IMGs From Pakistan: Schools, Test Centers and Visa Notes

Pakistan has long been one of the most common countries of origin for IMGs seeking US residency, but the official US data does not break results out by country. This guide covers what we could verify about numbers, school eligibility, USMLE testing, documents and the visa process, and flags what we could not confirm. It is about graduates of Pakistani schools; your school's location, not your citizenship, drives most of the rules below.

What the data does and does not say #

NRMP defines IMGs by where the school is located and reports "non-U.S. IMGs" as a single group. Its 2026 Main Residency Match report says 16,154 active applicants were IMGs (U.S. citizen and non-U.S. citizen combined), but it does not list results for graduates of Pakistani schools.

One published source does count Pakistani applicants. A JAMA Network Open study linked ECFMG applicant records to the AMA Physician Masterfile and reported 9,066 ECFMG applicants who were citizens of Pakistan from 2009 to 2018, using citizenship at entry to medical school. That is a count of applicants over a decade, not Match results, and it covers citizenship, not school location. We could not open ECFMG's own tables, so we do not give a current annual figure. See also IMG match statistics.

Checking your school's eligibility #

1. Search your school in the World Directory and read the ECFMG Sponsor Note for the graduation years covered. See the World Directory guide.
2. Understand the requirement that your school be accredited by a WFME-recognized agency for your graduation year. See the accreditation requirement.
3. Know the national body. On the WFME Recognition Programme list, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) appears with recognition status until February 2034.

The council's history matters for reading old paperwork. A 2019 ordinance replaced the PMDC with the Pakistan Medical Commission, and a 2023 law restored the PMDC; the PMDC's own site describes it as the successor of the Commission and its legal page lists the Act. Dates differ by source, so use the Gazette text if you need precision. We found no ECFMG statement on how council name changes affect graduates, so if your school documents show a different council name, ask ECFMG.

USMLE testing #

Since January 2026 IMGs register for the USMLE through FSMB, while ECFMG decides eligibility for ECFMG Certification (announcement). USMLE says Step 1 and Step 2 CK are offered at Prometric centers worldwide, and Step 3 only in the US and its territories.

Third-party guides name several Pakistani cities, but we could not confirm any list from usmle.org or Prometric, so we do not repeat them. After you get a permit, use the Prometric locator, compare several centers and dates, and read the test center guide. If no seat appears in your window, you may need to test in another country, which can require a visa and a testing region change; plan early using B-1/B-2 for exams.

Documents and credential verification #

ECFMG verifies your final diploma and transcript with the issuing school. Start early, because processing at a university can be slow and ECFMG will not accept copies sent by you in place of school verification.

• Look up your school and graduation year in the ECFMG Reference Guide for the exact diploma title.
• Make sure names and dates match across the diploma, transcript and passport.
• Ask your university which office responds to ECFMG, and keep a record of requests.
• See the EPIC and verification guide and common ECFMG delays.

The US visa process, in brief #

The usual path is an ECFMG-sponsored J-1 (Statement of Need, DS-2019, then a visa interview) or an employer-sponsored H-1B. See the J-1 process, J-1 versus H-1B and visa interview preparation.

Appointment waits at US posts in Pakistan change often and are published by the State Department; we do not quote them. This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your case with the program's international office, ECFMG or an immigration attorney.

Community and professional resources #

ECFMG's website keeps a page of ethnic physician organizations, and a search of it indicated that it lists the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA); confirm the current entry on the ECFMG page, which we could not open directly. Such groups can offer networking and mentoring but cannot affect eligibility or placement. Check any program's claims independently, and avoid paying anyone for guaranteed observerships (see USCE red flags).

What to do next #

1. Verify your school and graduation year in the World Directory.
2. Contact your university's verification office now.
3. Plan US clinical experience with the USCE guide and how to get USCE.
4. Read the ECFMG certification overview.