Medical Education In USA: Health Ministry extends deadline for submitting documents for SON Certificate applications

New Delhi: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has extended the last date for submission of documents for applications submitted online for the Statement of Need (SoN) certificate for joining training programme/course in medical specialities in medical institutions in the USA.

All the concerned candidates are informed that the last date for submission of the original along with all requisite documents to the ministry as per the existing guidelines/ instructions is hereby extended from 30th June 2021 to 31st July 2021, as per notice recently released by the health ministry.

Earlier, the ministry had allowed one-time relaxation in the existing instructions for the certificate. A large number of candidates have sought relaxation in the existing guidelines for submission of documents along with an application for a SON certificate and requested the Ministry to allow them to submit the scanned copy of their applications through email.

According to the Health Ministry, the authorities noted that a large number of candidates are facing difficulties in India and abroad in completing the required documentation while applying for a Statement of Need (SoN) certificate for joining training programme/ course in medical specialities in medical institutions in the USA due to measures taken by Governments for containment of COVID-19.

Therefore, in view of exceptional circumstances on account of COVID-l9 pandemic and taking into account various these representations, the Ministry of Health & Family welfare after due consideration and to safeguards the interests of the doctors who are pursuing residency/fellowship in the USA, as a one-time measure, decided to give some relaxation in the existing guidelines for submission of applications for SON certificate.

It had been decided that if a candidate face difficulty in submission of applications with requisite documents in physical form, he/she may submit a scanned copy of duly filled in the application form and essential documents (copy of offer letter received from concerned foreign University/institution and valid Indian passport; valid VISA in connection with applicant's present stay in a foreign country (whereas applicable only); copy of earlier issued SON, if issued earlier) through email to soic-mohfw@nic.in.

While sending the Scanned copy of the application along with the above-mentioned documents, an undertaking (attached below) shall invariably be submitted by the applicant stating that the original SON application along with all the documents as prescribed in the guidelines for the SON certificate will be submitted by the candidate to "The Under Secretary (IC), international cooperation Section, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (Department of Health & Family Welfare), Room No. 504, 'D' Wing, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi - 110011.

ln such case, a SON certificate will be issued through email to ECFMG at moh@ecfmg.org, and a copy will be marked to the candidate at email address mentioned in the application form. The original SON certificate (in a sealed envelope to be sent to ECFMG by the candidate) will be released only after receipt of a physical copy of application along with all requisite documents from the applicant.

If a candidate fails to submit by the last date, the original application along with all required documents as per the existing guidelines/instructions to this Ministry or any discrepancy is noticed in the original documents submitted by the applicants vis-a-vis email on the basis of which a SON certificate has been issued through email to ECFMG, the SON certificate issued earlier would liable to be cancelled.

To view the official notice, click on the following link:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/mohfw-extension-157403.pd

For more details, log on to the official website of MoHFW:

https://www.mohfw.gov.in/