Deficiency Letter
Deficiency Letter
Deficiency Letter
August 8, 2023
Dear Doctor:
The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) is unable to process your
recent application for the USMLE Step 1 (Application Identification Code 7-623-237-269, on-line
part submitted August 7, 2023) for the reason described below.
You certified you graduated from medical school. However, you did not submit a photocopy of
your final medical diploma, a graduation letter, or an acceptable English translation of the diploma
or graduation letter.
In order to be registered for this examination you must first reapply for the examination online at
www.ecfmg.org <http://www.ecfmg.org>. Then ECFMG requires a photocopy of the final medical
diploma in the original language with the appropriate signature(s) and issue date.
If you have graduated and met all requirements for your medical diploma but your medical diploma
has not yet been issued, a letter signed by an authorized official of your medical school must be
submitted. Each medical school has been requested to provide ECFMG with a list of authorized
officials. The letter you submit must be completed and signed by an official on this list. The official
must provide his/her name, official title, and the institution name. The official must affix the
institution's seal to the letter. The letter must include the following statement:
This is to confirm that [applicant name] has graduated and completed all
requirements to receive the [degree title] degree from [medical school/university
name]. The degree will be issued [month and year].
You must then submit a copy of your diploma to ECFMG as soon as the diploma is issued.
Any document submitted to ECFMG that is not in English must be accompanied by an English
translation that meets ECFMG's translation as outlined in the current edition of the ECFMG
Information Booklet.
Refer to the section Medical Education Credentials in the current edition of the ECFMG Information
Booklet for a detailed description on the required medical education credentials for a medical
school graduate.
Please be sure to use the USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number listed at the top of this letter on
your new application and any future correspondence with ECFMG.
Note, if your application is rejected, the money you had paid for that application will automatically
be credited to your ECFMG financial account. Thus, when you apply again using IWA, you may
select the “Use my credit towards my total due” option in the payment section of the application.
You may review the current ECFMG Information Booklet and USMLE Bulletin of Information from
the ECFMG website at www.ecfmg.org <http://www.ecfmg.org>.
Should you require further assistance, please contact ECFMG Applicant Information Services at
info@ecfmg.org <mailto:info@ecfmg.org> or call (215) 386-5900.
Sincerely,
ECFMG Staff