EDITORIAL by: jc_img

A collection of news affecting IMGs all over the world taken from various journals and publications of the AMA.. check back routinely as this will be updated often!

This page was last updated on: December 24, 2001

A Coming Shortage of Foreign Trained Doctors?      A recent article published by Phyllis Mcguire at the ACP Observer brought out the concerns that there will be a shortage of IMGs within the next few years. Quoted statistics include A drop in IMG registrations from Step 1 from 36,000 in 1997 to 16,000 in 2000. Along with the the fall in J1 visa exchange program sponsorships from 7,300 in 1996 to 5,600 in 2000.  Non US citizen IMGs in the match also declined from 8,000 in 1998 to just over 5,100 in 2001  (over 35% drop!)

Analysts say that major factor is the certification process (like the CSA) which thins the ranks because of the prohibitive costs of travel and exam fee. (A common enough complaint for members of the Club IMG!!!. Dr Mohammed Siddique a program director for Wayne State University also noted a slight trained among Indian physicians to pursue training in Europe instead of US.  Yet, Dr Gerald Whelan vice president of ECFMGs CSA program defended the hurdle saying that it results in better qualified candidates and it guards against marked variations in medical training around the world .  Regarding J1 visa issues J1 visa holders fell from 38% of all IMG residents in 1994-95 to just 30% in 1999- 2000.  At the same time the number of IMG permanent residents rose from 29% to 36%. Lastly, the article stated that there are fewere post training waiver jobs available (see the website they quoted at www.acponline.org/journals/news/sept01/imgs.htm#waiver)  Some of the reasons stated regarding the drop in J1 and the decline in J1 is that program directos prefer permanent resident holders over J1 applicants.  Some IMGs also choose a different route to get a visa, they get temporary work visa and get jobs in the US doing research in a university or pharmaceutical company and then converting their visa into greencard in a few years.  Overall, the analysts show remarkably little agreement on how changes in the IMG population will affect the face of american medicine. The Council on Graduate Medical Education believes the nation faces a physician surplus (this was the council which advocated cutting the number of residencies to 110% of graduating US medical seniors you can see their position at this site www.acponline.org/hpp/pospaper/med_training.htm)  they later recommended medicare funding for J1 and even advocated phasing out the waiver program.  This council is now REEVALUATING its surplus prediction because of "anecdotal reports of shortages" like in anesthesia.  In ending, Dr Diamond  who is program director and chair of medicine at Western Penn Hospita at Pittsburgh he pointed out that permanent resident IMGs make up a sizable number of academic physicians a type of practice that many US grads stay away from ..and to quote "We have produced a number of trainees in our community hospital program who are now on university faculties around the country" "They now teach in universities that wouldnt have taken them as residents". I guess that statement pretty much sums it all...