In This Issue:
- Updated Prometric Procedures
- USMLE's Weekly Update on COVID-19
- New Trump Administration Executive Order on Immigration Does Not Impact Non-immigrant Visa Processing, Including J-1s
- Advocating for Matched IMGs with U.S. Department of State
- U.S. Department of State Indicates Additional Flexibility Regarding Statement of Need Letter for J-1 Visa Sponsorship
- ECFMG|FAIMER Joins Physician Coalition in Support of Protections for Health Care Workers Battling COVID-19
Updated Prometric Procedures
Prometric announced their extended closure of test centers until May 31, 2020 with the exception of a limited set of essential services programs. The United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) is considered an essential program, and certain centers will still be able to resume testing in accordance with local social distancing guidelines on May 1, 2020. More information about Prometric's updated procedures, including enhanced test center measures, can be found on their website.
To conform with social distancing guidelines and keep separation between examinees, there will be a reduction of active workstations in Prometric testing rooms. To do this, Prometric plans to cancel a significant number of upcoming scheduled appointments. Their statement explains that random selection of canceled appointments will occur, and impacted candidates will be notified by Prometric starting April 23, 2020.
Examinees should read the full announcement on the USMLE website.
USMLE's Weekly Update on COVID-19
The USMLE program recognizes that the testing shutdown has created great stress, uncertainty, and disruption for examinees and medical schools, affecting academic progression, curricular schedules, and application for residency. The USMLE program is doing everything it can to make decisions that prioritize the safety and health of examinees and test center staff as they develop plans to resume testing.
Beginning April 17, 2020, the USMLE program began posting weekly updates on its website and social media channels, in addition to announcements, as soon as decisions are finalized. Examinees should read the full announcement and continue to monitor the USMLE website frequently.
New Trump Administration Executive Order on Immigration Does Not Impact Non-immigrant Visa Processing, Including J-1s
President Trump issued a new Executive Order (EO) on April 22, 2020 temporarily suspending the issuance of immigrant visas. Non-immigrant visa classifications, such as the J-1, are not included in the EO and are, therefore, exempt from the provisions of the order.
As previously reported, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) has advised that physicians and other health care workers are deemed to be mission critical to fighting and mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Potential J-1 applicants who have been issued Form DS-2019 by ECFMG are encouraged to review the website of their nearest embassy or consulate and request a visa appointment.
Advocating for Matched IMGs with U.S. Department of State
Recently, ECFMG|FAIMER staff have been in daily communication with officials at DOS to communicate specific concerns related to COVID-19 and foreign national physicians participating in, or seeking to participate in, U.S. residency and fellowship training programs. Please see the full announcement here as well as the article below.
U.S. Department of State Indicates Additional Flexibility Regarding Statement of Need Letter for J-1 Visa Sponsorship
DOS has indicated additional temporary flexibilities around the issuance of the home country Statement of Need (SON) for physicians seeking J-1 visa sponsorship during the COVID-19 pandemic. ECFMG sought and received temporary authorization to accept SONs issued by foreign embassies in the United States, if authorized by the respective country. In addition, SONs may now be signed electronically. The SON is a regulatory requirement for all J-1 physicians and, previously, only paper SONs signed and sealed directly by the home country's Ministry of Health were acceptable per DOS regulation. Also, the SON letter is waived for those entering fellowship training if ECFMG has a letter on file for the related specialty. These developments mark additional positive steps toward reducing the challenges faced by the thousands of foreign national physicians who are applying for J-1 visa sponsorship to participate in U.S. programs of graduate medical education beginning July 1.
ECFMG|FAIMER Joins Physician Coalition in Support of Protections for Health Care Workers Battling COVID-19
The Coalition for Physician Accountability issued a statement on April 9, 2020 in support of strengthened efforts to safeguard the public and protect our nation's health care workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ECFMG|FAIMER offers its strongest endorsement of the Coalition's call for adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and adequate testing. Both are essential to protecting our frontline health care providers and their families, and to ensuring that they can continue to care for the public. The full announcement is available here.
