International medical graduates who are neither U.S. citizens nor U.S. lawful permanent residents must obtain an appropriate visa for themselves and their dependents, if any, to participate in programs of graduate medical education or training in the United States. A common visa employed for this purpose is the J visa (see Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program).
Examination Requirements Under the Health Professions Educational Assistance Act of 1976 (PL94-484)
To obtain a visa to enter the United States to perform services as members of the medical profession or to receive graduate medical education, certain foreign national physicians are required under the provisions of Public Law 94-484 to pass the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Part I and Part II exams or an exam determined to be equivalent for this purpose. The Secretary of Health and Human Services has recognized Step 1 and Step 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), as well as the former Visa Qualifying Examination (VQE) and the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in the Medical Sciences (FMGEMS), as equivalent to NBME Part I and Part II exams for the purposes of PL94-484. For additional information on visa requirements, refer to the websites of the ECFMG Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program, U.S. embassies and consulates of the U.S. Department of State, and the immigration bureaus of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program (J-1 Visa)
ECFMG is authorized by the U.S. Department of State to sponsor foreign national physicians as J-1 Exchange Visitors in programs of graduate medical education and training. The objectives of this program are to enhance international exchange in the field of medicine and to promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries through the interchange of persons, knowledge, and skills.
The duration of stay for a J-1 Exchange Visitor physician is limited to the time typically required to complete the advanced medical education program. This refers to the specialty and subspecialty certification requirements published by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Participation is further limited to seven years and is reserved for those progressing in training programs.
Foreign national physicians seeking ECFMG sponsorship as J-1 Exchange Visitors must meet, among other requirements, a number of general requirements, which are detailed in ECFMG’s application materials for J-1 visa sponsorship. At a minimum, applicants must:
Have passed USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK; or the former VQE, NBME Part I and Part II, or FMGEMS; or an acceptable combination thereof. See Examination Requirements Under PL94-484.
Hold a Standard ECFMG Certificate without expired examination dates, if applicable. See Validity of Examinations for Entry into Graduate Medical Education.
Hold a contract or an official letter of offer for a position in an approved graduate medical education or training program.
Provide a statement of need from the Ministry of Health of the country of most recent legal permanent residence. This statement must provide written assurance that the country needs specialists in the area in which the Exchange Visitor will receive training. It also serves to confirm the physician’s commitment to return to that country upon completion of training in the United States (as required by §212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act as amended). (Note: If permanent residence is in a country other than that of citizenship, the Ministry of Health letter must come from the country of most recent legal permanent residence.)
Application materials and additional information on the Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program are available on the Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program section of this website and from ECFMG, upon request.
Important Note: Visa requirements and procedures are subject to change. For updated information, visit the websites of the ECFMG Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program, U.S. embassies and consulates of the U.S. Department of State, and the immigration bureaus of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
IMG Advisors Network (IAN)
ECFMG’s IMG Advisors Network (IAN) connects international medical graduates entering U.S. graduate medical education with other international medical graduates who have already entered or completed U.S. training programs and who can provide first-hand advice on what to expect in their new roles in U.S. graduate medical education and, more generally, from living and working in the United States.
To participate in IAN as an advisee, an international medical graduate must:
be certified by ECFMG,
have been offered a position in an ACGME-accredited training program, and
have submitted an application and payment to the ECFMG Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program for initial sponsorship as a J-1 Alien Physician.
To participate in IAN as an advisor, an international medical graduate must:
be certified by ECFMG,
either be in or have completed training in an ACGME-accredited program,
be licensed to practice medicine (training or permanent license) in at least one state or jurisdiction in the United States,
have ready access to e-mail, and
be willing to reply to inquiries from advisees in an honest and timely manner.
For more details on IAN, visit the Acculturation Program section of this website or send e-mail to acculturation@ecfmg.org.