ECFMG
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
FAIMER
ECFMG certification is one of the eligibility requirements to take Step 3 of the three-step United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). To be eligible for ECFMG certification , the physician’s medical school and graduation year must be listed in the International Medical Education Directory (IMED) of the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER ® ).
The Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) is a non-profit foundation of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). FAIMER is committed to programs and research activities that have the potential to advance international medical education.
The International Medical Education Directory (IMED) provides an accurate and up-to-date resource of information about international medical schools that are recognized by the appropriate government agency in the countries where the medical schools are located. A medical school is listed in IMED after FAIMER receives confirmation from the Ministry of Health or other appropriate agency that the medical school is recognized by the Ministry or other agency.
IMED
The International Medical Education Directory (IMED) provides an accurate and up-to-date resource of information about international medical schools that are recognized by the appropriate government agency in the countries where the medical schools are located. The agency responsible for this recognition in most countries is the Ministry of Health. Medical schools that are recognized by the appropriate agencies in their respective countries are listed in the International Medical Education Directory.
A medical school is listed in IMED after FAIMER receives confirmation from the Ministry of Health or other appropriate agency that the medical school is recognized by the Ministry or other agency. FAIMER also updates the International Medical Education Directory as information about medical schools is received from Ministries of Health or other appropriate agencies.
The following information is available in IMED:
- Medical school name
- Name of the university with which the medical school is affiliated (if applicable)
- Medical school address, telephone/fax numbers and email address
- Medical school website address
- Former official names of the medical school (if applicable)
- Degree title (title of the medical degree currently awarded by the medical school or university)
- Graduation years, which are calendar years the medical school has been recognized by the government agency in the country where the school is located. Graduation years for many schools begin in 1953, although individual medical schools may have been recognized prior to that date.
- Year instruction began
- Language of instruction
- Duration of the curriculum
- Entrance examination requirement
- Eligibility of foreign (non-national) students
- Total enrollment
IMED lists medical schools in each country alphabetically by the name of the medical school. You may search by various fields, including geographic region, country, name of medical school and the city where the school is located. Detailed search instructions are provided.
Medical school officials and Ministries of Health or other appropriate government agencies that wish to provide updated information should send communications to the following address. Individuals who have general questions concerning IMED may also send communications to this address.