Does your medical school meet ECFMG eligibility requirements? Checking the World Directory

Is finding the school's name enough?

Your check should include the ECFMG Sponsor Note, graduation years and any conditions. ECFMG states that students and graduates of a school without that note are not eligible for certification. Source: ECFMG — Sponsor Notes in the World Directory.

This inquiry concerns your institution and academic history. A colleague from another class pursuing certification does not replace a check of the listing relevant to you.

Illustrative image. Photo: Ludovic Delot / Pexels. Cover: Bryce Carithers / Pexels.

Prepare your search details

Gather the official school name, city, campus where applicable and graduation year. Record former names appearing on your diploma or transcript. These details help prevent confusion between institutions with similar names.

ECFMG's illustrated guide shows how to locate a listing and consult Sponsor Notes. Source: ECFMG — How to confirm medical school eligibility.

For your own records, save the page, consultation date, name found and outstanding questions. This is an organizational record, not a certification determination.

What if the information differs?

If the listing does not appear to match your document, describe the discrepancy before contacting your school or ECFMG. “The school changed its name after my graduation” is more specific than “Is my school accepted?”.

• Which name appears on your diploma?
• Which name appears in the directory?
• Which graduation year needs checking?
• What information requires confirmation from the institution?

Avoid independently changing records or assuming that two listings are equivalent. Keep the response you receive and return to your plan once the uncertainty is resolved.

Use the result in your planning

Place this check near the beginning of your task list. It helps you formulate precise questions before committing to expenses. The same care applies to schools in Brazil, Chile, Argentina and other countries: research your own school and class rather than generalizing from nationality.

What the Sponsor Note does not mean

The Sponsor Note describes eligibility to apply for certification, subject to other requirements. It does not certify the student or mean that ECFMG accredits or endorses the medical school. ECFMG — Sponsor Notes in the World Directory.