For foreign graduates who completed their degree abroad and want to practice medicine in Argentina, the first step is to obtain residency status (temporary or permanent) from the Argentine National Directorate of Migration (Dirección Nacional de Migraciones), followed by the issuance of a national identity document (Documento Nacional de Identidad). 

The next step is recognition or validation of the medical degree. If the professional comes from countries with a mutual recognition agreement, such as Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, Mexico, Peru, and Ukraine, validation can be obtained through a free, remote process handled by the National Directorate of University Management (Dirección Nacional de Gestión Universitaria) of the Ministry of Human Capital (Ministerio de Capital Humano), which is the national ministry overseeing education, labor, and social policy.

This pathway was also opened to physicians from Venezuela and Syria for humanitarian reasons. However, it is not enough to present the diploma; other records or documents are required, such as copies of course syllabi, an official transcript detailing all passed courses, a certificate of the rotating internship with grades, and accreditation certificates for the quality of the program and the university.

The process typically takes 10-16 months, although Daniela, a young physician who graduated from the University of Santander in Bucaramanga, Colombia, “which has international accreditation,” was able to validate her degree in 8 months. “I paid a facilitator to handle everything. I don’t remember exactly how much, but it was something like $2000-$3000,” she told Medscape’s Spanish edition. 

For those from other countries without agreements, the degree must be revalidated through national universities that offer medical training. This commonly involves taking some equivalency exams and a comprehensive general medicine exam (in addition to submitting the other documentation required for validation). The process can take 18-36 months.

The final step to practice involves obtaining a license (matrícula), processed through the National Ministry of Health or provincial medical councils. Requirements include a validated or revalidated degree, a certificate of no criminal record in Argentina, and proof of a unique labor identification code or tax identification code assigned by the National Social Security Administration (Administración Nacional de la Seguridad Social).

For those who want to complete a medical specialty residency in the country, the requirements are the same, with the sole exception that validation or revalidation may be “in process” at the time of taking the exam. Since 2025, the exam has become more competitive for foreign graduates, because those who complete their entire degree in the country receive five additional points in the placement ranking — although this does not prevent many foreign graduates from passing. 

For foreign nationals who studied and graduated as physicians in Argentina, the legal situation for practicing in the country is practically the same as for Argentine colleagues, without requiring additional homologation.

Finally, recognition of a medical specialty obtained in another country for physicians who have validated or revalidated their degree depends on the type of training. If the specialty was granted by a recognized foreign university, it is processed through the Ministry of Health via the remote procedures platform, Trámites a Distancia. If the training was completed outside a university setting (for example, via a hospital residency), applicants must present their credentials and often take a theoretical-practical exam to certify their competencies before recognized scientific societies.

This story was translated from Medscape’s Spanish edition.