All fees denominated in U.S. dollars (USD) and must be paid in USD
We do not charge a placement fee. Our fee is paid by the employer once you are placed. The only cost you may bear is the actual, third-party cost of verifying your own credentials — never a percentage of your salary, and never for placement itself.
Our services cover the coordination and management of the licensure process from eligibility assessment through placement with a qualifying NC employer, at no charge to you.
The one exception is credential verification: you pay the verification providers directly for their services. We do not collect, mark up, or bill you for this cost ourselves — it is a direct arrangement between you and the provider.
We do not charge outcome-based fees and we do not guarantee licensure or placement. Medical boards make all licensing decisions, and employers make all hiring decisions.
We advise on exam sequencing and documentation requirements as part of the overall pathway. We do not provide exam preparation, tutoring, or guarantees related to exam outcomes. We do not provide ongoing employment or compliance management after your ITPE-licensed practice begins.
No charge. Covers detailed case review and screening to determine whether we believe your case is viable for this pathway.
No charge. If your assessment is accepted, we conduct a video interview and build a specific plan outlining what you still need to complete before you are ready to be presented to an employer.
Once your interview is complete and your roadmap is underway, we pull existing primary-source verification of your medical education and training to confirm your file is accurate. Most applicants who have completed at least one USMLE step already have this verification on record, so this step is typically quick and low-cost — often just the cost of requesting an existing report.
As you approach readiness to be presented to an employer, you arrange and pay for training/license document verification and a background screening directly with third-party verification providers, timed so the results remain current when needed. We coordinate and guide this step, but the payment relationship is between you and the provider — we do not invoice or collect this cost. Verification cannot proceed until the provider has been paid.
No charge to you. Once a qualifying employment offer is in hand, we prepare and submit your application to the NC Medical Board. Our placement fee for this stage is paid by the employer, not by you.
In addition to the credential verification cost noted above, applicants should plan for certain other third-party costs. These are unrelated to and do not overlap with credential verification — they exist whether the process is managed independently or with our support, and are paid directly to third parties. Typical ranges are provided below for planning purposes only. Note: for many applicants, the clinical competency assessment represents the single largest third-party cost in this process.
The NC Medical Board separately requires a background screening certificate from your country of licensure — not just a domestic check — as part of the formal license application. This is distinct from our own credential verification step and remains the applicant's responsibility to obtain. Processing time varies significantly by country and can take several months. PPG will provide guidance on how to obtain this as part of case preparation.
USMLE exam fees and ECFMG certification fees, depending on how many exams you have remaining. Most applicants to this program have already incurred much of this cost by the time they reach us, since at least one USMLE step is required to begin the assessment.
The NC Medical Board ITPE application fee. Subject to change.
Immigration attorney fees, depending on visa type and complexity. We do not provide immigration legal advice, but we coordinate timing and documentation with licensed immigration attorneys when needed. Some employers cover part or all of these costs as part of their sponsorship of your visa — confirm this directly with your employer once a placement is in progress.
Most internationally trained physicians have not taken Step 3. The NC ITPE pathway requires Step 3 (or an equivalent board certification) as an additional competency demonstration beyond Steps 1 and 2. The exam fee is approximately $935, paid directly to the FSMB. Preparation materials and courses vary widely in cost. Step 3 preparation and scheduling should begin early in the case preparation phase.
Medical school diplomas, postgraduate training certificates, and foreign license documents not issued in English require certified translation before submission to the NC Medical Board. Applicants typically need 3–6 documents translated. Translation must be performed by a certified translator and accompanied by a signed certification of accuracy.
For rural placements, supervising physicians receive a monthly stipend for their oversight role. This is typically paid by the employer institution, not the applicant, and is not a cost applicants are expected to bear directly. Hospital placements do not involve this arrangement.