# Pakistan Medical School Graduates no longer eligible for USA residency programs after 2024



## crazycakes (Feb 13, 2021)

Hey everyone,

It has come to my attention that not very many people are aware of the ECFMG announcement 2024. It is baisically saying that if your countries medical schools have not been accredited by the WFME by 2024, you will not be eligible to apply for residency programs or even write one of the USMLE's that require an ECFMG certification. Pakistan is not on the list of countries that have been accredited nor did Pakistan bother to apply for accreditation which takes 6 years to be processed. it is now 2021 so they technically only have 3 years until 2024 which basically means its impossible (correct me if im wrong this is what WFME says).
I have referenced the link below. it can also be found on the WFME website and also ECFMG website if people dont feel comfortable clicking the links below.

Accreditation - 2024 Accreditation Requirement





ECFMG 2023 Accreditation Requirement – Moved to 2024 - The World Federation for Medical Education


An important stimulus to the WFME Recognition of Accreditation Programme is the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®) 2023 Accreditation Requirement ECFMG announced on 13 May 2020 that its accreditation requirement, previously commencing in 2023, will now be implemented...




wfme.org













Agencies with Recognition Status - World Federation for Medical Education


Map of agencies that have been awarded WFME Recognition Status or in the process of application. You can view the agencies by country, continent or status.




wfme.org


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## That1step (Sep 5, 2021)

crazycakes said:


> Hey everyone,
> 
> It has come to my attention that not very many people are aware of the ECFMG announcement 2024. It is baisically saying that if your countries medical schools have not been accredited by the WFME by 2024, you will not be eligible to apply for residency programs or even write one of the USMLE's that require an ECFMG certification. Pakistan is not on the list of countries that have been accredited nor did Pakistan bother to apply for accreditation which takes 6 years to be processed. it is now 2021 so they technically only have 3 years until 2024 which basically means its impossible (correct me if im wrong this is what WFME says).
> I have referenced the link below. it can also be found on the WFME website and also ECFMG website if people dont feel comfortable clicking the links below.
> ...


I emailed ecfmg and this is their response to me asking whether i can still apply if I enter med school in 2022:
Thank you for your email. You should be okay. If a student or graduate applies for ECFMG Certification before 2024, they will continue the examination and certification process under our current policies and will not be impacted by the requirement. Please see below for more information.

Starting in 2024, applicants for ECFMG Certification must be a student or graduate of a medical school that is accredited, *at the time of application to ECFMG*, by an accrediting agency recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME).

*However, if a student or graduate from a currently acceptable school applies for ECFMG Certification before 2024, *they will be able to take the USMLE exams and obtain ECFMG Certification under our current policies.

Applying for ECFMG Certification is the first step in the certification process, *before* applying for and taking the USMLE exams.

Once you are enrolled in a school that meets our current requirements, you can apply for ECFMG Certification anytime before 2024. This means submitting the online application for certification and the certification of identity form (Form 186).

To confirm that a medical school meets *ECFMG’s current requirements*, visit the World Directory of Medical Schools at www.wdoms.org. Medical schools that meet ECFMG’s requirements will have a note stating this in their World Directory listing under “Sponsor Notes.” See also this PDF on how to confirm that a medical school meets our requirements: https://www.ecfmg.org/resources/medical-school-reqs.pdf

You cannot take the USMLE exams, however, until you have completed 2 years of medical school. Once you have completed 2 years of medical school, you may begin taking the exams whenever you are ready, *even if that is after 2024*. There is no time limit after you apply for ECFMG Certification to begin taking the USMLE exams.

For more on the 2024 Accreditation Requirement, please see this section of the ECFMG website: www.ecfmg.org/accreditation.


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## mariashayk (Apr 9, 2020)

That1step said:


> I emailed ecfmg and this is their response to me asking whether i can still apply if I enter med school in 2022:
> Thank you for your email. You should be okay. If a student or graduate applies for ECFMG Certification before 2024, they will continue the examination and certification process under our current policies and will not be impacted by the requirement. Please see below for more information.
> 
> Starting in 2024, applicants for ECFMG Certification must be a student or graduate of a medical school that is accredited, *at the time of application to ECFMG*, by an accrediting agency recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME).
> ...


If I apply for the ECFMG certification *prior to the changes* and r*eceive it after the implementation of the changes*, will it in any way affect the completion of my certification process and/or my matching into a residency?


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