What Is the FCVS?
The FCVS is the Federation Credentials Verification Service. They are a division of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB). The main purpose of the FCVS is to collect and house direct source verification of your core medical credentials. Core credentials consist of medical school, postgraduate training, examination history, board action history, board certification and identity. Many state medical boards actually require an FCVS packet as part of the verification process. Most state medical boards will accept the FCVS packet; however, some states do not accept the FCVS at all.
When Is the FCVS Required?
The following states REQUIRE the FCVS to verify your core credentials:
- Maine
- Kentucky
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Ohio
- Utah
- South Carolina
- New York (Foreign Medical School Graduates Only)
- Nevada (Osteopathic Physicians Only)
- North Carolina (Foreign Medical School Graduates Only)
- Virgin Islands
- Wyoming
Where is the FCVS NOT Accepted?
The following states DO NOT ACCEPT the FCVS.
- Nebraska
- Arkansas
- Puerto Rico
- California (They may accept postgraduate training and exams but will require their forms to be complete by your medical school)
- Illinois (They may accept postgraduate training and exams but will require their forms to be complete by your medical school)
Obtaining Difficult Verifications
All state medical boards (except in the rare case of reciprocity with Michigan or endorsement with New Mexico) will require you to obtain direct source verification of your core credentials. If you graduated from a medical school outside the United States, I highly recommend you get a FCVS Packet; especially if your medical school no longer exists or is in a foreign or war torn country. Also, If you completed your internship, residency or fellowship in a facility that is now closed, the FCVS may be able to help. They now house postgraduate training program records from closed hospitals. Here is the link to the Closed Residency Program Records page.
Texas Requires Form L for PGT Within Past 5 Years
Even though the Texas Medical Board will accept all portions of the FCVS Packet; if you completed your postgraduate training within the past 5 years, you will be required to have a Form L completed and submitted directly from your program.
Give It Time
The process of applying for and obtaining a FCVS Packet generally takes about 3-6 months but may take much longer if verifications are difficult to obtain. So, be sure to give the FCVS plenty of time to collect your verifications and send your packet to the medical board.
What’s the Cost?
The FCVS Packet costs around $400 for the initial set up and around $200 to verify to additional states in the future.
Get Some Help!
MedPro Central offers complete FCVS Application Services which includes preparation of the application and follow-up with the FCVS until your packet is complete. The FCVS requires 1 recent, color, passport style photo for US graduates and 2 for foreign medical school graduates (additional photo for ECFMG), an Original Birth Certificate or your Original Passport. We can can assist you in requesting an original birth certificate from the state in which you were born if you were born in the US. If you were born outside of the US you will have to send your original passport to the FCVS. They will make a copy of your passport and “certify it to be a true copy of the original” and return it to you within two weeks. The initial cost to obtain a FCVS packet is around $400. Subsequent request run about $165. Contact MedPro Central today for a free initial consultation to see if the FCVS is the right choice for you.
