The glossary
Twenty four terms every applicant ends up learning, in one line each.
- IMG
- International Medical Graduate: a physician who graduated from a medical school outside the US and Canada. You, probably.
- ECFMG
- The commission that certifies IMGs for US graduate medical education. Its certificate is the gate to the Match and to the J-1.
- USMLE
- The United States Medical Licensing Examination: Step 1, Step 2 CK and Step 3.
- Step 1
- The first USMLE exam, basic sciences. Pass or fail since 2022.
- Step 2 CK
- Clinical Knowledge. Scored, and today the number programs weigh most.
- Step 3
- The final USMLE step. Needed for an H-1B and eventually for full licensure.
- OET
- Occupational English Test, medicine version: the English exam ECFMG accepts.
- USCE
- US Clinical Experience: observerships, externships and rotations inside the US system.
- Observership
- Watching a US physician work, without touching patients. The entry-level USCE.
- Externship
- Hands-on clinical experience. Weighs more than observing, and is harder to get.
- LoR
- Letter of Recommendation. Ideally from US physicians who saw you work.
- ERAS
- The application system for residency. Opens in June, submits to programs in late September.
- Signal
- A limited token telling a program it is a real preference. Spend them like the scarce currency they are.
- NRMP
- The National Resident Matching Program: runs the algorithm that assigns you.
- The Match
- The annual assignment of applicants to programs. Binding for both sides.
- Rank Order List
- Your ranked preference of programs. The algorithm favors your true order.
- Match Day
- The Friday in March when you learn where. The Monday before, you learn if.
- SOAP
- The same-week process to fill unfilled positions if you did not match.
- Prelim / Categorical
- A preliminary year versus a full multi-year residency position.
- J-1
- Exchange visitor visa sponsored by ECFMG. Common route; usually carries the two year home requirement, with waiver programs afterward.
- H-1B
- Work visa sponsored by the employer. Requires Step 3; fewer programs offer it.
- PGY
- Postgraduate year: PGY-1 is your first year of residency, the intern year.
- Attending
- A fully licensed physician practicing independently. The destination.
- FSMB / FCVS
- The federation of state boards and its credential vault used by many states for licensing.