Eligibility, Selection & Transfer Policy

Policy Statement

Eligibility

Residents:

Prior to their program start date residency program applicants must provide their program with documentation of the following qualifications to be eligible for appointment:

1. Graduation from a medical school that meets one of the following requirements: 
   1. Graduation from medical school in the United States or Canada and accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), OR
   2. Graduation from a college of osteopathic medicine in the United States accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), OR
   3. Graduation from a medical school outside of the United States or Canada meeting one of the following additional requirements:
      1. Holds a currently valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), OR
      2. Holds a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in Minnesota.
2. Passing scores on Steps 1 and 2 (Clinical Knowledge) of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) or an equivalent examination that qualifies for medical licensure (e.g., Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-COMLEX).
3. Eligible for either a residency permit or a permanent medical license as granted by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice.
4. For those trainees entering a program after a Transitional or Preliminary PGY-1 year, a written or electronic verification of previous educational experiences and a summative evaluation of the resident performance addressing the six ACGME competencies.

Fellows:

In addition to the previous requirements listed under Residents, fellowship program applicants must also provide their program with documentation of the following qualifications to be eligible for appointment:

5. Graduation from an appropriate ACGME residency program or a program with ACGME International (ACGME-I) Advanced Specialty Accreditation where recognized, or a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)-accredited or College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)-accredited residency program located in Canada (Residents who temporarily suspend their residency training to take a subspecialty fellowship position do not have to provide a completion certificate); and
6. A passing score on USMLE Step 3 or an equivalent examination that qualifies for medical licensure (e.g., Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-COMLEX); and
7. A written or electronic verification of previous educational experiences and a summative competency-based performance evaluation of the trainee.

Fellowship program applicants who have not completed an ACGME residency program, a program with ACGME International (ACGME-I) Advanced Specialty Accreditation, or a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)-accredited or College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)-accredited residency program located in Canada may be allowed under special circumstances, which require review and approval.  See the ACGME Fellow Eligibility Exceptions Guide or Non-Standard (Non-ACGME Accredited) Fellow Eligibility Exceptions Guide for more information.

Eligibility Exemption
Applicants who:

• are non-physicians with a Ph.D. degree who are eligible to train in an ACGME-approved fellowship, as listed in the subspecialty program requirements, or
• hold a MD/DO degree and a PhD but have not completed an ACGME-accredited GME Residency program who are eligible to train in ACGME-approved fellowship, as listed in the subspecialty program requirements are exempt from the eligibility requirements of this policy but are still subject to the selection criteria.
• are International medical graduates applying for the Graduate Medical Education Global Breast Cancer Fellowship are exempt from the USMLE Step #3 requirement but are still subject to the other selection criteria.
   

Selection

1. Programs select from among eligible applicants based on their educational preparedness, ability, aptitude, academic credentials, communication skills and personal qualities such as motivation and integrity. 
2. The Medical School does not discriminate with regard to sex, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran’s status or sexual orientation.
3. The Medical School participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). Each accredited residency/fellowship program that participates in the NRMP Match will abide by the rules and regulations of the NRMP.  Those programs using other Match programs will abide by their rules and regulations.

Trainee Transfers

In accordance with the ACGME’s Common Program Requirements prior to accepting a trainee from another residency or fellowship program the program director must obtain the following:

1. Written or electronic verification of previous educational experiences and a summative competency-based performance evaluation of the transferring resident or fellow.
2. Proof that the transferring resident or fellow has passed the USMLE Step 3 or equivalent licensing examination (e.g. COMLEX) for PGY-3 residents or higher.

A program director must provide timely verification of residency education and summative performance evaluations for residents and fellows who leave the program prior to completion.

Reason for Policy

To outline specific qualifications required for eligibility and selection of residents/fellows (trainees) entering a University of Minnesota Medical School Graduate Medical Education training program.

Program Responsibilities: 

Monitoring and compliance of the eligibility requirements is expected at the Department/Program Level.