Graduate Medical Education Program Requirements

St. Elizabeth's Medical Center

Resident/Fellow Recruitment

Applicants with one of the following qualifications are eligible for appointment to ACGME-accredited programs at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center:

  • Graduates of medical schools in the United State and Canada accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)
  • Graduates of colleges of osteopathic medicine in the United States accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
  • Graduates of medical schools outside the United States and Canada who meet one of the following qualifications:
    • Holds a currently valid certificate from the Educational Commission
    • For foreign medical graduates prior to appointment; holds a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in a U.S. licensing jurisdiction in his/her current ACGME specialty/subspecialty program
  • Graduates of medical schools outside the United States who have completed a Fifth Pathway program provided by an LCME-accredited medical school

Resident/Fellow Selection

  • Eligible applicants are selected on the basis of their preparedness, ability, aptitude, academic credentials, communication skills, and personal qualities such as motivation and integrity. Programs must not discriminate with regard to sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, disability, or any other legally protected status.
  • All qualified applicants so far as possible should participate in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), where such is available.

An applicant invited to interview for a resident/fellow position must be informed, in writing or by electronic means, of the terms, conditions, and benefits of appointment to the ACGME-accredited program, either in effect at the time of the interview or that will be in effect at the time of their eventual appointment. Information provided will include: financial support; vacations, parental, sick, and other leaves of absences; and professional liability, hospitalizations, health, disability, and other insurance accessible to residents/fellows and their eligible dependents.

Visa Requirements

An exchange visitor J-1 is required for all international applicants.

The foreign national physician must pass Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), or an examination determined to be equivalent to the NBME by the Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, the foreign national physician must:

  • Hold a valid Standard ECFMG certificate
  • Have a contract with an ACGME-accredited program at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center
  • Provide a written statement from the Ministry of Health in the country of most recent legal permanent residence that attest to the need for physicians trained in the exchange visitor’s specialty and that verifies that the exchange visitor has filed written assurance that he/she will return to the county upon completion of training.

The duration of participation for the exchange visitor at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center is for the time required to meet the educational requirements for certification by an American specialty board that has been recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Duration of participation is further limited to a maximum of seven years.

Examination and Licensing Requirements

Statement Regarding FMGEMS Examination

The Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in the Medical Sciences (FMGEMS) is not a qualifying exam for licensure in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Applicants who only hold this exam do not meet the eligibility requirements to train in Massachusetts.

USMLE Requirements

All eligible residents/fellows must have passed USMLE Step III or COMLEX by the end of the PGY2 year (refer to USMLE GME Policy -20).

Physicians (both U.S. and international) applying for an initial limited license will be required to pass USMLE Step 1 and Step 2, CK and CS, or the first two levels of COMLEX or complete all parts of MCCQE.

Preliminary Year or Transfer Program Residents

Residents entering a program after completing preliminary year or transferring into a program from another institution must provide a letter from the program director of the resident’s preliminary year program or transferring program indicating they have successfully completed the preliminary year or transfer of training. They must also include a written or electronic verification of previous educational experiences and summative competency-based performance evaluation of the transferring resident.