An International Medical Student refers to a medical practitioner who has attained his/ her medical qualification from an institution domiciled and based out of America and Canada. It basically refers to a person who has obtained a degree or diploma on foreign soil outside the American border. The location of the medical school and not the citizenship determines whether one can be classified as an International Medical Student. An American who acquires a medical degree from a sub-continent University like in Saudi Arabia is definitely classified in this segment. Alternatively, a person with Saudi Arabia nationality who obtains a medical qualification from an institution located in Millwork Clinic Houston or Canada is not considered to be an International Medical Student.

A rigorous and thorough alignment exercise awaits the holder of a foreign medical qualification who wants to be considered a medical practitioner in American circles. This exercise involves following written down guideline as well as submitting relevant documents and other prescribed items. Effective vetting is undertaken. It s not a one-off activity but a series of balance and checks are in place to ensure the process is competitive as well as being reliable.

The prevalence of fraudulently acquired foreign qualifications as well as the widespread availability of fake qualifications from foreign institutions is rampant. To safeguard the sensitive and strategic health sector from shoddy medical practitioners the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates is the authoritative voice in clarifying and converting a foreign degree or diploma to make it compatible with the American quality benchmarks. It strives to ensure that the nation is empowered and endowed with medical physicians who despite their nationality possess the required dexterity, skills as well as intellect to practice in the nation. This institute has its own operating modalities which it enforces during its conversion and vetting exercise.

For an international student to be acknowledged as a bona fide genuine medical practitioner, certain due processes must be accomplished. They are two criteria used in this process of determining and acknowledging the student concerned.

The written exams are under two categories. The categories are Clinical Knowledge and finally Clinical Skills. Attained medical qualifications are also verified. The process of verification is to determine the quality aspect of both the qualification as well as the reputation and reliability of the university where the qualification was attained.

To prevent aspiring medical practitioners from practicing in the Americas using qualifications from bogus and incompetent Universities, the ECFMG has a listing of all universities whose certifications as well as academic offerings are endorsed by this body. This listing is commonly known as World Directory of Medical Schools.

For a foreign-domiciled college to make it into the all-encompassing database of the regulatory authority certain milestones should be attained. These attainments of these milestones depend on certain aspects like the time period of the medical degree. The educational qualifications of the lecturers. Any continuing education programmes undertook by the institute as well as the strength of its medical research division. The infrastructure as well as whether that particular university is known amongst different continents is also taken into perspective.

As from 2023, it will be mandatory for students who acquire medical qualifications abroad to cross-check whether that institution is accredited.