Issue Five - November 8
Apply On-line for USMLE™ Step 1 and Step 2
ECFMG is pleased to announce that applicants can now apply on-line for USMLE Step 1 and Step 2. ECFMG's Interactive Web Application (IWA) is available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week via the ECFMG website at www.ecfmg.org.
When you apply on-line, you complete most application items and send your payment to ECFMG via the Internet. You can complete the on-line part of the application in one session, or you can save a partially-completed application and return to it later. Instructions are available throughout the process, and on-line validation helps to prevent common errors that may delay registration. If you apply on-line for Step 1 and/or Step 2, ECFMG will send you e-mail updates throughout the processing of your application.
IWA is easy to use and is available to both new and existing applicants. If you have submitted a prior application to ECFMG, you may be able to access some of the information that you submitted previously, eliminating the need to re-enter some information (see Accessing ECFMG's On-Line Services below).
For more information or to submit an on-line application, access IWA on the ECFMG website at www.ecfmg.org.
On-line Applicant Status and Information System (OASIS)
In July 2001, ECFMG introduced the On-line Applicant Status and Information System (OASIS). OASIS is ECFMG's web-based information service that allows ECFMG applicants and ECFMG-certified physicians to check the status of their USMLE/CSA applications and score reports, USMLE scheduling permits, TOEFL score acceptance, medical education credentials, requests for USMLE transcripts and other items related to ECFMG Certification and the Standard ECFMG Certificate. You can also use OASIS to verify basic information, such as your name of record, contact information and the status of your ECFMG financial account.
Since its introduction, nearly 8,000 individuals have used OASIS. If you have a USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number and would like free, convenient access to information on the status of items related to ECFMG certification, visit OASIS on the ECFMG website at www.ecfmg.org today.
Accessing ECFMG's On-line Services
To help ensure privacy, access to applicant-specific information through ECFMG's on-line services is controlled through a password-protected authentication system. The purpose of the authentication process is to help ensure that only you have access to your information. To obtain a password, you will need to provide your USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number as well as other identifying information. Your on-line services password will be e-mailed to you after you complete the authentication process. You can use your on-line services password for both IWA and OASIS.
Following are the answers to frequently-asked questions about accessing ECFMG's on-line services.
Do I need a password to use OASIS?
Yes. Since OASIS provides applicant-specific information, you will need a password to use OASIS.
Do I need a password to apply on-line for Step 1 or Step 2?
If you have never submitted an application to ECFMG, you do not need a password to complete an on-line application using IWA. If you have applied to ECFMG before, you may be able to access information from a prior application, eliminating the need to re-enter some information when completing the on-line application. In this case, you will need to obtain a password before you begin the application.
How can I get an on-line services password?
To obtain a password, you must have your USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number. Visit the ECFMG website at www.ecfmg.org, access either OASIS or IWA, and follow the instructions for obtaining an on-line services password.
I don't remember my USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number. How can I get a password?
If you have applied to ECFMG previously but do not know your USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number, contact ECFMG's Applicant Information Services at (215) 386-5900 (9 am - 5 pm, Eastern Time in the U.S.) for assistance in obtaining an on-line services password.
ECFMG Certification and J-1 Visa Sponsorship: An Overview
ECFMG has received a number of inquiries in recent weeks regarding the requirements for ECFMG Certification. Inquiries have also focussed on ECFMG sponsorship requirements for the J-1 visa, the most common visa used to participate in U.S. programs of graduate medical education. "ECFMG Certification and J-1 Visa Sponsorship: An Overview" briefly outlines these programs, their requirements, ECFMG's role in these processes, and sources of additional information. To view or download this document, visit the Publications Page of the ECFMG website at www.ecfmg.org.