IMG medical licensure requirement question.

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12092000

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Hi!
My husband is interested in working as an ophthalmologist for the US government. He needs to get a full license from any state. He is a US citizen and he completed medical school and his residency in Asia. He has a certificate from the ECFMG part1 and 2ck and2cs, but not part 3. He completed a 3 year clinical fellowship in ophthalmology 15 years ago from an accredited hospital in Massachusetts. He has been in private practice in Asia for the past 12 years. I know he can't be board certified in ophthalmology unless he does his residency over again, but is it possible for him to obtain a medical license in a state? He would take step 3 of the ECFMG if needed, but it would be 15 years after he received his initial certification. Any information is greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much!

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It depends what you mean by a "3 year clinical fellowship in ophthalmology". If that was accredited residency training, then perhaps he could get a license -- most states require 3 years of US training. Note that the hospital being accredited and the training being accredited are two totally different things. This assumes that not too much time has elapsed between when he took his first steps -- you only have 7 years to complete the entire series, else they may make him take them again.

Chances are, he won't get a license given that his training was so long ago, even if it was accredited. Many boards would look at the long lapse of time without US training and be concerned. But, if his steps are current and his training was accredited, it's only one more exam (for $780) and applying for a license -- might as well give it a try.
 
Hi!

Thanks so much for your reply. He actually did his residency in Asia, but he managed to get into an accredited fellowship at a Massachusetts hospital. I noticed that some states don't have a time limit on the 3rd step of the ECFMG, so maybe it's worth pursuing?
Thanks again for your kind help!
 
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You may be able to find a state to give him a license; I suspect it will all hinge on the wording of their laws/regulations. I would advocate taking a look at Puerto Rico, as they are by far the most IMG-friendly "state" and only require one year of training even for IMGs and also have their own "non-accredited" internships that they also recognize. They are the most likely of all of them to decide favorably.
 
Thanks so much for your reply. We will definitely look into Puerto Rico.
Thank again!!
 
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