ECFMG Process: (Images are copyrights of the ECFMG for Educational Purposes)
Most people who want to apply for the steps don’t really have any idea where to start and end up
delaying this portion of the USMLE process, the problem with this is when they’re all prepped and ready
they stress out and end up getting flustered with all the paperwork and it messes with their prep
timelines. Below I’ll walk thru how to do this process stepwise and hopefully it’ll make it easier.
Processing Times and Timeline:
• Approximately 60 Days for Registration
• And another 3-4 weeks for each Step exam
Part 1: Accessing the ECFMG and Applying for Student Membership
1. Go to the ECFMG website press the yellow banner up top that says “Online Services”
2. Click on OASIS (Online Applicant Services and Info System)
3. When the OASIS screen loads up
4. Press “Go to OASIS”
Mohammad A. Ahmed-Khan CMH Batch of ’20 M74-15
Good Luck to everyone who comes after me!
5. Most of you have no ECFMG account or ID number so select option 3 under the login
6. Read the page scroll to the bottom, press agree to the disclosures and click the next
7. Fill out the Applicant page and make sure that is the name you have on your passport
and/or your degree and make sure you put all current info
Mohammad A. Ahmed-Khan CMH Batch of ’20 M74-15
Good Luck to everyone who comes after me!
8. Your College will be listed for me it was CMH
9. Press Submit at the Bottom and your application will begin processing!
Part 2: Receiving ECFMG ID Number and submitting Form 186
1. About 5 working days later you will get an email from the ECFMG saying your ID number
which is an 8 -digit number that will be with you for life.
Mohammad A. Ahmed-Khan CMH Batch of ’20 M74-15
Good Luck to everyone who comes after me!
2. When you login for the first time this is what you’ll see, and go to the IWA instead of OASIS
this time from the same page as last time.
3. You will submit an application for ECFMG Certification and pay a fee mine was 140 USD,
before there was a step after this where you print the certificate and get it notarized by a
lawyer or someone from college but that has been removed and taken to an online portal
known as Notary Cam. Now just save it as a pdf file on your computer.
4. Visit [Link] and select Form 186
Mohammad A. Ahmed-Khan CMH Batch of ’20 M74-15
Good Luck to everyone who comes after me!
5. Follow all of the instructions on the page and submit the pertinent documents and you will
get an email scheduling your appointment
6. I replied to the email after I received it and took the appointment, DRESS APPROPRIATELY
this photo gets sent to the ECFMG.
Mohammad A. Ahmed-Khan CMH Batch of ’20 M74-15
Good Luck to everyone who comes after me!
7. After the Notary Cam Video Call you will get this email.
8. The ECFMG emailed that they got my 186 7 days after and then started processing it
9. The following week I got another email stating that they had processed my 186 meaning I
could now apply for USMLE Exams!
Part 3: Applying for the USMLE Step Exams and the Form 183:
1. Access the IWA site for the Step application and press begin new application
2. Fill out the form accurately and if you get stuck ask a senior who has done it before
Mohammad A. Ahmed-Khan CMH Batch of ’20 M74-15
Good Luck to everyone who comes after me!
3. When you’re filling the app:
a. Select a Triad – A Triad is a 3 consecutive month period where you can sit the exam
(except in CS it’s just 1 year from when you apply)
b. Select a Region – Pakistan is part of the Asia region last I applied (can be changed for
a fee later which uses another form)
4. After you’re done and you pay the fees which is usually >1000 USD (figure out funds before-
hand) you will get a form that says Form 183 sample below:
5. You now have to do 2 important things:
a. Get it signed – There are at any given time 2 people that are authorized by the
ECFMG for me it ususally worked with going to the principal or submitting it to his
PA with an application for USMLE Application, get it signed + OFFICAL stamp
b. Mail it to the ECFMG: Address is the one at the bottom of the page, I sent via TCS
and they give an education discount.
i. Attention: IWA
ii. 3624 Market Street, 4th Floor, Philadelphia, PA USA 19104-2685
Mohammad A. Ahmed-Khan CMH Batch of ’20 M74-15
Good Luck to everyone who comes after me!