Utilizing International Medical Graduates in Health Care Delivery

• Published in: Primary care Vol. 39; no. 4; pp. 643 - 648
• Main Authors: Dowling, Patrick T., MD, MPH, Bholat, Michelle Anne, MD, MPH
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-12-2012
• Subjects: Affordable Care Act; Brain drain; Brain waste; Health disparities; Internal Medicine; International medical graduates; Limited english proficiency; Linguistic barriers to care; Medical migration; Medical migration; Brain waste; Limited english proficiency; Brain drain; Affordable Care Act; International medical graduates; Health disparities; Linguistic barriers to care
• ISSN: 0095-4543; 1558-299X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pop.2012.08.002

After identifying many unlicensed Hispanic international medical graduates (IMGs) legally residing in southern California, University of California, Los Angeles developed an innovative program to prepare these sidelined physicians to enter family medicine residency programs and become licensed physicians. On completion of a 3-year family medicine residency-training program, these IMGs have an obligation to practice in a federally designated underserved community in the state for 2 to 3 years. As the US health care system moves from physician-centered practices to patient-focused teams, with primary care serving as the foundation for building patient-centered medical homes, attention to educating IMGs in these concepts is crucial.