Becoming Eligible for USA Residency as an International Medical Graduate (IMG)
All IMGs must become ECFMG® Certified before beginning residency training in the USA. Typically, ECFMG® Certification requires the following:
- Passing USMLE Step 1
- Passing USMLE Step 2 CK (Clinical Knowledge)
- Passing USMLE Step 2 CS (Clinical Skills - See 2021 Alternative Pathways)
- Graduation from medical school (as listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools)
All USMLE® Exams must be passed within 7 years since taking the earliest exam. According to the ECFMG®: “This seven-year period begins on the exam date of the first Step or Step Component passed and ends exactly seven years from that exam date. If you do not pass all required Steps and Step Components within a maximum of seven years, your earliest USMLE® passing performance will no longer be valid for ECFMG® Certification.”