Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in the Internal Medicine Residency Training Program at the University of California, Davis, Medical Center.  The Internal Medicine Training Program at UCDMC is highly competitive.  Most of the current group of houseofficers ranked in the top third of their medical school class.  Please be aware that competition for the limited number of residency positions is extremely intense.  We advise you of this so that you will consider all of the information given to you before applying to the program.

Requirements for consideration of international medical graduates applying for postgraduate training in internal medicine include:

• Application (Electronic Residency Application Services - ERAS)
• Completion of prescribed course of study in an approved medical school
• Valid ECFMG certificate (passing both medical and English sections)
• Passage of approved examination(s) (FLEX, USMLE)
• *Evaluation/authorization letter from the Medical Board of California (must be dated within one year of application)
• Legal right to remain and work in the United States
• Current curriculum vitae and one page personal statement
• Three letters of support
• Dean's letter
• Copy of medical school transcripts
• Written examination scores, on whichever standardized examination the candidate takes acceptable to the State of California.
• Experience in an American hospital, with clinical exposure. (Pure research in a laboratory of an American Hospital is not acceptable).

* PLEASE NOTE: Due to on-going changes in the approved examinations for international medical graduates to qualify for a residency position, this letter from the Medical Board of California is mandatory!  It is imperative that you obtain this letter as soon as possible, or your application cannot be reviewed.  You may reach the Medical Board of California at (916) 263-2382; address is 2005 Evergreen St., #1200, Sacramento, CA 95815, or http://www.mbc.ca.gov/.

Please note that these steps are necessary to compete with the other applicants for internship.  Completion of these steps by no means guarantees that one will match here, nor even be ranked.  All candidates completing these initial steps, however, will be considered by the Internship Selection Committee on a competitive basis with graduates of US medical schools.  If you are able to provide evidence of having met all of the above, you will be eligible for consideration by the Internship Selection Committee.  Submit your application packet in its entirety; incomplete applications will not be reviewed.  Entry level positions are appointed only through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).  Again, thank you for your interest in our training program.

Sincerely,
Kristi Threlkeld
Residency Program Manager
Department of Internal Medicine

I. Foreign Nationals – Graduate of International Medical Schools (Not U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, Refugee or Asylee)

1. Visa – A J-1 visa is required for admission to UCDHS residency and fellowship training programs.  The visa can only be sponsored by ECFMG, which requires passage of USMLE Steps 1 and 2.
   NOTE:  UCDHS follows AAMC guidelines regarding H-1B sponsorship and does not support the H-1B visa for international medical graduates (IMG).
2. ECFMG Certificate – IMG must have a current, valid ECFMG certificate in order to be eligible for postgraduate training.  To obtain an ECFMG certificate, IMG must meet the following examination and medical education credential requirements:
   1. Pass Step 1 and Step 2 of USMLE.  Step 2 exam has two separate administered components, the Clinical Knowledge (CK) component and the Clinical Skills (CS) component;
   2. Pass the English exam; and,
   3. Meet all educational requirements as specified by ECFMG.
3. IMG must furnish a current “Postgraduate Training Authorization Letter (PTAL) from the Medical Board of California (MBC) when submitting an application for postgraduate training.  Applications will not be considered nor interviews granted without this document.

II. U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident, Refugee or Asylee – Graduate of International Medical Schools.

1. Permanent resident, refugee or asylee must provide proof of resident alien status and have the legal right to work in the United States.
2. ECFMG Certificate – IMG must provide a copy of a current, valid ECFMG certificate regardless of citizenship.
3. IMG with pending applications for Permanent Residency will sometimes qualify for a Work Authorization permit (EAD).  A copy of the current permit must be submitted along with a copy of the receipt for filing the I-485 (Application to Change Status to Permanente Residents.

III. Foreign Nationals – Graduates of U.S. Medical Schools

1. Non-U.S. citizens, who graduate from a U.S. medical school, sponsored by an F-1 student visa, are not required to meet ECFMG requirements.
2. Non-U.S. citizens, who graduate from a U.S. medical school are not considered IMG and therefore can be sponsored by an H-1B visa.
3. The F-1 student visa is not permitted for postgraduate training at UCDHS and must be converted to a one-year Work Authorization permit (EAD) before the start of training.  This permit will cover the resident while waiting for the issuance of the H-1B visa.

IV. Graduates of  Canadian Medical Schools

1. Graduates of Canadian medical schools, who are not permanent residents of the U.S. are eligible for an H-1B visa sponsorship issued through the UCD Office of Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS). 
   1. NOTE:  USMLE exam Steps 1, 2, and 3 are required for the H visa.  INS will not accept the MCCQE and the residents must obtain a U.S. Social Security Card.
2. ECFMG certificate and English test are not required.
3. The MBC considers Medical education in Canada to be equivalent to U.S. medical education.  Some Canadian internships are also accepted by the MBC as meeting the 12-month hospital service requirement for licensure.

V. Requirements for IMG Licensure in California – Foreign Nationals or U.S. Citizens

1. The following examinations are currently acceptable for licensing purposes in California.
   • USMLE Steps 1, 2 and 3
   • MCCQE (Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (formally LMCC Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada)
2. Two years of approved postgraduate training in any state in the U.S.  If training is not in Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery, Internal Medicine, OB/GYN or Psychiatry, IMG must have 4-months of approved general medicine postgraduate training.
3. Fifth Pathway trainees will be expected to present a letter from the MBC stating that medical school training meets the requirements for licensure in California.  The MBC will provide these letters after a completed application to the Medical Board has been reviewed and evaluated.

VI. References

Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
P. O. Box 828262
Philadelphia, PA 19182-8262
Telephone:(215) 823-2121
FAX:(215) 386-9766
http://www.ecfmg.org/ 

Medical Board of California
Division of Licensing and Applications
2025 Evergreen Street, Suite 1200
Sacramento, CA 95815
Telephone:(916) 263-2382
http://www.medbd.ca.gov/