Policy Statement
Transfer credits are credits earned for courses completed at another institution and accepted by Xavier University School of Medicine (XUSOM) toward meeting the requirements of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree program.
XUSOM may grant transfer credit in accordance with institutional policies and applicable Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) requirements. Students are responsible for understanding that acceptance of transfer credit by XUSOM does not guarantee eligibility for ECFMG Certification, which remains subject to ECFMG policies in effect at the time of application.
Eligibility Requirements
- Transfer credit may be awarded only for courses that have been successfully completed and passed at the originating institution.
- Transfer credit will be considered only for courses that are substantially equivalent in content, scope, learning outcomes, and academic rigor to courses offered at XUSOM.
- Transfer applicants must submit official transcripts and any additional documentation requested by the University, including course descriptions, syllabi, assessment information, and evidence of satisfactory academic standing.
- Transfer credits accepted toward the MD degree may be awarded only from one prior medical school. Credits from multiple medical schools will not be combined toward advanced standing in the MD program.
- Applicants seeking advanced standing are subject to review and approval by the Admissions Committee and/or the appropriate academic committee. The University reserves the right to require placement examinations, competency assessments, remedial coursework, or repetition of courses when equivalency cannot be adequately demonstrated.
- Students who have failed a comparable course at another institution may be required to repeat the course at XUSOM and satisfy all progression requirements established by the University.
Disclosure and Documentation Requirements
Students who are granted transfer credits toward the MD degree are responsible for fully disclosing and documenting all transferred credits to ECFMG when applying for ECFMG Certification, regardless of when the credits were earned.
Failure to disclose transferred credits to ECFMG may result in delays in credential verification and certification and may lead to other consequences as determined by ECFMG under its policies and procedures regarding irregular behavior.
ECFMG Certification Considerations
Students should note that ECFMG may impose additional requirements regarding transfer credits depending on the accreditation status of the medical school awarding the final degree. Such requirements may include, but are not limited to:
- Transfer credits originating from a medical school located in the United States and listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools; or
- Transfer credits originating from a medical school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools with an ECFMG Sponsor Note indicating that it meets ECFMG eligibility requirements;
- Documentation that all transferred courses were successfully completed and passed; and
- Restrictions limiting transferred credits toward the final medical degree to credits originating from only one medical school.
Where applicable, students may also be required by ECFMG to provide additional documentation for credits transferred to the pre-medical portion of the curriculum.
Because ECFMG requirements may change periodically, students are strongly encouraged to review current ECFMG policies and consult the Office of the Registrar before transferring credits or applying for ECFMG Certification.
Institutional Authority
The awarding of transfer credit and advanced standing is at the sole discretion of XUSOM. The University reserves the right to accept, deny, limit, or revoke transfer credit if information provided by the student is inaccurate, incomplete, or inconsistent with institutional policies, accreditation standards, or applicable ECFMG requirements.