Question about US Match

[MD1088]

Hi. I am hoping for some info. I will finish my degree here in Australia on December 2. I want to start residency in US the following July. How does the US match work for us? Are we eligible to enter the match for the following July? I understand we need an ECFMG certificate to register with ERAS and that we cannot even request application materiels until then. We cannot get that until ECFMG certifies our graduation, December 2. Is this true? Anyone who has gone down this road, please enlighten me as to timelines, etc. Thankyou.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Hi. I am hoping for some info. I will finish my degree here in Australia on December 2. I want to start residency in US the following July. How does the US match work for us? Are we eligible to enter the match for the following July? I understand we need an ECFMG certificate to register with ERAS and that we cannot even request application materiels until then. We cannot get that until ECFMG certifies our graduation, December 2. Is this true? Anyone who has gone down this road, please enlighten me as to timelines, etc. Thankyou.

Unless things have changed, you do not need your certificate to register with ERAS and the NRMP. You simply must have all your examinations and requirements completed by the time the Rank Order List is submitted (usually mid February). YOu are eligible to enter the match to start residency the following July. All of my classmates, and those who came before and after me, did so as long as they passed their exams.

I do recall that to obtain the California Letter at one time you needed to submit your ECFMG certificate and that some programs were requiring you to have the letter before they would process your application. Obviously to do this would require some time off as you can't get the certificate before most program deadlines for application. The State Board of California only requires the letter to start residency but they cannot stop programs from requiring that you have it to apply or to interview.

My timeline was that I finished TOEFL the summer before the match, Steps 1&2 in early fall before the match, and the CSA in December before the match. Prior to that I had registered with ERAS and the NRMP and submitted all my materials and started interviewing. Only a couple of programs required the ECFMG certificate to interview (and didn't advertise this on FREIDA or their website); most weren't worried about it and seemed confident that I would pass the CSA (since it was after most interviews) and get certified.

Once my diploma arrived, it was sent to ECFMG and the certification process begun. I had no trouble getting stuff done on time and you shouldn't either as long as all you have to do after graduation is to simply submit the materials for the certificate (unless of course the rules have changed).