What do I need to do?

  1. Summary
  2. What do I need to do?
  3. Why do we require this?
  1. What happens during the verification process?
  2. How much does it cost to verify my qualification?
  3. Which qualifications need to be verified?

Before you start the verification process

Before you start the verification process you should check that we accept your qualification.

If you hold a primary medical qualification, specialist or GP qualification awarded in the EEA or Switzerland, you can check whether we accept it as a Relevant European qualification.

If not, you should create a GMC Online account (if you haven't already) and check that we accept your primary medical qualification and/or postgraduate qualification.

If your qualifications don’t meet our criteria, we won’t be able to grant your registration with a licence to practise, even if they have been verified by ECFMG.

If you aren’t sure whether your qualification is acceptable, you should contact us before starting the verification process.

If you have concerns that obtaining verifications will put your personal safety at risk, you should contact us before starting this process.

To verify your document

Once you’re sure your qualifications are acceptable for us, you’ll need to send them to ECFMG to be verified.

We've summarised the main steps below - for detailed instructions, please read the special instructions for GMC applicants.

  1. Set up an online EPIC account
    This will include confirming your identity with ECFMG.
  2. Upload the required qualification(s) for verification
    Log in to your EPIC account and upload the qualification(s) that require verification. As you upload them, select the GMC to receive an EPIC report.
  3. Verifying your qualification(s)
    ECFMG will assess your qualifications and communicate directly with your awarding institution to confirm their authenticity. Once your qualification has been verified, ECFMG will confirm this with us.
  4. Submitting your GMC application
    You will need to provide your EPIC ID when completing your GMC application.

We recommend that you start the verification process as early as possible. You can apply for registration once ECFMG have sent your qualification to be verified by your institution but, if you can, we recommend that you have your qualification(s) verified before applying. The time it takes to verify qualifications depends on a number of factors. We can only keep applications open for 90 days.

Who are ECFMG and what is EPIC?

ECFMG stands for Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.

They are a not for profit organisation based in the United States, with more than 30 years’ experience in primary source verification. They already provide this service for other regulators around the world. For more information on ECFMG visit the ECFMG website.

EPIC (Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials) is ECFMG’s online verification portal. The EPIC website is where you will set up an account and submit your qualification for verification.

The EPIC verification process is managed entirely by ECFMG.

If you have any questions regarding EPIC and the EPIC verification process, please contact ECFMG at info@ecfmgepic.org. Or you can ring +1 (215) 966-3900, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm EST (US Eastern Standard Time).

For further information on using EPIC, you can read the Special Instructions for GMC applicants.

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