What Is Changing For ECFMG 2024
International medical graduates (IMGs) who want to work in the United States have to go through several hurdles.
While the replacement of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 2 Clinical Skills with an English exam (OET Medicine*) was a big event, another event might influence young medical students who have plans to pursue careers in the US.
Starting in 2024, where someone graduates from will be very important.
ECFMG Certification
The Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, otherwise known as the ECFMG, is the body responsible for all international medical graduates who want to work in the United States.
The ECFMG does a lot for IMGs.
Anyone interested in going to the US needs to register with the ECFMG and become certified. They evaluate all applicant medical credentials – transcripts and diplomas, CVs and resumes, personal statements and USMLE and OET scores.
They determine if an applicant is eligible to be certified, which then means the person can proceed to residency matching.
The registration process is important because no IMG can take the USMLE exams without registering. And in order to complete any residency, IMGs must pass the USMLE Step 3 exam, which also requires certification.
Change For 2024
Starting in 2024, all international medical graduates who apply for ECFMG certification must be graduates of appropriately accredited schools.
In other words, any IMG who wants to apply in 2024 for the certification – and begin USMLE/OET and match processes – must have gone to a medical school that is approved.
If an applicant’s medical school is not approved, there is no way for that applicant to work in the US as a practicing, clinician.
Change Makes Sense
The ECFMG, as stated, is the only authority that regulates international medical graduates in the United States. The state licensing boards and hospitals trust the ECFMG. The candidates that go through them are evaluated and vetted carefully.
Indeed, one of the major purposes of the ECFMG is to develop standards of medical education and training for doctors; they also help put that into practice.
There is no way for any state or hospital to verify every government or medical education/training program in the world. The ECFMG can only be used in the United States. As a result, some other method of verifying education and training was needed.
Enter the World Federation For Medical Education
The World Federation For Medical Education, or WFME, is an organization that specializes in monitoring and developing medical education throughout the world.
The WFME partners with accreditation organizations in many countries. There are standards that each organization must maintain in order to keep their partnership – and therefore, validity – with the WFME.
Medical schools that are recognized by the WFME are the only ones from which the ECFMG will certify.
If an applicant’s school is not recognized by the WFME, and the applicant applies in 2024, the applicant will not be certified.
If an applicant’s school is not recognized by the WFME, and the applicant applies in 2023, this rule does not apply.
What Does This Mean For You
If you are in medical school now, and are graduating in 2024, this potentially will have a big impact on you.
Should your school not be accredited and approved by the WFME, it means that the ECFMG will not certify you.
In this case, it is a good idea to think of alternatives.
- Is there a medical school in your country that is approved?
- Is there a chance for you to study outside your country?
- If your school is not approved, is there a way you can help get your school approved?
This brings us to other questions that you might want to consider.
- How much do you want to work in the United States?
- What are other options for you? Canada? The United Kingdom? Australia?
It is important to check with your school to see if they are approved of or a member of any accreditation agency in your country.
The easiest way to check the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDMS). You can search for schools by country and name. The service is free as well.
That way, you will know what you have to do.
Even though the WFME maintains relationships and partnerships with agencies around the world, these are subject to evaluations every 7 to 10 years. If an agency is going through the approval process again, it could pose a delay. It is important to check with your medical school and the accreditation organization in your country.
Here are some countries with the respective agencies.
- Taiwan: Taiwan Medical Accreditation Council (TMAC)
- Japan: Japan Accreditation Council for Medical Education (JACME)
- Former Soviet Union and eastern Europe: Independent Agency for Accreditation and Rating (IAAR)
- South Korea: Korean Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation (KIMEE)
2024 Changes Are Manageable
Originally scheduled to begin in 2023, but delayed because of COVID-19 around the world, the WFME requirement for ECFMG certification is manageable.
Importantly, most institutions around the world are aware of the change, especially if a large proportion of graduates pursue education or training in the United States, the United Kingdom or another English-speaking country.
The WFME approves a lot of schools. As of 2017, around 2900 schools are on the World Directory List. Chances are, your school is one of them.
*For the OET Medicine, please take a look at the article about it:
All About the OET Medicine for MDs
