IMG Friendly Emergency Medicine: How IMGs Can Identify Programs and Match Successfully
March 17, 2026
Emergency Medicine • IMG Strategy
IMG Friendly Emergency Medicine Programs (2026): How to Select Programs That Actually Work for IMGs
If you’re searching for IMG friendly Emergency Medicine programs, you’re likely reviewing program lists and trying to determine which programs are actually viable for your application. The problem is that in Emergency Medicine, “IMG-friendly” is not a fixed label. A program can be realistic for one IMG and completely unrealistic for another depending on visa requirements, year of graduation, U.S. clinical experience, and—most importantly—Emergency Medicine–specific evaluation through letters (SLOEs).
This guide gives you a practical way to identify IMG friendly EM programs, verify whether they’re actually viable for your profile, and build a list that minimizes wasted applications.
Start Here: How to Use This Page
If you are reviewing Emergency Medicine programs, the goal is not to understand every program — but to determine which programs are realistically aligned with your application profile.
Can International Medical Graduates Match into Emergency Medicine?
Yes — International Medical Graduates match into Emergency Medicine each year. However, success is not determined by general competitiveness alone, but by alignment with specialty-specific evaluation criteria, particularly SLOEs and Emergency Medicine clinical performance.
Search Emergency Medicine Programs
The Primary Filters That Determine Program Accessibility
Most applicants treat “IMG-friendly” as a list. This is inefficient. Programs should be evaluated through a small number of selection filters that determine whether your application will actually be reviewed.
Filter 1
Demonstrated IMG Match History
Programs that consistently match IMGs evaluate them differently from programs that only state they “accept” them.
The distinction is simple: accepts IMGs ≠ trains IMGs
What to verify
• IMGs present in current resident rosters
• Representation across multiple recent classes
• Consistency, not isolated inclusion
Filter 2
Structural Screening Criteria
This is the first stage of residency selection: standardized screening.
Understand selective screening vs holistic review
• Graduation year thresholds
• U.S. clinical experience requirements
• USMLE attempt limits
• Visa sponsorship constraints
These function as binary thresholds. Failing one can prevent review entirely.
“IMG-friendly” is not a program characteristic—it is a function of alignment between program filters and your profile.
New EM Programs
As of March 2026, there are 298 Emergency Medicine residency programs in the United States.
34 new programs have been added since 2021, including 5 accredited August 27, 2026.
NEW PROGRAMS 08/2026
August 2026 (5)
- 1100300003Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science (Phoenix)AZ · Initial Accreditation
- 1103500006Jacobi Medical CenterNY · Initial Accreditation
- 1103800002Cleveland Clinic FoundationOH · Initial Accreditation
- 1103900001University of Oklahoma College of MedicineOK · Initial Accreditation
- 1104800006Methodist Healthcare System of San AntonioTX · Initial Accreditation
Earlier New Programs
2026 (5 programs)
- 1101100006Florida State University College of MedicineFL · Initial Accreditation
- 1101100007AdventHealth FloridaFL · Initial Accreditation
- 1101200002HCA Healthcare/Mercer University School of MedicineGA · Initial Accreditation
- 1101900001University of Kansas School of Medicine (Wichita)KS · Initial Accreditation
- 1102500001McLaren Health Care CorporationMI · Initial Accreditation
2025 (9 programs)
- 1100400001UAMS Regional CentersAR · Initial Accreditation
- 1101100004HCA Florida Healthcare/Lawnwood HospitalFL · Initial Accreditation
- 1101100005BayCare Health System (St. Joseph’s Hospital)FL · Initial Accreditation
- 1101600001Insight Hospital and Medical Center ChicagoIL · Initial Accreditation
- 1101700001Indiana University School of MedicineIN · Initial Accreditation
- 1102500002McLaren Health Care CorporationMI · Initial Accreditation
- 1103100001Valley Health SystemNV · Initial Accreditation
- 1104600001University of South Dakota School of MedicineSD · Initial Accreditation
- 1104800005HCA Houston Healthcare/University of Houston (Clear Lake)TX · Initial Accreditation
2024 (3 programs)
- 1103500005Good Samaritan University Hospital/St Joseph Hospital CampusNY · Initial Accreditation
- 1103800001Mercy Health – Anderson HospitalOH · Initial Accreditation
- 1104800004South Texas Health System GME ConsortiumTX · Initial Accreditation
2023 (8 programs)
- 1100300002Creighton University East Valley ArizonaAZ · Initial Accreditation
- 1100500002HCA Healthcare/Los Robles Regional Medical CenterCA · Initial Accreditation
- 1101100208Lakeland Regional HealthFL · Initial Accreditation
- 1101800001Central Iowa Health System (Iowa Methodist/Iowa Lutheran)IA · Initial Accreditation
- 1103500002NYU Grossman Long Island School of MedicineNY · Initial Accreditation
- 1104100002Geisinger Health System (Wilkes Barre)PA · Initial Accreditation
- 1104800002Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, Ltd.TX · Initial Accreditation
- 1104800003University of Texas Medical Branch HospitalsTX · Initial Accreditation
2022 (4 programs)
- 1100500003Sutter Health/Sutter Roseville Medical CenterCA · Initial Accreditation
- 1100900001Bayhealth Medical CenterDE · Initial Accreditation
- 1101100001HCA Florida Healthcare/Westside/Northwest HospitalFL · Initial Accreditation
- 1104700001HCA Healthcare/TriStar Nashville/Skyline Medical CenterTN · Initial Accreditation
NEW PROGRAMS 08/2026
New Emergency Medicine Programs Accredited in August 2026
The ACGME granted Initial Accreditation to five new Emergency Medicine residency programs, effective August 27, 2026, and listed for the 2026-2027 academic year. With these additions, 34 Emergency Medicine programs have received initial accreditation since 2021.
| Program | State | Program Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1100300003Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science (Phoenix) | AZ | Lauren B. Querin, MD, MEd, MS |
| 1103500006Jacobi Medical Center | NY | Jeremy Sperling, MD |
| 1103800002Cleveland Clinic Foundation | OH | Matthew C. Kostura, MD |
| 1103900001University of Oklahoma College of Medicine | OK | Lauren N. Evans, MD |
| 1104800006Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio | TX | Justin B. Williams, MD |
Source: ACGME, List of Newly Accredited Emergency Medicine Programs, Academic Year 2026-2027, United States. All five programs hold Initial Accreditation effective 08/27/2026.
How to Evaluate a Newly Accredited Program as an IMG
A newly accredited program has no graduates and usually no resident roster to review. This means Filter 1, demonstrated IMG match history, cannot be checked yet. The decision rests on Filter 2: the program’s published screening criteria.
Before adding one of these programs to your list, confirm four points on the program’s website: whether it is recruiting an intern class in the current cycle, which visas it sponsors, its graduation year and U.S. clinical experience requirements, and any USMLE attempt limits. How standardized screening works.
IMGPrep Customized Residency Lists identify Emergency Medicine programs, including newly accredited ones, based on your visa status, scores, and application profile. Get your customized list.
Not sure which EM programs fit your specific profile? An IMGPrep advisor can map your application strategy before ResidencyCAS opens.
Schedule a Consultation →
Schedule a Consultation →
Evaluation Framework
What Emergency Medicine Programs Actually Evaluate
Emergency Medicine does not primarily assess potential. It evaluates demonstrated clinical performance within the specialty.
Efficiency in high-acuity, time-sensitive environments
Clear and structured clinical communication
Team integration within multidisciplinary settings
Situational awareness and prioritization under pressure
These signals are most reliably captured through standardized Emergency Medicine evaluations, particularly SLOEs. Specialty-specific performance is one of the strongest predictors of interview selection and ranking.
Applicants do not match by identifying programs that are broadly IMG-friendly. They match by applying where they pass screening and present credible Emergency Medicine–specific evaluations.
IMGPrep Customized Residency Lists identify EM programs based on your visa status, scores, and application profile — so you apply where your application is actually reviewed. Get Your Customized List →
Frequently Asked Questions About IMG-Friendly Emergency Medicine Programs
What are the primary factors that determine whether an IMG is competitive for Emergency Medicine?
The two most important factors are:
• Step 2 CK performance
• Emergency Medicine–specific evaluations (SLOEs) (learn more)
Step 2 CK determines screening, while SLOEs determine how your clinical performance is interpreted. Step 2 CK Scores for EM
What does it mean when a program has a history of accepting IMGs?
A program that has matched IMGs—even at a low percentage—has demonstrated that it includes IMGs in its selection process.
This is more important than the percentage itself.
How many Emergency Medicine residency programs are there in the United States?
As of March 2026, there are approximately 298 ACGME-accredited Emergency Medicine residency programs.
How many new Emergency Medicine programs have been created in the past five years?
Over the past five years, 34 new Emergency Medicine residency programs have received initial accreditation, including five accredited effective August 27, 2026.
Which Emergency Medicine programs were newly accredited in August 2026?
Effective August 27, 2026, the ACGME granted Initial Accreditation to Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science (Phoenix), Jacobi Medical Center, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, and Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio. See program codes and directors
Do Emergency Medicine programs sponsor H-1B visas?
Some programs sponsor H-1B visas, but most offer J-1 visas or no sponsorship.
Do I need a SLOE to match Emergency Medicine as an IMG?
While possible without one, it is uncommon. SLOEs are a primary decision signal in Emergency Medicine.
Consult with IMGPrep
Emergency Medicine residency in the United States requires strong clinical preparation, targeted rotations, and careful application strategy. For international medical graduates, programs frequently evaluate applicants based on standardized examination performance, U.S. clinical experience, and specialty-specific letters of recommendation.
IMGPrep provides individualized advising for international medical graduates pursuing Emergency Medicine residency training in the United States.
Consult with IMGPrep to develop a structured Emergency Medicine application strategy, including clinical rotations, program selection, and residency application preparation.
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