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Initial Certification > International Medical Grads > DR IMGs


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IMG Alternate Pathway - Diagnostic Radiology

international   An international medical graduate (IMG) is defined as an individual trained in a Diagnostic Radiology program outside the U.S., its territories, or Canada.

As an IMG, you must demonstrate the following to be considered as a candidate for certification by the American Board of Radiology:

  • You have satisfied the training requirements of a non-U.S., non-Canadian country.
  • You have documentation verifying your ability to practice radiology independently in your country of training or have received board certification in your country (if applicable).
  • You have had one year of clinical training.
  • If you have trained in India, you must have the following degrees to be eligible for the alternate pathway: M.B.B.S. + D.N.B. and/or M.D. If you have another set of degrees from India, a sponsoring department agreement (SDA) must have been received by the ABR by 12/31/2011 for you to be eligible for this pathway. Holders of other degrees from India will not be eligible for ABR certification via the alternate pathway.

The board will assess your status relative to ABR policies and alternative pathways toward board certification (see policy) only after receipt of the following documents:

  • Current, detailed curriculum vitae with specific dates of all training
     
  • Verification of
    • Medical school training
    • One year of clinical training
    • Radiology residency training
    • Radiology certification (if applicable)
    • Radiology training appointment and/or full-time faculty/fellowship appointment in an institution with a diagnostic radiology training program approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC).
    • NOTE: The board accepts copies of diplomas or letters from training institutions as verification. If original documents are in a language other than English, English translation must accompany them.
       
  • Payment of a one-time nonrefundable administration fee to be included with the completed application form
     
  • Copy of Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certificate or Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC) certificate
     
  • Sponsoring department agreement, including your four-year plan
    • NOTE: The required four years of full-time, continuous residency training or continuous faculty fellowship experience must be completed in one ACGME- or RCPSC-accredited program. Credit for research training of up to 12 months will be granted toward diagnostic radiology certification if the research is completed at the same institution as the remaining clinical training. 

    Your department chair must complete and submit annual verification forms.

  • For candidates with completed applications containing all requisite documents which are accepted on or after July 1, 2012, the four-year experience must include four months (i.e., sixteen 40-hour weeks) of clinical nuclear medicine training.
    • One week increments of training at 40 hours a week is the minimum acceptable training increment permitted
    • All nuclear medicine training must be clinical training; research is not applicable
    • Training at an affiliated institution is acceptable
    • Nuclear Medicine/PET studies interpreted or reviewed as a part of clinical assignments or multidisciplinary conferences in other than dedicated nuclear medicine rotations during a fellowship do not satisfy this requirement.

In addition, candidates with full applications accepted on or after July 1, 2013 must meet the new RRC Nuclear Medicine Therapy requirements for I-131 administrations. Candidates must perform under preceptor supervision at least three therapies involving oral administration of I-131 in quantities less than or equal to 33 millicuries (mCi) and at least three therapies in quantities greater than 33mCi.

  • Copies of United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Steps 1 - 2 score reports
    • USMLE Step 3 is required six months before admittance to an oral or certifying examination.
    • Current unrestricted medical license is required before approval to take the qualifying and certifying examinations will be granted.

An IMG must pass both the qualifying and certifying examinations to be certified by the ABR. The rules for conditions and reregistration are the same as for U.S. graduates.

Optional

  • Candidates seeking ABR certification through the alternate pathway may be able to obtain Authorized User (AU) eligibility through the ABR pathway. If you desire AU eligibility, please submit a letter explaining your plan to meet current NRC training and experience requirements. For more information, please read the NRC regulations section of the website.
  • If applicable, you must submit a plan to meet the MQSA Breast Imaging requirements. For more information please read the RRC Breast Imaging requirements section of the website.

All documentation should be mailed to:

American Board of Radiology
5441 East Williams Circle
Tucson, AZ 85711-7412

Or faxed to:

520-790-3200
Attn: IMG Alternate Pathway