Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners: Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language

Worth knowing about LSBME

LSBME requirements in detail

The diploma is the document that needs translating

LSBME's qualifications for international graduates list the medical degree first: a Doctor of Medicine degree from a school approved by the Board, with the diploma in English or accompanied by a certified translation into English (Application and instructions for initial licensure: physicians).

The same sentence appears in the Graduate Educational Temporary Permit, which international graduates need to train in a Louisiana residency (Application and instructions: Graduate Educational Temporary Permit).

Many foreign diplomas name the degree differently (Médico Cirujano, Laurea in Medicina e Chirurgia, MBBS). We keep the title as issued next to its English rendering, so the Board can match it with the degree it requires.

Mailed items, FCVS and ECFMG

You start the application in the LaMED dashboard, but LSBME says the listed items must be completed and mailed to the Board (Application and instructions for initial licensure: physicians).

For the GETP, your school completes the Certificate of Dean/Registrar and mails it directly to LSBME (Application and instructions: Graduate Educational Temporary Permit).

Full-license applicants also complete FCVS (Application and instructions for initial licensure: physicians), and international graduates hold an ECFMG certificate.

ECFMG accepts word-for-word translations by a professional translation service or an official, never by the applicant (ECFMG translation requirements), so one certified translation of your diploma can serve ECFMG and the Board.

Documents applicants usually translate

• Doctor of Medicine diploma
• Medical school transcripts, for ECFMG and FCVS
• Marriage certificate, for an application in a name other than on the birth certificate
• Foreign birth certificate or citizenship documents
• Verifications of medical licenses held abroad

What an eVerbary translation includes

• A complete English translation of every page, stamps, seals and handwritten notes included, laid out like the original so each line can be matched.
• Grades, hours and credits exactly as recorded, with the grading scale the document prints. We never convert marks to a US GPA or equivalency.
• A signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead, with our contact details, delivered as a PDF you can upload or print.
• $24.95 per page of up to 250 words, certification included; 24 hours for one to three pages as standard. Regular clients who need it can get delivery in as little as 30 minutes, on request.
• Notarization added at checkout ($34.90 per order) when the office asks for a notarized translation.

Submitting the translation to LSBME

• Send the copy of your diploma with its certified translation as part of the items LSBME asks you to mail to 630 Camp Street, New Orleans, LA 70130, after starting the application in the LaMED dashboard (Application and instructions for initial licensure: physicians). Questions go to licensing@lsbme.la.gov.

• Translations for ECFMG or FCVS go to those bodies under their own instructions.

How to order

1. Scan or photograph every page of the document, front and back, including any stamps on the reverse.
2. Upload it, choose the language and "certified", and see the price before paying.
3. Receive the PDF, usually within 24 hours for one to three pages, and submit it with the copy of the original wherever the office asks for it.

Frequently asked questions