Graduate Medical Education Policies

These policies are intended to assure the fair selection of residents/fellows into Boston Medical Center – Brighton (BMC Brighton) graduate medical education (GME) programs and to assure compliance with accreditation requirements.

These policies apply to all GME programs sponsored by BMC Brighton.

Program Eligibility

Medical Education

Applicants with one of the following qualifications are eligible for appointment or recruitment to ACGME-accredited programs at BMC Brighton:

• Graduate of a medical school in the United State and Canada accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)
• Graduate of a colleges of osteopathic medicine in the United States accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
• Graduate of a medical school outside the United States and Canada who meets 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 United States licensing jurisdiction in their current ACGME-accredited specialty/subspecialty program
• Graduate of a medical school outside the United States who has completed a Fifth Pathway program provided by an LCME-accredited medical school

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 United States 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 BMC Brighton
• Provide a written statement from the Ministry of Health in the country of their most recent legal permanent residence that:
  • Attests to the need for physicians trained in the exchange visitor’s specialty, and
  • Verifies that the exchange visitor has filed written assurance that they will return to the country upon completion of training

The duration of participation for the exchange visitor at BMC Brighton 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

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 PGY-2 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.

Post-Preliminary Year and Transfer Requirements

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.

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.

Disclosure

An applicant invited to interview for a resident or 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 absence
• Professional liability, hospitalizations, health, disability, and other insurance accessible to residents/fellows and their eligible dependents