A crucial step for international medical graduates is taking the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) which is a uniform system to assess a medical professional's ability to apply knowledge and demonstrate patient-care skills relative to modern American health care practices. All doctors must pass this exam, taken in three parts, before they can practice medicine in the United States. Step 1 of this exam tests medical science knowledge, and Step 2 assesses clinical components in two parts: the Clinical Knowledge (CK) component and the Clinical Skills (CS) component. Each part of the exam is administered separately.
Along with taking the USMLE exam, all foreign medical graduates must demonstrate four credit-years of attendance in a medical school whose curriculum must be listed in the official International Medical Education Directory (IMED). ECFMG will also verify the completion of all requirements of the medical school diploma as listed in the Reference Guide for Medical Education Credentials. A request of school transcripts directly from the medical school is the final part in demonstrating credentials.
Upon taking the USMLE, Step 1 and 2 exams and providing credentials to substantiate medical education, international medical graduates can apply for certification. This certification ensures that these graduates have met minimum eligibility standards to practice medicine within accredited residency and fellowship programs. ECFMG has set up the online Certification Verification Service (CVS) to make each candidate's information available to requesting organizations.
With the ECFMG certificate in hand, international medical graduates are required to take the USMLE Step 3 exam. This final part of the exam is composed of multiple-choice questions to test understanding of medical and biomedical science with some clinical case simulations. Depending on test scores, international medical graduates can begin the process of obtaining a license to practice medicine in the United States. Candidates are now also ready to apply for residencies or fellowships in accredited medical programs.