| Credentials Verification for Licensed Physicians
The New York State Education Department’s (SED’s) Office of the Professions
requires that the credentials of those applying for a medical license in New
York be verified independently to ensure the authenticity of the
credentials.
In the case of physicians, the New York State Education Department
recognizes
the Federation Credentials Verification Service (FCVS) as an approved
credentials verification organization.
Effective December 1, 2002, the FCVS is required to be used for verification
of credentials of graduates of medical education programs not accredited by
the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the American
Osteopathic
Association (AOA) or not recognized by New York State. As you know, the LCME
is the nationally recognized accrediting body for medical education programs
leading to the M.D. degree in U.S. and most Canadian medical schools, and
the
AOA is the accrediting body for medical education programs leading to the
D.O
degree in U.S. schools of osteopathic medicine. New York State currently
recognizes only a small number of other medical education programs. As a
practical matter, then, FCVS must be used for virtually all graduates of
foreign medical schools for credentials verification.
Graduates of medical education programs that are accredited by LCME or AOA
or
recognized as licensure-qualifying by New York State have two options for
credentials verification:
1) Use FCVS to collect and forward credentials information to the New
York State Education Department, Office of Professions; or
2) Have the registrar’s office of the medical school of graduation
forward a completed Certification of Professional Education that documents
satisfactory completion of all requirements for a medical degree, to the New
York State Education Department, Office of the Professions.
The New York State Education Department will determine the acceptability of
the credentials submitted via either option one or two.
Role of the FCVS
The FCVS, operated by the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United
States, Inc., is a national non-profit organization that provides service
for
state medical and osteopathic licensing authorities in the U.S., Guam,
Puerto
Rico, and the Virgin Islands. It provides a centralized uniform process for
state licensing authorities, as well as private, governmental, and
commercial
entities to obtain a verified primary source record of a physician’s “core”
credentials, including identity, medical education, postgraduate training,
examination history (for state licensing authorities only), board
action/disciplinary history, and, if applicable, Educational Commission for
Foreign Medical Graduates certification.
FCVS establishes a permanent repository of primary source-verified
documents.
Once a file is established, these documents will be available for use at any
time. A “physician information profile” is compiled and forwarded to any
entity that the individual authorizes to receive such information. There is
a
fee for FCVS services.
For more information about State requirements for credentials verification
and for a detailed review of all of the license requirements for physicians
practicing in New York State, go to www.op.nysed.gov/medlic.htm.
Clinical Clerkships for Graduates of Foreign Medical Schools
The New York State Department of Health recently sent the attached letter to
all hospitals in New York notifying them of an addition to the list of
foreign medical schools approved by SED for eligibility for post-graduate
training positions in New York. The State Hospital Code, at section 405.4
(f),
generally restricts hospitals from having on staff post-graduate trainees
who, as part of their education in a foreign medical school, did 12 weeks of
clinical clerkship in a country other than the country in which the medical
school is located.
As of 2004:
• The medical schools that are now approved by SED for clerkships of
more than 12 weeks are: American University of the Caribbean (Montserrat),
Fatima School of Medicine (Philippines), Ross University (Dominica), St.
George’s University School of Medicine (Grenada), St. Matthew’s University
School of Medicine (Grand Cayman), Medical University of Lublin (Poland),
Medical University of Silesia (Poland), MD Program in International Health
and Medicine at Ben Gurion University of the Negev (Israel), Saba University
School of Medicine (Saba), and the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara
(Mexico).
California unapproved list:
http://www.mbc.ca.gov/Applicant_Schools_Unapproved.htm
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