ECFMG is pleased to announce the launch of the ECFMG Certificate Holders Office (ECHO), a new program that provides support and service to ECFMG-certified physicians, and physicians about to be certified, as they plan their careers. ECHO expands on the resources offered by ECFMG’s former Acculturation Program.
International medical graduates (IMGs)—physicians who received their medical degrees outside the United States and Canada—make up more than one-quarter of the U.S. physician workforce. Through its program of certification, ECFMG evaluates whether these physicians are ready to enter U.S. graduate medical education (GME) programs, where they receive medical specialty training and provide supervised patient care.
ECHO provides free resources that allow IMGs to be better prepared and organized in making important career decisions. These resources will provide guidance on important milestones for entering the U.S. health care system, such as applying to U.S. GME programs, obtaining a U.S. medical license, and medical specialty certification. ECHO will also strive to provide information on non-clinical careers for certified IMGs who do not enter U.S. GME.
In addition to allowing IMGs to access ECFMG’s expertise, ECHO enables IMGs to connect with other experts and organizations, and with each other, to learn, share, and network. ECHO’s feedback mechanisms offer new ways for IMGs to communicate with ECFMG on an ongoing basis, establishing a dialogue between ECFMG and the physicians it certifies.
For more information, visit the ECHO section of the ECFMG website at www.ecfmg.org/echo, where you can access ECHO’s resources.
