Checklist for Foreign Medical Graduates

Basic Requirements for all Applicants:

  1. Valid ECFMG Certificate and eligibility for J-1 visa: Applicant must have passed FMGEMS and ECFMG English test, or VQE, or Parts I and II of National Boards, or three-day Federation Licensing examination (FLEX) prior to 1985 with a score of 75 or higher on each of the three days of a single administration, or Parts I and II of USMLE and ECFMG English test. The medical science examination for ECFMG or FLEX taken prior to June 1985 ARE NOT RECOGNIZED BY THE U.S. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AS MEETING THE MEDICAL SCIENCE EXAMINATION REQUIREMENT TO OBTAIN A VISA TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES. (FMGEMS and English test, VQE, or USMLE and English tests are the only tests that allow eligibility for J-1 visa.) Step 1 and Step 2 of USMLE are tests currently administered for ECFMG certification. The only alternative English test that ECFMG will accept is a Saturday or Friday administration of TOEFL, provided that applicants have previously taken an ECFMG English test.
  2. Documentation of completion of all educational requirements to practice medicine in the U.S.: A national of the country concerned must have obtained an unrestricted license or certificate of registration to practice medicine in that country. A graduate of a foreign medical school must have had at least four credit years in attendance at a medical school that is listed in the "World Directory of Medical Schools" at the time of graduation. All documents provided to ECFMG are subject to verification by appropriate officials of the foreign medical schools. NOTE: These requirements pertain to ECFMG certification, but the acceptability of the various medical science examinations for licensure is determined by individual states.
  3. Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program (J-1 Visa):
    All foreign medical graduates who train in an ACGME accredited residency program must have a J-1 visa. The duration of status of the Exchange Visitor is limited to the time typically required to complete a training program. For eligibility, foreign nationals must meet the eligibility requirements (see #1), hold a valid ECFMG certificate, and have a contract for a position in an ACGME-accredited program.

For PGY4 Positions:

  1. Registration with NRMP
    Submission of application to appropriate training program

    By April 5th: Application for Initial Sponsorship (MF-1) sent to trainee by GME Office
    Applicant will need:
    1. Completed MF-1 application
    2. Contract for academic year from appropriate program (this is sent with the MF-1 application)
    3. Home country government letter (this letter must reflect the discipline in which the applicant is training; it must be issued by the Ministry of Health in the country of most recent legal permanent residence, i.e. if applicant is a citizen of India but has most recent legal permanent residence in the United Kingdom, the letter must come from the Ministry of Health in the United Kingdom.)
    4. Curriculum Vitae
    5. Administrative fee of $100
  2. By May 1 (if possible):IAP66 application submitted to ECFMG along with appropriate documents
  3. By May 15th: All other paperwork (application for housestaff appointment, immunization requirements, ACLS registration) must be submitted to GME Office. (Immunization requirements must be met; if FMG has had BCG, a baseline chest x-ray results or another x-ray is required OR if the BCG was longer than ten years ago, a TB skin test for the current calendar year is required; Heptavax or declination is required; MMR (two after 1970) has to be documented, or titer has to be documented; T/D within last ten years. If the FMG has never had ACLS, he or she MUST register in the June course and pass BLS prior to the June or July ACLS course, or shortly after, before ACLS card is issued.)
  4. By June 1: IAP66 (Sponsorship form) should be received by GME Office directly from ECFMG. This will be sent to individual by express mail. Applicant must take to embassy and apply for a J-1 visa. This individual may now enter the U.S. If the applicant enters the U.S. BEFORE obtaining a J-1 visa, a significant delay of one to three months may occur before the visa is stamped and applicant may begin work.

MEDICAL LICENSE:

PGY4 and above or fellows must have a Utah medical license before 1st day of fellowship. ELIGIBILITY FOR LICENSURE INCLUDES 12 MONTHS OF TRAINING IN U.S. OR LIMITED TERM INSTRUCTOR APPOINTMENT AT AFFILIATED HOSPITALS (Canadian citizens are exempt from the 12-month training clause). If FMG is not eligible for a medical license, program director must request licensure exception from GMEC. In addition, the state of Utah requires all applicants who are applying for a controlled substance license to take a test prior to the issuance of the controlled substance license. ANY PHYSICIAN WHO DOES NOT HAVE A LICENSE TO PRACTICE MEDICINE IN THE STATE OF UTAH CANNOT WRITE PRESCRIPTIONS THAT CAN BE FILLED OUTSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL PHARMACY. ANY PRESCRIPTION MUST BE CO-SIGNED BY A LICENSED PHYSICIAN BEFORE THE PATIENT CAN TAKE THE PRESCRIPTION TO AN OUTSIDE PHARMACY TO BE FILLED.

SOCIAL SECURITY CARD:
APPLICANT MUST APPLY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY CARD PRIOR TO HIRE DATE OR GET NEW CARD INDICATING EMPLOYMENT STATUS PRIOR TO HIRE DATE.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED AT ORIENTATION:

  1. Photo identification (passport, driver's license)
  2. Original Social Security card or receipt that card has been applied for
  3. Copy of passport and J-1 visa status (I-94 with duration of status stamp, or copy of, IAP66 with duration of status stamp)
  4. Completion of immunization requirements (if not already submitted)
  5. ACLS certification (if not already submitted)

CONTINUATION OF TRAINING:

If a foreign medical graduate has been in a training program in the U.S. and will be continuing his or her training at the University, the FMG must request the Continuation of Sponsorship form from the TPL at the current training institution and have it sent from the current institution to the Graduate Medical Education Office at the University of Utah. This form must be completed by either the FMG or the TPL here at the University and submitted to the ECFMG along with the appropriate documents prior to May 15th, so there is no interruption in the sponsorship, and the visa status can be extended prior to the hire date for the FMG.

RENEWAL OF VISA STATUS:

All houseofficers who hold a J-1 visa must have an extension on their visa. Immigration and Naturalization will update the visa status by stamping a copy of the IAP-66 for the training year. I-94 card must be current. Most I-94 cards and IAP66 forms are stamped with a D/S (duration of status) but a Notice of Action; is required for all J-1 visa extensions.

Division of Gastroenterology
Department of Internal Medicine
University of Utah School of Medicine