For those aspiring to practice medicine in the United States, obtaining the ECFMG certification is the first step. After that, they must complete an accredited residency training program in the United States or Canada, which will last at least three years. This is regardless of the training they received abroad. International Medical Corps provides training activities at all levels, from the field to the boardroom.
Our humanitarian response training units initiative includes global projects that prepare key groups and individuals involved to respond more effectively to emergencies. We collaborate with local communities and government entities at all levels, as well as with national and international non-governmental organizations, to improve emergency response and development programs. In the United States, medical students must complete a four-year program after obtaining a bachelor's degree at the university. This includes two years of basic science and two years of clinical training. This allows international medical graduates to become familiar with clinical practice environments and to meet doctors who can use them as references during the residency application process. In Germany, universities have started to implement more innovative and practical aspects in the clinical segment of medical education.
Despite important initial similarities and cross-inspiration, the paths from enrolling in a medical university to obtaining a medical doctor's degree in Germany and the United States have become very different. Both systems strive to train doctors to provide optimal health care in a rapidly changing medical world. Medical school usually takes four years to complete; then there is a three- to seven-year residency, in which students receive supervised training in their specific field of specialization. After successfully completing all the USMLE exams and applying for the diploma of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), an international medical graduate can apply for residency through the NRMP without major obstacles. The goal of this system is to ensure that all students in Germany receive the same level of education and, later on, can provide high-quality care to patients, regardless of where medical training is provided. Due to the growing popularity of places in medical schools, medical school enrollment has become extremely competitive.
Medical teachers and other medical educators must feel valued to maintain the mission of medical education.