What qualifies an International Medical Graduate (IMG)?

An International Medical Graduate (IMG) is defined as a physician who has received a basic medical degree from a medical school located outside the United States and Canada. This definition highlights that IMGs are individuals who obtained their primary medical education outside the North American context, which is important for distinguishing them from graduates of US medical schools.

Choosing this option correctly emphasizes a fundamental understanding of what constitutes an IMG, which is crucial for various processes such as residency applications, board examinations, and licensing requirements in the US. IMGs often face different challenges compared to graduates from US and Canadian schools, particularly in terms of recognition of their qualifications and navigating the medical training system in the US.

The other choices do not describe IMGs accurately. A physician with a medical degree from a US medical school does not qualify as an IMG; such individuals are domestic graduates. Practicing exclusively in emergency medicine does not relate to whether a physician is an IMG, as it focuses on a specialty rather than education location. Completing a residency in the US is also irrelevant to the qualifications of being classified as an IMG, since it pertains to the training stage after medical school rather than the educational background itself.