Eligibility Requirements

Individuals applying for admissions into any of the MD Anderson residency and fellowship programs must hold either a M.D./D.O. degree or its foreign equivalent, along with a valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). Dental applicants must have a D.D.S./D.M.D. degree or its foreign equivalent. 

At minimum applicants with a M.D. degree or its foreign equivalent must have completed USMLE Step I and USMLE Step II CK.  At minimum applicants with a D.O. degree or its foreign equivalent must have completed all three parts of the COMLEX exam. Additionally, all applicants must have passed each step/part/level of a licensure examination (i.e. USMLE or COMLEXii) within three (3) attempts.

In addition to these institutional requirements, each program has specific eligibility requirements that must be satisfied. Each program has specific criteria for selection of trainees as indicated in the GME approved program description on file with the Office of Graduate Medical Education. To access individual program websites, please visit the Residencies and Fellowships page.

The J-1 visa is the required visa for international physician trainees requiring visa sponsorship.  The J-1 visa is sponsored by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). 

MD Anderson Cancer Center is committed to encouraging good health and staying true to our mission to end cancer.  Please be advised that MD Anderson has instituted a tobacco-free hiring process as part of its efforts to achieve these goals.  If you are offered an appointment as a GME Fellow or Resident at MD Anderson Cancer Center, you will be subject to a Pre-Employment Drug Screen for tobacco compounds in compliance with applicable state laws.   If you do not pass the urine drug screening, which includes testing for tobacco compounds, you CANNOT be appointed at MD Anderson.  Should you fail to meet this contingency, MD Anderson will withdraw your offer of appointment for the academic year.  You may reapply for the following academic year, but there are no guarantees that you will be offered a position as many of our programs are already filled for several years out.

Application Procedures

Application is made directly to the specialty program. Approval of recommendations submitted by the clinical training program coordinator is at the discretion of the Chief Education & Training Officer. Questions concerning the requirements for and status of applications should be directed to the clinical training program coordinator of the program(s) to which application is made.

The institution requires the following documentation to process a recommendation for appointment:

• Application form - Submit all application information through the New Innovations system: www.new-innov.com

• CV (curriculum vitae) - A written description of an individual's educational background, work experience and related professional accomplishments

• Three letters of recommendation - Letters must be dated no more than one year prior to the signature date on the application, and must be on letterhead with original signatures. One of the letters must come from the program director, and the other two must come from persons qualified to comment on your qualifications.
  
  
• Licensure Exam Transcripts - Applicants must pass each step/part/level of an exam within three (3) attempts.   
  • M.D.s (USMLE, NBME, FLEX, SPEX exams): Submit the Federation of State Medical Boards' Examination and Board Action History Report (EBAHR).  Please download the request through the following website: www.fsmb.org
  • D.O.s (NBOME, COMLEX exams): Submit the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME).  Please download the request through the following website: https://www.nbome.org
  • Canadian Medical Graduates: who do not have a USMLE transcript may submit the Licentiate of the Medical Council (LMCC) transcript. A Certified Statement of Registration with the LMCC is required. Please transfer your examination result documents via the following website: mcc.ca
     
• Medical/Dental school transcripts - Submit official transcripts from all medical/dental schools attended. Transcripts from the school of graduation with transfer credits may not be used in lieu of an official transcript from the original medical/dental school. An official medical/dental school transcript is one that comes directly from the medical/dental school to MD Anderson Cancer Center, or from the candidate directly only if received in a sealed envelope with a medical/dental school stamp or official's signature across the seal. We do not accept copies of transcripts, notarized or otherwise

• Credential Evaluations - Graduates of medical schools outside the U.S. and Canada must submit a credential evaluation conducted by an accredited foreign education evaluation agency verifying degree equivalency in the U.S.  A list of evaluation companies can be found here.  (Please note: The FCVS packet does not fulfill this requirement)

• Certificates - Include certificates of completion (copies are acceptable) from all graduate medical education (GME) programs (residencies and/or fellowships) that have been completed. If you are currently in a GME program but have not yet completed it, submit a Letter of Good Standing from your program director. Letters of Good Standing must be dated no more than six months prior to the anticipated start date
  
  
• Translations - Documents in a language other than English (including Latin) must be accompanied by a certified translation

• ECFMG certificate - Graduates of medical schools outside the U.S. and Canada must provide a copy of an ECFMG certificate, valid at the program start date