reporter are available on the ECFMG
website. Subsequent issues will be posted to the ECFMG website as they
are published. To access previous issues, visit the ECFMG website at
http://www.ecfmg.org/reporter/.

Interested individuals can join or leave The ECFMG(r) Reporter mailing
list at any time. To join or leave, visit The ECFMG Reporter home page
at http://www.ecfmg.org/reporter/.

Please do not reply to this message. Messages received at this address
will not receive responses.

We hope you find these updates helpful. Thank you for your interest in
ECFMG.

Copyright (c) 2010 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical
Graduates (ECFMG(r)). All rights reserved.

The ECFMG(r) Reporter

An E-Newsletter for International Medical Graduates Pursuing Graduate
Medical Education in the United States

Issue 149 – January 25, 2010

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IN THIS ISSUE:

– IMGS PARTICIPATING IN 2011 MATCH SHOULD APPLY FOR STEP 2 CS NOW

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IMGS PARTICIPATING IN 2011 MATCH SHOULD APPLY FOR STEP 2 CS NOW

International medical students/graduates and graduates of Fifth Pathway
programs who plan to participate in the 2011 Match (in March 2011) are
reminded that they must take Step 2 CS by December 31, 2010. As
published in the 2010 Step 2 Clinical Skills Schedule for Reporting
Results, if you do not take Step 2 CS by December 31, 2010, your result
will not be available in time to participate in the 2011 Match. 

If you need to pass Step 2 CS to participate in the 2011 Match, you are
strongly encouraged to apply for Step 2 CS now. If you do not register
early and schedule a test date as soon as possible, you may not be able
to obtain a test date in 2010. 

At the time of this writing, the earliest available test date at any
test center was in April 2010. It is expected that demand for testing
appointments in the period from July through December will be even
higher in 2010 than in past years. Additionally, test sessions at all
test centers may be subject to scheduling restrictions that may limit
the number of test dates available to you. 

To maximize your chances of obtaining a test date in 2010,

– Apply for Step 2 CS now, provided you meet the eligibility
requirements.

– Once registered, schedule your testing appointment as soon as
possible. Scheduling conditions are expected to be most favorable from
April through June. 

Early registration and scheduling may offer a number of benefits. If you
plan to apply for Step 2 CS, you should consider the following:

– All Step 2 CS sessions are opened 12-13 months in advance.

– Applicants registered for Step 2 CS can schedule and take the exam
during the 12-month eligibility period that follows their registration.
By registering early, applicants increase the likelihood they will be
able to obtain a testing appointment for a preferred date/test center.

– Applicants who schedule a testing appointment can change the testing
appointment without cost, provided they give more than 14 days' notice.
See Rescheduling in the ECFMG Information Booklet.

– Applicants who take Step 2 CS earlier in the year and receive a
failing result are more likely to have the opportunity to retake the
exam in 2010 and receive their result in time to participate in the 2011
Match.

Updated information on Step 2 CS scheduling will be posted to the ECFMG
website as it becomes available. Individuals planning to take Step 2 CS
should monitor the ECFMG and USMLE websites for the latest information.

*********************************************

ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION

As an organization, ECFMG is committed to providing information on
issues of importance to international medical graduates. We realize that
many individuals would like updated information on developing issues
related to ECFMG Certification and entry into graduate medical education
in the United States. As a result, ECFMG has developed The ECFMG(r)
Reporter to provide international medical graduates worldwide with
timely, objective information on current topics of interest. It is our
hope that this newsletter will allow physicians educated outside the
United States and Canada to make informed choices on issues that shape
their careers.

Previous issues of The ECFMG(r) Reporter are available on the ECFMG
website. Subsequent issues will be posted to the ECFMG website as they
are published. To access previous issues, visit the ECFMG website at
http://www.ecfmg.org/reporter/.

Interested individuals can join or leave The ECFMG(r) Reporter mailing
list at any time. To join or leave, visit The ECFMG Reporter home page
at http://www.ecfmg.org/reporter/.

Please do not reply to this message. Messages received at this address
will not receive responses.

We hope you find these updates helpful. Thank you for your interest in
ECFMG.

Copyright (c) 2010 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical
Graduates (ECFMG(r)). All rights reserved.