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The ECFMG certification change is coming in 2024. How will it affect medical students and graduates?Beginning in 2024, an ECFMG certification change will go into effect. While the ECFMG does not accredit schools directly, the agency will begin relying on the World Federation for Medical Education (WMFE) to determine qualification. The ECFMG will only be certifying students who attended a WMFE-accredited medical school. This change was announced in 2010 and will go into effect in 2024. What does the ECFMG certification change mean for students?The logic of this change can be confusing or even worrisome for medical students. Especially if you are a medical student at the threshold of seeking ECFMG certification or recently began medical school. First, take a deep breath. You might not be affected. You can check if your medical school is WMFE accredited by clicking here. Countries in dark blue have medical school accrediting agencies recognized by the WMFE. If you attend med school in any of these countries, you’re in the clear. Countries in light blue have hope. These are countries whose accrediting agencies have applied for WMFE recognition. If you attend medical school in a country shaded in light blue, your school may be close to WMFE recognition. Learn more about the application process here. But what if you don’t attend a medical school in either of these categories? Or, what happens if your country’s accrediting agency’s application is rejected? There’s good news and bad news.(And maybe some hope.) The Good NewsIf you have applied for ECFMG certification (or will apply before 2024), then you will be able to continue through the certification process under pre-2024 rules. This is true even if you are not fully certified by 2024. For those who already have ECFMG certification, or receive it before 2024, there will be no change to your status come 2024. The Bad NewsIf you do attend medical school in a country without a WMFE-recognized accrediting agency in 2024, and you have not yet applied for ECFMG certification, you will be unable to apply for ECFMG certification in 2024 and beyond. The HopeThere is hope in the notion that your medical school needs to qualify for WMFE recognition at the time of application. The application process for recognition is relatively long (8-12) months. With 16 months left until the new process goes into effect, there is feasibly enough time to petition your medical school or accrediting agency to seek WMFE recognition and have it approved before you apply. It certainly won’t be easy, but it is an important factor. Read more from the ECFMG here. Related PostsThe ECFMG® has announced that, effective in 2024 (previously 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 by an accrediting agency recognised by WFME. The WFME Recognition Programme is the only programme accepted by ECFMG at the current time for the recognition of medical school accrediting agencies. In the United States, international medical graduates (IMGs) comprise one-quarter of the physician workforce. Through its program of IMG certification, ECFMG assesses whether these physicians are ready to enter U.S. graduate medical education. ECFMG Certification is also one of the eligibility requirements for IMGs to take Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) and to obtain an unrestricted license to practice medicine in the United States. For more and up-to-date information regarding the ECFMG 2024 requirement, please follow the website www.ecfmg.org/accreditation/. Can I give Usmle after 2024?If I just cleared NEET and will start MBBS in 2022, what can I do to ensure I'm still able to eventually practice in US? With the current status, Indian graduates may be ineligible for USMLE after ECFMG 2024 criteria come into effect. The WFME says it is in talks with the NMC currently.
What are the pathways of ECFMG?The Pathways for ECFMG Certification for the 2023 Match (2023 Pathways) are intended for IMGs who need to meet the clinical skills requirement and the communication skills requirement for ECFMG Certification and who plan to participate in the 2023 National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®) Main Residency Match® (The ...
Can I work in USA after ECFMG certification?After ECFMG certification, physicians who wish to practice medicine in the United States must complete an accredited residency training program in the United States or Canada. This process will take at least 3 years.
How long does ECFMG take to process credentials?It can take up to five days, after receiving the copies of your medical credentials, for the ECFMG to send your medical credentials to the institution that issued them along with a verification certificate, to be completed by the institution, confirming the authenticity of your credentials.
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