Beginning in January 2026, the USMLE program is centralizing examinee services under the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). For international medical graduates (IMGs), this represents a major shift in how you will register for exams, receive scheduling permits, access score reports, and obtain customer support throughout the examination process.

In ECFMG’s November 19, 2025 announcement, a clear timeline was provided. ECFMG will continue to provide USMLE services for IMGs through January 7, 2026. Starting January 8, IMGs will no longer use the MyIntealth portal for USMLE services. By January 12, FSMB’s USMLE services platform will take over exam registration, score reporting, and operational services for all test-takers, including IMGs.

What remains unchanged is ECFMG’s central role in confirming an IMG’s credentials, school eligibility, and certification status. This separation—ECFMG as the credential-verification authority and FSMB as the service provider—means your exam registration will not move forward unless your ECFMG records are accurate, complete, and verified ahead of time.

This affects practical planning. Previously, IMGs could apply for exams through ECFMG while documents were still being processed, allowing a bit more flexibility. Under the new system, delays in credential verification can directly block USMLE registration. IMGs must now treat credential preparation as an essential early step in exam planning.

To help you stay organized, MDSteps allows you to integrate administrative tasks with your study plan, track credential milestones, generate flashcards from missed questions, and maintain momentum while your documents are under review. This is especially important during the transition when service availability windows and deadlines are shifting.

What Exactly Changes in January 2026? Structural Overview for IMGs

The transition restructures which organization manages which responsibilities. The exam itself, score scales, and content outlines are unchanged. What shifts is the system where you perform exam-related tasks.

Historically, IMGs interacted with ECFMG for nearly all USMLE functions: submitting applications, receiving scheduling permits, and obtaining score reports. Moving forward, IMGs will still use ECFMG for certification and credential verification, but FSMB’s USMLE services platform will become the hub for exam logistics.

ECFMG’s November 2025 announcement also highlighted two critical deadlines:

• December 31, 2025: Final recommended date to submit exam applications through ECFMG before the transition.
• January 7, 2026: Last day IMGs can download permits or use MyIntealth for USMLE services.

Between January 8 and January 12, services may be temporarily unavailable while both organizations complete the transition. IMGs testing in January should download permits ahead of time.

This new structure requires earlier preparation, more precise identity matching, and stronger coordination between your ECFMG profile and the upcoming FSMB USMLE portal. MDSteps can support this by embedding these deadlines directly into your automated study calendar.

How ECFMG Will Handle Credential Verification Under the New System

ECFMG remains the authority for verifying your medical school status, diploma, transcript, and eligibility for certification. What changes is the timing: since USMLE registration will now depend directly on verified ECFMG data, delays in documents will immediately affect your ability to schedule exams.

ECFMG will continue to:

• Confirm that your medical school is appropriately listed and meets recognition standards.
• Verify your diploma and transcript directly with your institution.
• Ensure your dates of attendance, graduation, and program title are accurate.
• Maintain your certification status and communicate eligibility to USMLE services.

What you need to adjust is how early these documents are submitted. Plan to complete credential submission at least 3–4 months before your intended exam window. This gives ECFMG and your medical school time to process documents and resolve inconsistencies—especially important if your school responds slowly.

Common pitfalls that block IMGs include:

Using MDSteps, you can track document submission as milestones inside your automated study plan. This lets you continue progressing through the QBank while ECFMG completes its review, without losing momentum.

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Timelines and Deadlines: What IMGs Should Expect in 2025–2026

Because of the transition, timelines matter more than ever. The December 31, 2025 recommended cutoff for applications through ECFMG and the January 7, 2026 shutdown of MyIntealth services are the key dates every IMG should track.

Here is a sample integrated timeline that coordinates credentialing with study planning:

Integrating these deadlines into your MDSteps study plan prevents administrative surprises from impacting your exam performance.

Identity Verification and the New USMLE / FSMB Account

When FSMB becomes the single source of USMLE services, your FSMB/USMLE profile becomes the official source of identity data. This makes consistency across all systems essential.

Your passport, ECFMG profile, medical school documents, and FSMB account must match exactly. Even small inconsistencies can delay exam registration or block score release.

Key rules:

• Use the same full legal name everywhere.
• Confirm date of birth, spelling, and order of names across systems.
• Upload legal documentation for any name changes.
• Ensure your passport is valid through your exam date and score-release period.

Creating your FSMB/USMLE account early allows time to identify mismatches before registration opens. MDSteps can store identity-verification tasks in your plan so your administrative workflow stays aligned with your study progress.

Impact on Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3 Eligibility for IMGs

The transition does not change eligibility rules for any Step exam. What changes is where you complete your registration and how closely linked registration becomes to completed credential verification.

Step 1 and Step 2 CK

• You still need ECFMG to confirm exam eligibility.
• You will register, receive permits, and access score reports through the FSMB/USMLE portal.
• Credential verification delays may now directly delay registration.

Step 3

• Eligibility requirements remain the same: ECFMG Certification and required postgraduate training.
• Registration and score reporting will occur entirely through FSMB/USMLE services.

Using MDSteps, you can continuously evaluate readiness using analytics, QBank performance trends, and targeted review tools, ensuring administrative changes do not disrupt your overall preparation.

Frequently Asked Questions About the 2026 Transition

• Do ECFMG Certification requirements change?
  No. Only service functions are moving; requirements remain unchanged.
• Do I need to restart my ECFMG application?
  No. Existing ECFMG Certification applications continue without interruption.
• What happens to incomplete USMLE applications after January 7, 2026?
  They must be resubmitted through FSMB’s USMLE portal.
• Will my past USMLE scores remain valid?
  Yes. Transition does not affect existing scores.
• Will the transition affect my residency application?
  Only if administrative delays impact exam timing or score release.
• Will there be downtime during the transition?
  Yes. MyIntealth services end January 7; FSMB services become available ~January 12.
• What’s the best way to manage these changes?
  Use a single planning system like MDSteps to manage credential milestones alongside your study plan.

Rapid-Review Checklist and Exam-Day Essentials

Rapid-Review Checklist

• Verify identity consistency across passport, ECFMG, and USMLE accounts.
• Submit diploma, transcript, and status letters early.
• Coordinate with your school to ensure timely verification.
• Download all permits from MyIntealth by January 7, 2026.
• Create your FSMB/USMLE account as soon as it becomes available.
• Track all administrative deadlines inside your MDSteps study plan.

Exam-Day Essentials

• Bring the exact passport used for registration.
• Verify your name matches your scheduling permit exactly.
• Arrive early for Prometric check-in.
• Monitor your FSMB/USMLE portal for score release.
• Use MDSteps analytics to interpret performance and plan next Steps.