DC ACP International Medical Graduates (IMGs)
Mission: A group for making IMGs life easier. A place to vent. A place to seek support. A place to harness and build friendships.
This website is dedicated to supporting International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who are interested in pursuing Internal Medicine (IM) and subspeciality training and careers in Washington, DC. Whether you are just starting to explore your options, have been accepted into a DC or DMV area residency or fellowship program, or are currently practicing in the area, this website is designed to help guide you based on where you are on your physician journey in DC.
The IMG committee can also help with research opportunities which is predominantly through networking. Becoming a member of the ACP and attending the IMG committee meetings which happens once every two months could be a great way to meet people come on network and potentially get involved in collaborative research efforts.
This website is dedicated to supporting International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who are interested in pursuing Internal Medicine (IM) and subspeciality training and careers in Washington, DC. Whether you are just starting to explore your options, have been accepted into a DC or DMV area residency or fellowship program, or are currently practicing in the area, this website is designed to help guide you based on where you are on your physician journey in DC.
The IMG committee can also help with research opportunities which is predominantly through networking. Becoming a member of the ACP and attending the IMG committee meetings which happens once every two months could be a great way to meet people come on network and potentially get involved in collaborative research efforts.
Our IMG Committee had so many great resources that we had to break them down into sections to help provide the information in bite-size pieces. Scroll down for the basic information like the necessities for living in the US and the DC area. Click on one of the buttons below to access additional resources.
After reviewing the resources on these pages, if you still have questions, our IMG Committee is happy to try to assist you. Please complete this form and a committee member will get back to you.
Transitioning to a Life in the United States
GETTING A DRIVER'S LICENSE
It is advisable to get a driver's license in the United states as you would need a form of identification for here. Your foreign drivers license may or may not be accepted here and can vary based on your country as well as the state in the United states. Therefore, it is highly recommended to get a driver's license in the United states as it would be helpful for driving as well as a form of identification. Your driver's license should be for the state in which you live, and the DC area encompasses three areas in which you may live. See below for the appropriate links.
It is advisable to get a driver's license in the United states as you would need a form of identification for here. Your foreign drivers license may or may not be accepted here and can vary based on your country as well as the state in the United states. Therefore, it is highly recommended to get a driver's license in the United states as it would be helpful for driving as well as a form of identification. Your driver's license should be for the state in which you live, and the DC area encompasses three areas in which you may live. See below for the appropriate links.
DC Driver's license
It is highly advisable to carefully review the DC department of motor vehicles (DMV) website to make sure all the requirements and documentation can be made ready.
https://dmv.dc.gov/service/driver-license-for-non-us-citizens
Please go over the website to make sure you prepare all the necessary documents. In general, for international medical graduates, we would need to carry our passport, Valid immigration documents like DS 2019 for J1 visa holders an I797 for H1B holders, and the most recent I-94.
Generally, in the DC DMV offices, you would not need to make a prior appointment. You may be able to walk in what appointments. However, based on the time of the day, waiting times may vary. This is a link to all the DMV office locations
https://dmv.dc.gov/page/all-dc-dmv-locations
There are two types of licenses. A real ID and non-real ID. DC usually gives real ID. It is usually recommended to get a real ID as you would need real ID to use as proof of identity to travel by air domestically. Check this link out:
https://dmv.dc.gov/service/dc-dmv-real-id-driver-license
If you have never driven before in the United States, you may first need a learner's permit. This usually involves a small test in the DMV. Please check out this link for further details
https://dmv.dc.gov/service/learner-permits-and-provisional-licenses
Driving in the United States involves following the all the traffic laws, rules and regulations. It is therefore important to know all the traffic rules and laws. Many driving schools can help teach and guide new drivers. This link provides a list of driving schools approved by the DC DMV
https://dmv.dc.gov/page/mandatory-driver-education
https://dmv.dc.gov/service/driver-license-for-non-us-citizens
Please go over the website to make sure you prepare all the necessary documents. In general, for international medical graduates, we would need to carry our passport, Valid immigration documents like DS 2019 for J1 visa holders an I797 for H1B holders, and the most recent I-94.
Generally, in the DC DMV offices, you would not need to make a prior appointment. You may be able to walk in what appointments. However, based on the time of the day, waiting times may vary. This is a link to all the DMV office locations
https://dmv.dc.gov/page/all-dc-dmv-locations
There are two types of licenses. A real ID and non-real ID. DC usually gives real ID. It is usually recommended to get a real ID as you would need real ID to use as proof of identity to travel by air domestically. Check this link out:
https://dmv.dc.gov/service/dc-dmv-real-id-driver-license
If you have never driven before in the United States, you may first need a learner's permit. This usually involves a small test in the DMV. Please check out this link for further details
https://dmv.dc.gov/service/learner-permits-and-provisional-licenses
Driving in the United States involves following the all the traffic laws, rules and regulations. It is therefore important to know all the traffic rules and laws. Many driving schools can help teach and guide new drivers. This link provides a list of driving schools approved by the DC DMV
https://dmv.dc.gov/page/mandatory-driver-education
Maryland Driver's License
If you live in Maryland, you will want to get a Maryland driver's license. You can find all the information for this at the link. https://mva.maryland.gov/drivers/Pages/international-applicants.aspx
Virginia Driver's license
If you live in Maryland, you will want to get a Maryland driver's license. You can find all the information for this at the link. https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/licenses-ids/license/applying/eligibility#non-residents
Obtaining a Social Security Number
This is a very important step that is highly recommended to do as soon as you move to the United States.
A Social Security number (SSN) in the USA is a nine-digit number assigned by the Social Security Administration to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and eligible nonimmigrant workers. It's primarily used for tracking earnings and benefits within the Social Security system, but it also serves as a de facto national identification number for various purposes like employment, taxation, and banking.
Be careful when searching for Government websites as many websites will collect your information and charge you a fee for what the government does at no charge. We suggest using the following websites:It is highly recommended to review the above web pages so you can apply for your SSN as soon as you arrive in the United States. You may need this for your health insurance, employment, filing taxes, banking, etc.
A Social Security number (SSN) in the USA is a nine-digit number assigned by the Social Security Administration to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and eligible nonimmigrant workers. It's primarily used for tracking earnings and benefits within the Social Security system, but it also serves as a de facto national identification number for various purposes like employment, taxation, and banking.
Be careful when searching for Government websites as many websites will collect your information and charge you a fee for what the government does at no charge. We suggest using the following websites:It is highly recommended to review the above web pages so you can apply for your SSN as soon as you arrive in the United States. You may need this for your health insurance, employment, filing taxes, banking, etc.
Health Insurance
- Healthcare expenses in the United States can be very costly. For those born outside of the US, the concept of health insurance may be new to you. It is extremely essential to ensure that you are always covered by health insurance throughout your stay in the United states. In the event of an unfortunate circumstance where medical care is needed, the cost can be really high if you are not covered by health insurance. Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure that you are covered by a health insurance plan right from day one in the United states. For visa holders like J1, the ECFMG themselves mandates and requires you to maintain valid health insurance through your stay in the United states.
- If you are starting a residency, fellowship or a job, your hospital or program themselves will usually offer a health insurance plan. Contact your hospital or program and verify when the health insurance coverage will start. Some plans and hospitals may offer retroactive coverage, meaning the coverage can start early even before your work start date, but be sure to verify that this option is available. If not, consider buying a commercial health insurance plan until the health insurance provided by your program or hospital starts.
- International visitors have several options to buy health insurance. Click here for some options.
Living in DC
- The DC, Maryland and Virginia area, often referred to as the DMV area, is a great place to live. Things to do and places to eat are infinite and amazing. Be sure you take time to visit all the museums and many are free to enter.
- The DMV area provides a lot of living and housing options. DC city itself has a lot of choices for apartments and condominiums and provide a vibrant city living. People who want a more suburban style of living with a bigger space may choose areas like Bethesda, Md., or Virginia.
- Websites like apartments.com and Zillow can be useful resources to look for housing.
- The DC area can have some unsafe neighborhoods, so take some time to research the area before deciding on a housing option.
Copyright © 2022