credential verification service

[ribbit]

has anyone enrolled on this? Can you send transcripst and letters of recommendation.

[Picard]

If you are talking about FCVS, it's a very valuable service for those who have graduated already from medical school. Many states, but not all, will accept your profiles from FCVS as verification of your medical education. A list of state medical boards accepting FCVS profile is on the FCVS website.

No, you cannot send letter of recommendations. FCVS requires official transcripts mailed directly from your school to the service. You cannot play intermediary. No third party may "touch" any official documents from it's origin (school, residency program... etc) to it's destination (FCVS office) except the postal office or commercial carrier such as UPS/FED-EX. The final profile will include your official ID document (birth certificate), official transcripts, official diploma, deans letter, residency evals, ECFMG/USMLE transcripts, and any board actions (if any), and board certification info.

It's a worthwhile service. You need to have graduated from medical school before you can use the service. And they are very, very, very, very meticulous in their verification process. It can take several months, if not more, to complete the profile.

P

[Kirst]

I'm in my fourth year of schooling- So I suppose I can't start my FCVS portfolio presently? I was under the impression that I can start sending out my Basic Sciences transcript and my clinical rotations evaluations.

My concern is that I have done 3 trimesters of rotations in England at various hospitals and it'd be a nightmare trying to contact each place at the time of license application to verify my training- I thought if I do this now, things will be smoother down the road.

Or do you reckon since my rotations were done outside of US, the licensing boards in US won't bother with verifying each rotation?

[Picard]

As far as I know, you need to have graduated from school to use FCVS, because one of the things they are required to verify for your profile is official diploma and ECFMG certificate (I'm looking at my own profile now). You may want to call them to confirm this.

FCVS asks for a list of rotations you have done outside of the country of charter. FCVS does not independently verify these rotations as long as it matches your official transcript. State licensing boards, however, may. Some have gone as far as actually contacting/calling the hospitals to verify your attendence.

P

[ribbit]

Thanks for your reply. very helpful, ribbit

[coolbabe76]

does FCVS verify only the medical school diploma or does it also verify any PG training we may have undergone in our country?

[Picard]

It will attempt to verify everything, including out of country GME and licensure.

P

[jeff3f]

They will attempt to verify everything, but if they don't hear or don't get everything back they may eventually send a partially complete profile to the state board. This happened to someone I know who had trouble getting documents back from their foreign med school; FCVS eventually just sent out a mostly complete packet. I'm not sure why they did it, but perhaps it was because the partially complete packet was enough for that state's requirements (a full license was issued).

[PAPADOC2B]

Do they also verify preprofessional education i.e premed requirements? Most of my premed was done outside of U.S. But I have B.S and M.S degrees earned in U.S. It's just some of m bio and other science classes were accepted as a transfer for my undergraduate. Did anyone have problems getting licensed because of their premed ed?

Thanks

[Picard]

No, for IMG's they don't verify undergrad (meaning college, pre-med) educations. This is why there are states that will ask you to send undergrad/college transcripts.

P