Glossary
The terms you will meet while researching, applying, and planning your route back home — explained in plain English.
- IMG (International Medical Graduate)
- A doctor who earned their medical degree outside the country where they want to practice. A Canadian who studies medicine in Hungary returns home as an IMG.
- USMLE
- United States Medical Licensing Examination — the multi-step exam series every doctor (including IMGs) must pass to practice medicine in the USA.
- ECFMG
- Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates — the US body that certifies IMGs before they can enter residency. Your school must be listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools with an ECFMG Sponsor Note covering your graduation year; ECFMG states its Recognized Accreditation Policy does not by itself determine your eligibility.
- World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS)
- A directory of medical schools run by FAIMER and WFME — not a WHO accreditation or endorsement. A listing is necessary but not sufficient for ECFMG eligibility; the school also needs an applicable ECFMG Sponsor Note.
- The Match (NRMP)
- The US national system that pairs medical graduates with residency training positions. Competitive for IMGs — plan for it from day one.
- MCCQE Part I
- Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part I — the MCC exam on the route to a licence in Canada. MCCQE Part II has been discontinued by the MCC. IMGs also need provincial requirements and a residency spot through CaRMS.
- NAC Examination
- National Assessment Collaboration Examination — an MCC clinical exam that assesses an IMG's readiness to enter Canadian residency. It is separate from practice-ready assessment (PRA), which is a provincial route for physicians who already trained and practised abroad.
- CaRMS
- Canadian Resident Matching Service — Canada's residency match. IMG residency seats are limited and vary by province.
- Residency
- Supervised specialist training after medical school (3–7 years). You cannot practice independently in North America without completing one.
- EEA (European Economic Area)
- The EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Degrees recognized across the EEA follow common EU rules — relevant if you might stay and work in Europe.
- Schengen Area
- The group of European countries with no internal border checks. Your student visa or residence permit for one Schengen country lets you travel within the area for short stays.
- Apostille
- An official stamp that makes a document (like your diploma or transcript) legally valid in another country. Many universities require apostilled documents.
- Legalization
- The embassy-based alternative to an apostille for countries outside the apostille convention — a chain of certifications proving a document is genuine.
- Certified translation
- A translation of an official document done by an accredited translator, often required when your documents are not in the university's language.
- Entrance exam
- A university's own admission test, usually biology and chemistry, sometimes physics or logic. Format and dates are set by each university.
- UCAT
- University Clinical Aptitude Test — a standardized admissions test used by most UK medical and dental schools (and some others).
- Numerus clausus
- A fixed cap on study places. Many European medical programs admit a set number of students per year, which is why deadlines and rankings matter.
- Long-cycle / integrated master's
- A single degree that runs straight through to the professional qualification (e.g. 6-year medicine, 5-year pharmacy) instead of separate bachelor's + master's.
- Clinical years
- The later years of a medical degree spent in hospitals with patients. Some English-taught programs expect local-language skills for this stage — check every program page.
- Recognition
- Whether a regulator (in Europe, Canada, or the USA) accepts your degree for licensing. Recognition rules differ by country and can change — always verify with the regulator.
- Proof of funds
- Bank statements or guarantees showing you can support yourself — required for most student visa applications.
- Tuition deposit
- A payment some universities require to hold your offered seat. Check refund rules before paying.