By Achal A. Aggarwal, M.B.A., J.D., and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
When medical school graduates who graduated from a medical school outside of the United States want to practice medicine in the United States, they register with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (“ECFMG”). The ECFMG issues certificates to foreign medical graduates to register for and take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (“USMLE”) Step exams. Medical graduates must take and pass all of the USMLE Step exams to practice medicine in the United States.
Guidelines for Medical School Transfers.
The ECFMG has several rules and procedures regarding a foreign medical graduate’s transfer between medical schools. Foreign medical graduates should keep up-to-date on these rules to not jeopardize their chances of becoming doctors in the United States.
Suppose a foreign medical graduate transferred credits to the medical school that awarded or will award their medical degree. In that case, the foreign medical graduate must disclose and document those credits when they apply to ECFMG for examination. This must be done regardless of when the credits were earned. For example, a student attends a medical school for one year and earns credits for 12 courses. The student transfers to another medical school, which accepts the credits for those 12 courses toward meeting its degree requirements. The credits for those 12 courses are then referred to as transfer credits.
Additionally, for ECFMG Certification, credits that are transferred to the medical school that awarded or will award your medical degree must meet all of the following criteria:
1. All credits must have been transferred from a medical school that is either:
A. located in the United States or Canada and listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, or
B. listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools as meeting ECFMG eligibility requirements.
2. Credits must be for courses passed at the medical school at which the course was taken.
3. Credits may only be transferred from one medical school to the medical school that awards the final degree. This means that if a foreign medical graduate transfers medical schools more than once, the credits they obtained from their first medical school will not qualify for ECFMG certification.
What Happens If You Don’t Follow the Proper Procedures?
Suppose the foreign medical graduate’s transferred credits do not comply with these criteria. In that case, the foreign medical graduate will not meet the requirements to be registered by the ECFMG for examination, nor will the foreign medical graduate be certified by the ECFMG.
However, if a foreign medical graduate’s transferred credits do not meet all of the criteria listed above, they can request an exception from the ECFMG Medical Education Credentials Committee. We recommend that you find a Health Care Attorney Experienced in these matters. Click here to learn more and view a prior blog on this topic.
Contact a Health Care Attorney Experienced in the Representation of Medical Students, Interns, Residents and Applicants, Fellows and Those Involved in Graduate Medical Education, and those being challenged by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Secretariat, and the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
The Health Law Firm and its attorneys represent interns, residents, fellows, and medical school students in disputes with their medical schools, supervisors, residency programs, and dismissal hearings. We have experience representing such individuals and those in graduate medical education programs in various disputes regarding their academic and clinical performance, allegations of substance abuse, failure to complete integral parts training, alleged false or incomplete statements on applications, allegations of impairment (because of abuse or addiction to drugs or alcohol or because of mental or physical issues), because of discrimination due to race, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, and any other matters. We routinely help those who have disputes with the National Board fo Medical Examiners (NBME), the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Secretariat, and the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), including on hearings and appeals concerning “Irregular Behavior,” “unprofessionalism,” and “Irregular Conduct.”
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About the Authors: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law; he is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, and Achal A. Aggarwal, M.B.A., J.D. Its main office is in Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com. The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave. Suite 1000, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620 or Tolle-Free: (888) 331-6620.
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