PROFESSIONAL ISSUES

Border barriers ease for international medical graduates

This year, 20% of IMGs missed their residency start date, compared with 38% last year, according to the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.

By Myrle Croasdale, AMNews staff. Nov. 15, 2004.

Tighter U.S. border controls are continuing to have unintended consequences on medical education. Some resident physicians from overseas are arriving late or not at all, but the situation has improved this year, according to the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.

Catheryn Cotten, director of the International Office at Duke University, which handles visa issues for Duke's international students and staff, said security checks are going more smoothly this year.

"In general the [U.S.] Dept. of State is working hard to shorten the security clearance time," Cotten said.

Last year, it took anywhere from 60 to 90 days or longer, she said, but the wait now is generally 30 days, though some continue to take longer.

The State Dept. heightened its use of security checks on visa applicants after Sept. 11, 2001.

Preliminary data from the ECFMG shows that 80% of IMGs with J-1 visas started first-year training on time this academic year, compared with 62% last year.

The ECFMG tracks IMGs coming for their first year of residency on only J-1 visas. Physicians with other visas, such as the H-1B, are not tracked by the ECFMG, nor are those beyond their first year of training.

Edward Ashworth, assistant director at Duke's International Office, said three of Duke's IMGs were delayed this year, compared with 10 last time around. But for the department short a doctor, the impact is enormous, he said.

"The other residents have to carry more during their already intense schedules, without knowing when the missing doctor will arrive," he said.

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