Important Information for Students and Graduates of Canadian Medical Schools
Overview and Eligibility for ECFMG Certification
Effective July 1, 2025, the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) assumed sole responsibility for accrediting medical education programs in Canada. These programs are no longer accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).
LCME accreditation establishes eligibility to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) and to enter U.S. residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). With the transition away from LCME accreditation for Canadian medical education programs, Canadian medical school graduates will establish their eligibility for USMLE and ACGME-accredited residency programs through ECFMG Certification. As a result, individuals who graduate from Canadian medical schools on or after July 1, 2025 will be considered international medical graduates (IMGs) for the purpose of entering U. S. graduate medical education (GME).
Important Note: If you graduated from a medical school located in Canada prior to July 1, 2025, you are not considered an IMG, and you are not eligible for ECFMG Certification.
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Applying for ECFMG Certification
ECFMG Certification is the standard for evaluating the qualifications of IMGs entering the U.S. health care system and includes requirements for medical schools, examination requirements (which include USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) among other requirements), and verification of medical education credentials directly with the issuing institution. To determine whether you are eligible for ECFMG Certification and for detailed information on the requirements, you must read the current edition of the ECFMG Information Booklet.
Once you have determined that you are eligible to apply for ECFMG Certification based on your graduation date and degree medical school, you will need to submit an Application for ECFMG Certification in MyIntealth.
To access MyIntealth and begin the application process, you must:
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Applying for Residency Positions in the United States
If you graduated from a Canadian medical school prior to July 1, 2025, continue to use the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) as your Dean’s office when applying to U.S. programs. If you graduate on or after July 1, 2025, you will use ECFMG as your designated Dean’s office.
If you plan to use the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Electronic Residency Application Service® (ERAS®) to apply electronically for residency positions in accredited U.S. GME programs, ECFMG issues ERAS Tokens for IMGs and assists them with the MyERAS application process. More information is available in the ERAS Support Services section of this website.
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Applying for USMLE
To meet the medical science examination requirement for ECFMG Certification, applicants must pass USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK). International medical students/graduates apply for USMLE through the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), a co-sponsor of the USMLE program. See the USMLE website for more information and to apply.
Your Application for ECFMG Certification must be accepted before you can apply for a USMLE Step exam.
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