VIDEO: Thanks to experience and dedication, IMGs could address physician shortage
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
SAN DIEGO — International medical graduates add diversity and experience to the physician workforce in the United States and could help address the projected shortage, a speaker said.
A 2021 Association of American Medical Colleges report previously estimated that by 2034, there will be a shortage of 17,800 to 48,000 primary care physicians.
At the ACP Internal Medicine Meeting, Moe Ameri, MD, MSc, a second-year resident at the University of Texas Medical Branch, said that international medical graduates (IMGs) make up about 25% of the U.S. health care work force, with many “going into primary care physician jobs,” including in underserved areas.
“I think that IMGs tend to be tenacious in nature and have the ability to survive in underserved areas that might be lacking resources,” he said. “Their impact can be profound in addressing that shortage.”
References:
- AAMC report reinforces mounting physician shortage. https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/press-releases/aamc-report-reinforces-mounting-physician-shortage. Published June 11, 2021. Accessed April 28, 2023.
- Ameri M, et al. IMGs in the U.S.: Increasing diversity and improving access to care. Presented at: ACP Internal Medicine Meeting; April 27-29, 2023; San Diego.