Prospective Residents and Fellows

Only applicants who meet one of the following criteria may be accepted for training in GME Programs sponsored by USA Health:

1. Applicants must complete their medical education in one of the following ways:

• Graduates of medical schools in the United States and Canada accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)
• Graduates of colleges of osteopathic medicine in the United States accredited by the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (AOACOCA)
• Graduates of medical schools outside the United States and Canada who meet one of the following qualifications:
  1. Have received a currently valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) prior to appointment
  2. Have a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the USA licensing jurisdiction in which they are training
  3. Have completed a Fifth Pathway program provided by an LCME-accredited medical school

2. All applicants must satisfy any requirements for prerequisite residency training as established by the relevant ACGME Review Committee and/or certifying board for the specialty or subspecialty.

3. Additional eligibility requirements may apply in some GME programs. Refer to the program of interest for these details under "Prerequisite Training."

Prior training is required for our diagnostic radiology residency and all fellowship programs. Contact the individual programs to inquire about their program specific requirements.

The USA Neurology Residency Program has transitioned to categorical status and has incorporated the prerequisite training into its curriculum.

The entry of foreign nationals to the United States is governed by the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, which is administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and U.S. Department of Labor. All offers of employment must be contingent on the foreign national being able to secure the appropriate permissions to work in the U.S., which then shall be provided to USA Health as part of the pre-employment process. Failure to complete this process before or on the first day of employment is a violation of U.S. employment regulations and will result in termination of the offer of employment.

The only immigration statuses for foreign nationals to apply for residency/fellowship training at our institution are legal permanent resident of the United States or J-1 visa status.

International medical graduates must hold a currently valid Standard Certificate of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). An applicant who is a graduate of a medical school outside the United States and Canada must meet one of the following three qualifications:

1. The applicant must have received a currently valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates prior to appointment,
2. The applicant must have a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the USA licensing jurisdiction in which they are training, or
3. The applicant must have completed a Fifth Pathway program provided by an LCME-accredited medical school.

Resident Eligibility and Selection

USA Health ensures that its training programs select from eligible applicants on the basis of their preparedness, ability, aptitude, academic credentials, communication skills, and personal qualities such as motivation and integrity. Programs do not discriminate with regard to sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, disability, or any other applicable legally protected status. Resident selection criteria must conform to the guidelines of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) General Requirements.

Clinical and Educational Work Hours

USA Health ensures that policies and procedures to assure the specific ACGME policies relating to clinical and educational work hours are successfully implemented and monitored. These policies are summarized, but not limited to, the following:

• Work no more than 80 hours per week (7 days) when averaged over 4 weeks
• Have 1 day (24 hours) in 7 free of program duties when averaged over 4 weeks
• Limit continuous in-house duty for PGY II and above to 24 hours with up to 4 additional hours for transition as described in the ACGME requirements
• Have at least 8 hours between all daily duty periods

License Exams and Alabama Medical License (Limited and Unrestricted)

All residents and fellows are required to successfully complete the USMLE Step 2 (CS and CK) or COMLEX Part 2 (CE and PE) examination, as evidenced by obtaining a passing grade for that examination, upon completion of their third month after entering a GME training program at USA Health. All residents are required to successfully complete the USMLE Step 3 examination or COMLEX Part 3 examination, as evidenced by obtaining a passing grade for that examination, upon completion of the sixth month of post-graduate year two (PGY2).

Residents and fellows entering a GME program at USA Health who do not already have an Alabama medical license and are not eligible for a full or unrestricted Alabama medical license must apply for a limited Alabama license to practice medicine before completion of the sixth month after the start of their postgraduate training (PGY-1). For example, residents who begin their training on July 1st must have their application submitted for a limited Alabama Medical License by the last Thursday in December for the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners meeting on the 3rd Tuesday in January and a final decision regarding licensure will be made during the meeting of the Alabama Licensing Commission on the 4th Wednesday in January. Once obtained, residents must maintain a current limited license until such time as they become eligible for and obtain an unrestricted (or full) Alabama medical license, or they complete their training program, whichever comes first.

The sponsoring institution reimburses residents for their licensure fees. 

• Clinical Learning Environment
• Salary and Benefits
• Vacation and Leaves of Absence
• USA Charles M. Baugh Biomedical Library
  A full time clinical librarian is available to residents and fellows at USA Health by in person appointment or virtually to assist with scholarly activity and evidence-based medical practice. The University of South Alabama Baugh Biomedical Library provides a wide variety of resources, which may be explored at this link.