Obtaining Permanent Validation of ECFMG Certificate
The online Application for 2025 Pathways for ECFMG Certification and Pathways Revalidation is now closed. Information on the opening of the online Application for the 2026 Pathways and Pathways Revalidation, as well as requirements and associated deadlines, will be made available in the coming months. Please monitor the ECFMG News page for information.
As part of the 2026 Pathways, applicants will be required to have a satisfactory score on the Occupational English Test (OET) Medicine, among other requirements. If you are planning to apply to the 2026 Pathways for ECFMG Certification or for Pathways Revalidation, and you do not have a satisfactory score on OET Medicine that was attained on or after January 1, 2024, we encourage you to book OET Medicine now.
Requirements
ECFMG Certificates issued to applicants who satisfy the clinical and communication skills requirements for ECFMG Certification through the Pathways program are subject to expiration.
ECFMG Certificates issued to applicants who satisfied the clinical and communication skills requirements for ECFMG Certification through a formerly administered exam, such as United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS), are not subject to expiration.
For an applicant’s ECFMG Certificate that was issued based on a Pathway to become valid indefinitely (i.e., no longer subject to expiration), the applicant must meet one of the following requirements:
- successfully complete at least 12 months of clinical education in a U.S. GME training program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME);
or
- successfully complete at least 12 months of clinical education in a U.S. non-standard training program associated with an ACGME-accredited program;
or
- hold an unrestricted license to practice medicine in a U.S. state or the District of Columbia.
Note: If you have entered an eligible training program, and your ECFMG Certificate will expire before you have met the requirements for your certificate to become valid indefinitely, contact us regarding the process for extending the validity of your certificate.
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Obtaining Permanent Validation
If you have met the requirement to have your certificate made valid indefinitely by completing 12 months of acceptable clinical training, and you are sponsored by ECFMG on a J-1 visa, you do not need to take additional action. We will make your Certificate valid indefinitely in our records on the basis of your J-1 visa status after your successful completion of at least 12 months of eligible clinical training and notify you when the process is complete. See Notification and Reporting on Certification Status below for additional information.
If you have met the requirement to have your certificate made valid indefinitely by completing 12 months of acceptable clinical training, and you are not sponsored by ECFMG on a J-1 visa, you may submit a Request for Permanent Validation of ECFMG Certificate (Training). See Request for Permanent Validation of ECFMG Certificate (Training) below for more information.
If you have met the requirement to have your certificate made valid indefinitely by holding an unrestricted license to practice medicine in a U.S. state or the District of Columbia, you may submit a Request for Permanent Validation of ECFMG Certificate (License). See Request for Permanent Validation of ECFMG Certificate (License) below for more information.
Request for Permanent Validation of ECFMG Certificate (Training)
To submit the Request for Permanent Validation of ECFMG Certificate (Training), complete the following steps:
- Complete Section I of the Request for Permanent Validation of ECFMG Certificate (Training) form. Be sure to confirm that all of your biographic information is accurate. You should enter your name as it appears on your ECFMG Certificate. Sign the form to certify that you completed at least 12 months of clinical education in an eligible GME training program.
- Provide the Request for Permanent Validation of ECFMG Certificate (Training) form with Section I completed to the Program Director of your GME training program. The Program Director must complete Section II of the form to provide information about the training program and to certify that you have successfully completed at least 12 months of clinical training.
- After completing Section II and signing the form, the Program Director must e-mail the completed form to ECFMG at [email protected].
After receiving the completed Request for Permanent Validation of ECFMG Certificate (Training) form, we will evaluate it and, if acceptable, make your certificate valid indefinitely in our records. See Notification and Reporting on Certification Status below for additional information.
Request for Permanent Validation of ECFMG Certificate (License)
To submit the Request for Permanent Validation of ECFMG Certificate (License), complete the following steps:
- Complete Section I of the Request for Permanent Validation of ECFMG Certificate (License) form. Be sure to confirm that all of your biographic information is accurate. You should enter your name as it appears on your ECFMG Certificate.
- Complete Section II of the form. List all unrestricted licenses to practice medicine in the United States that you hold.
- Sign the form after ensuring all information is correct.
- E-mail the completed form to ECFMG at [email protected].
After receiving the completed Request for Permanent Validation of ECFMG Certificate (License) form, we will verify your licensure information directly with the issuing authority and, if acceptable, make your certificate valid indefinitely in our records. See Notification and Reporting on Certification Status below for additional information. Please note that documentation may also be required if the name on your license does not match your name of record with ECFMG.
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Notification and Reporting on Certification Status
We will notify you at your e-mail address of record when the process is complete. If you meet the requirements and your certificate is made valid indefinitely, we will provide you with a confirmation letter that you can use to demonstrate that your certificate is valid indefinitely. You will not receive a new ECFMG Certificate. Note that it is your responsibility to ensure that your e-mail address of record is up to date in order to receive the confirmation e-mail and letter. For information on updating your e-mail address of record, see our On-line Services Overview.
Training programs and other entities can request confirmation of your certification status directly with ECFMG by requesting an ECFMG Certification Verification Service (CVS) report. Through CVS, ECFMG will confirm your certification status when a request is received from a U.S. medical licensing authority/state medical board, residency/fellowship program, hospital, or other organization that, in the sole judgment of ECFMG, has a legitimate interest in such information. ECFMG provides this confirmation at no cost to residency/fellowship programs. For status reports sent to medical licensing authorities/state medical boards, you also may submit a request. Additional information can be found in the CVS section of this website.
The preceding information is current as of June 2, 2025 and is subject to change. Please visit the ECFMG website frequently for updates regarding these requirements.
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