How do I apply for a US medicine residency?

To get a residency in the United States, you have to pass many exams and meet different requirements. We propose to find out what the application procedure for a graduate with a foreign education includes.

Who is considered to be a graduate of a medical school with a foreign education?

You are considered a graduate with a foreign diploma if

• you were educated outside the United States and Canada,

• your institution is not accredited by the US accreditation bodies, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, or the American Osteopathic Association.

If you have US citizenship but studied in another country, you qualify for this category.

What are the requirements?

First of all, a foreign graduate must pass the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). The panel checks if you are ready for an accredited residency program.

ECFMG includes certification.To pass it, you need to:

1. Make sure that the graduates of your educational institution have the right to do so.This can be done in the World Directory of Medical Schools .All medical schools that receive the basic medical qualifications required for a license to practice are listed here.

2. Submit application on the ECFMG website to obtain an identification number.After receiving it, you can send an application for certification, and after that you can apply for the exam.

3. It is necessary to provide documents on graduation, the number of ECTS credits, transcripts with grades.Before graduation, you cannot apply for certification.

4. Pass the first two steps of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). The USMLE exam is divided into three phases.The first two stages, Medical Science Examination and Clinical Skills Examination, are taken by students of Doctor of Medicine (MD) programs - this is the level of studybefore residency. These are the tests you will have to face before entering the United States.Be prepared to travel to the United States to take the second USMLE exam.

5. Additional requirements differ from state to state.You can get acquainted with them here. For example, some only accept graduates of certain schools for residency, and not all that can be found in the World Directory.

Requirements for residency applicants

In addition to the above, there are requirements for residency programs.The programs can be found at the resources below:

• Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database Access (FREIDA)

• Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)

• AAFP

Each program and medical specialty has its own requirements that must be looked at when searching.But also don't forget to check the requirements in different states.

At the time of application you will be working with 2 different services: Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).On the first, you will upload the necessary documents, and the second is needed to facilitate the interaction of program representatives with you. The registration time for them is different.For example, in 2018, registration on the ERAS website began in June, and on the NRMP website in September.

Useful links

• Medical education in the USA

• Medical English: Useful Resources

• How to pass the MCAT perfectly?