A FilAms Guide To Applying for the USMLE after Graduation

After graduation, most of you will start the confusing process of applying for the
USMLE. This isn't something that happens overnight so allot a month or more for this
process before getting a ticket home. Firstly, I'll start off by saying most of your
groupmates who are doing internship in the Philippines will not have your problem since
they'll be doing their clerkship clearances after internship. Because of this, the offices
most likely will not be ready with your papers. The filams have to get the gears going on
their own if they want to get anything done in a timely fashion, especially if you're
planning to go home. Secondly, this guide was written for those who opted to take the
USMLE after graduation. The process for applying before graduation is a little different,
but you still have to complete the requirements below anyway. Thirdly, this document is
editable, feel free to update any information below as things change. With that said, here
is what you need to do after graduation:

Step 1: Apply for the ECFMG (1-5 days)

Go to the ECFMG.org website and apply for an account. This doesn't happen right away.
You will get a confirmation of your account either the following day or after a few days
so get the ball rolling on this part right away. You will get your USMLE ID number
which you'll use for all the steps. It's important to use EXACTLY the same name in your
Diploma (I mean exact, if there's a hyphen or it says Ma. instead of Maria you WILL
have problems). You should have the names on your form of ID (usually a valid
passport), Diploma, and ECFMG record all be the exact same. If not, go to the
Information/Application Form desk on the 2nd floor of the main building and have them
change the name on your records to match exactly the name on your passport. Use this
name when signing up for the ECMFG as well.

Step 2: Clerkship Clearance (1-5 weeks)

The first thing you need to get is your Certificate of Junior Internship. This has your
name, picture, and grade from each rotation in clerkship as well as the date you
completed clerkship. This is required for the next step and could take several weeks. Get
this clerkship clearance slip from Ma'am Josie in the dean's office. She will circle
Departments that you received demerits, deficiencies, missing grades or anything you
owe to the department. Go to each department and have them clear you. This includes
going to the library and MIC for clearance. Bring your index cards as proof that you
completed any make ups or deficiencies in that department. Follow up on any missing
grades! Usually your last rotation or two will not be recorded yet. Don't just wait for
these to be submitted as this could take several months. I had to follow up every day for
them to submit my missing grades. UST has to pay an affiliation fee to outside hospitals
(San Lazaro, Fabella), sometimes they don't pay this right away and those hospitals will
not release your grades until they do. When you finally complete the above, the dean's
office will print out your certificate and get it signed by the Director of Clerkship (Dr.
Peachy Natividad), the dean (Dr. Valencia), and the assistant dean (Dr. Maglinao). This
part took 12 days for me to get those signatures because the dean and dr. regal kept
leaving without signing anything. Pick this sheet up from the office, make a few copies
(copies of your clerkship certificate are required by some hospitals if you plan to do US
externships) once completed and continue to the next step.

Update:
• I found it helpful to call the secretary (Maam Trina) and ask for updates on the
"department of clearance for junior interns" form or the "certificate of junior
internship" instead of going to the office all the time. Her number is 406-1611
extension 8253, and she's available from 7am-12pm and 1pm-4 pm. It saved me a
lot of time because most of the times she's not at her desk.
• Regarding the "certificate of junior internship signing," it has to be signed in a
particular order: first the Regent, then the Dean, and finally the assistant dean. For
example, if the regent isn't available, then you can't get signatures even if the
Dean or assistant dean are in.
• (As of 2013) The office automatically forwards the Certificate of JI to the Dean,
Assistant Dean, etc. for signing, so after submitting the clearance form to Ma'am
Josie, she'll give you an estimated date of when to pick up the Certificate.

Step 3: Application for Diploma (5-14 days)

Go to the registrar's office in the main building and submit your Certificate of Clerkship.
Fill out the application paperwork including getting cleared from accounting and file
your application. 1 copy of your diploma will be free, however, I requested 2 copies of
my diploma and transcripts for my records for a fee of P215. They say this part could
take 2 weeks but I pleaded with them to expedite the process to get it in a few days. The
registrar only signs diplomas on Wednesdays and Fridays. Plan ahead to get your
application in before one of those days so hopefully you can get it signed and picked up
right away.

Update:
• As of May 4th 2012, the cost of an additional original diploma is 1515 pesos. The
cost of a certified true copy is 115 pesos.
• Registrar Office hours: 8-12; 1-5 M-F except on Thursday, office starts at 9 am

Step 4: Application for USMLE

Go to ECFMG.org and click on "IWA | Apply for examination." Once you apply for the
USMLE, the clock starts ticking to wait for your completed forms from the office at
UST. All your forms should be submitted no later than 12 months from the date you
submit the on-line part of your application. Furthermore, if the processing of your
application is not completed in time to assign the eligibility period you select, you will be
assigned to the next available eligibility period, based on the date your application is
processed. ECFMG must receive the forms required to complete your application by the
24th day of the eligibility period you selected, and the processing of your application
must be completed by ECFMG by the 25th day of that eligibility period.
The Step 1 exam will cost $780. If you plan to take the exam in the Philippines, there's
an additional testing region fee of $140, USA is free.
There is a portion of the application that requires a list of your clinical clerkships, dates
of rotation, Hospital with address, and Clerkship Supervisor. I've included the list here
from the dean's office accurate at the time of writing.

Addresses:

University of Santo Tomas Hospital

España Boulevard, Manila 1008

San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish (Community Medicine)

Brgy. North Bay Blvd

Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital

Lope de Vega St., Sta. Cruz, Manila

San Lazaro Hospital

Quiricada St., Sta. Cruz, Manila

Clerkship Supervisors:

Pathology - Rolan Dela Rosa, MD

Dermatology - Ma. Victoria C. Dizon, MD
Radiology - Mario Milo MD
Gynecology - Marlyn T. Dee, MD
Obstetrics - Ma. Lourdes B. Coloma, MD
Pediatrics - Christine Bernal, MD
Medicine - Ivan Villespin, MD
Neurology & Psychiatry - Vicente G. Rosales, MD
Ophthalmology - Catherine Q. Macaraig, MD
Otorhinolaryngology - Ma. Cristina Lopez, MD
Legal Medicine - Bienvenido G. Torres, MD
Community Medicine - Ma. Teresa Bautista, MD
Anesthesiology - Anniela Soliven, MD
Surgery - Ida Lim, MD
Rehabilitation Medicine - Svetlana Maris O. Aycardo, MD
Rheumatology - Sandra Teresa Navarra, MD
Infectious Disease (San Lazaro) - Virginia Dimapilis, MD
Obstetrics (Fabella) - Romecita Marcos, MD
Cardiology - Milagros Yamamoto, MD

Once you are paid, print the following forms:

• 1x Certification of Identification Form (Form 186) - you get this form once you've
paid for the USMLE, to get this certified you should drop this off at the dean's
office. It should only take a day depending on the dean's availability and should
cost P100. Then go to the registrar and get the UST seal, which should be no
extra cost.
Update:
I also found it time-saving to call the dean's secretary to follow up the status of
Form 186. Her number is 741-5314. In my experience (Frank) was able to get it
signed within one day after dropping off the form first thing in the morning.

• 1x IWA Document Submission Form (Form 187)

• 1x ECFMG Medical Education Credentials Submission Form (Form 344)
• 2x Medical School Release Request (Form 345) - make sure to put the address of
the registrar in the address field:

Office of the Registrar

2nd floor Main Bldg, University of Santo Tomas
España, Manila 1015

You'll also need:

• 2x Photographs - write your full name and USMLE/ECFMG ID Number on the
back. It should be a current, full-faced, passport sized, color photograph taken
within 6 months and is an original (NOT a photocopy). One will be attached to
your Form 186, the other will be submitted with your application forms.
• 2x photocopies of Medical Diploma (see next step) - this should be cropped to
8.5x11 inches and the name should match exactly as it appears in the ECFMG
record.

Step 5: Pick up Diploma

Upon picking up your diploma from the registrar you MUST leave a copy of your
transcripts plus a delivery of transcript fee of P1500 with the registrar. They don't tell
you this unless you specifically ask and your USMLE application will be put on hold if
the ECFMG doesn't receive your official transcripts. What ECFMG does is takes your
diploma from your application and sends it back to the registrar at UST with a request for
certification and a request for your official transcripts. If you don't leave a copy of your
transcripts with the office plus the delivery fee your request will just sit there until you
pay it.

Update:
• For your records, you can get certified true copies of your diploma for 115 pesos
each. You would first need to get the diploma photocopied/shrunk to 8.5x11
inches somewhere (registrar recommended National bookstore for quality) and
bring it back to the registrar. They have you fill out an invoice which you take to
accounting and after it's paid you should be good to go.
• After you submit your transcripts, the registrar's delivery fee via DHL is now
1700 pesos (as of May 10th 2012). The registrar employee who handles the
ECFMG side of things is Justin: 731-5709 or 406-1611 loc. 8505.

Step 6: Sending your application

The dean will give you their official "Office of the Dean" envelope which you will send
yourself to the ECFMG. I opted to use DHL over FedEx because 1) it was cheaper, 2) it
would get there faster and 3) they didn't require me to put my name and drivers license
number on the package (indicating that the package was actually sent by me, when they
require it to be sent by the dean's office). That way, I put the address of UST as the
sender's address. This cost P1385 from Manila to Philadelphia and should get there
within 2 business days.

Update:
• According to Justin (contact at registrar who handles ECFMG documents), you
can ship your "Office of the Dean" envelope with all the requirements inside with
DHL via UST for 1700 after you pay at accounting (as of May 11 2012). I did it
for peace of mind because it's sealed by UST and I didn't feel like going out of the
campus.
• I gave my documents to a guy named Ken (406-1611 loc. 8279 OR 731-5709)
who told me to follow up in a day for the tracking number.
• ECFMG will send back your documents to UST via SNAIL MAIL which will
take roughly 2 weeks. You can set up an account with Fedex and fax ECFMG an
authorization letter to use your Fedex account instead of doing the snail mail way.
This way it arrives faster and you can track your documents instead of having to
guess where they are at any point in time.

Step 7: Medical Student Performance Evaluation (2-3 weeks)

This step is optional for you right now and is not required for application for the USMLE.
It is required, however, for ECFMG certification. If you don't want to spend the cash to
come back just to have the dean sign your MSPE then you should write your MSPE now
and submit a printed copy plus a soft copy on CD to the dean's office. The dean will go
over it, make edits as necessary and give you a signed copy. The secretary, upon
dropping it off, said to come back and pick mine up in 2 weeks but knowing UST it
wasn't signed until a month later. Plan accordingly.
Check
https://www.med.wright.edu/careers/evaluation
or
http://residency.wustl.edu/medadmin/resweb.nsf/WV/9D32BF662870627286256F85007
39E80?OpenDocument
for an example of what an MSPE consists of and should look like. The letter I submitted
was written by me.

Going through the UST bureaucracy is a pain and it takes a lot of extra effort to get things
done. I ran around for weeks not knowing what to do and I know my fellow filam
batchmates were the same. Hopefully this guide will help you guys along. Good luck!

-Mikey