Introduction: Since the 1960 s, the number of international medical graduates (IMGs) in the United States has increased significantly. Given concerns regarding the effects of this loss to their countries of origin, the authors undertook a study of IMGs from lower income countries currently practicing in the United States. Methods: The AMA Physician Masterfile was accessed to identify all 265,851 IMGs in active practice in the United States. These were divided by state of practice and country of origin. World Bank income classification was used to identify lowe

A Hagopian

Barbara Boyle Torrey

E Hing

E Mills

E. Fuller Torrey

F Mullan

FS Collins

J Frenk

J Preston

JM Kirigia

K Agwu

KM West

LG Hart

M Mackintosh

PE Bundred

RM Scheffler

S Nebehay

Y Berhan

Zulfiqar A. Bhutta

English

PubMed

<div><h3>Introduction</h3><p>Since the 1960 s, the number of international medical graduates (IMGs) in the United States has increased significantly. Given concerns regarding the effects of this loss to their countries of origin, the authors undertook a study of IMGs from lower income countries currently practicing in the United States.</p> <h3>Methods</h3><p>The AMA Physician Masterfile was accessed to identify all 265,851 IMGs in active practice in the United States. These were divided by state of practice and country of origin. World Bank income classification was used to identify lower income countries.</p> <h3>Results</h3><p>128,729 IMGs were identified from 53 lower income countries, constituting 15 percent of the US active physician workforce. As a percentage of the workforce, West Virginia (29%), New Jersey (27%), and Michigan (26%) had the most IMGs from lower income countries, and Montana, Idaho, and Alaska (all less than 2%), the least. The countries with the greatest loss of physicians to the United States per 100,000 population were the Philippines, Syria, Jordan, and Haiti.</p> <h3>Discussion</h3><p>The reliance of US medicine on physicians from lower income countries is beneficial to the United States both clinically and economically. However, it results in a loss of the lower income country's investment in the IMG's education. We discuss possible mechanisms to compensate the lower income countries for the medical education costs of their physicians who immigrate to the US.</p> </div

E. Fuller Torrey (176148)

Barbara Boyle Torrey (176154)

FigShare

The US Distribution of Physicians from Lower Income Countries

IntroductionSince the 1960 s, the number of international medical graduates (IMGs) in the United States has increased significantly. Given concerns regarding the effects of this loss to their countries of origin, the authors undertook a study of IMGs from lower income countries currently practicing in the United States.MethodsThe AMA Physician Masterfile was accessed to identify all 265,851 IMGs in active practice in the United States. These were divided by state of practice and country of origin. World Bank income classification was used to identify lower income countries.Results128,729 IMGs were identified from 53 lower income countries, constituting 15 percent of the US active physician workforce. As a percentage of the workforce, West Virginia (29%), New Jersey (27%), and Michigan (26%) had the most IMGs from lower income countries, and Montana, Idaho, and Alaska (all less than 2%), the least. The countries with the greatest loss of physicians to the United States per 100,000 population were the Philippines, Syria, Jordan, and Haiti.DiscussionThe reliance of US medicine on physicians from lower income countries is beneficial to the United States both clinically and economically. However, it results in a loss of the lower income country's investment in the IMG's education. We discuss possible mechanisms to compensate the lower income countries for the medical education costs of their physicians who immigrate to the US

E Fuller Torrey

Directory of Open Access Journals

PLoS ONE

The US distribution of physicians from lower income countries.

Since the 1960 s, the number of international medical graduates (IMGs) in the United States has increased significantly. Given concerns regarding the effects of this loss to their countries of origin, the authors undertook a study of IMGs from lower income countries currently practicing in the United States.The AMA Physician Masterfile was accessed to identify all 265,851 IMGs in active practice in the United States. These were divided by state of practice and country of origin. World Bank income classification was used to identify lower income countries.128,729 IMGs were identified from 53 lower income countries, constituting 15 percent of the US active physician workforce. As a percentage of the workforce, West Virginia (29%), New Jersey (27%), and Michigan (26%) had the most IMGs from lower income countries, and Montana, Idaho, and Alaska (all less than 2%), the least. The countries with the greatest loss of physicians to the United States per 100,000 population were the Philippines, Syria, Jordan, and Haiti.The reliance of US medicine on physicians from lower income countries is beneficial to the United States both clinically and economically. However, it results in a loss of the lower income country's investment in the IMG's education. We discuss possible mechanisms to compensate the lower income countries for the medical education costs of their physicians who immigrate to the US

Torrey E. Fuller

Torrey Barbara Boyle

Public Library of Science (PLOS)

Crossref

Aid, restitution and international fiscal redistribution in health care: Implications of health professionals’ migration.

Bilateral foreign aid from the Department of State is for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief program. In Executive budget summary function 150 and other international programs, fiscal year 2012.

Classification of economies by region and income, FY

Developing health workforce capacity in Africa.

Doctors and soccer players—professionals on the move.

Economics focus: Drain or gain?Economist,

Estimates of health care professional shortages in sub-Saharan Africa by

Executive budget summary function 150 and other international programs, fiscal year 2012.

for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

Foreign interns and residents in the United States.

Health professionals for a new century: Transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world.

Highly skilled may wait less for visas.

International medical graduate physicians in the United States: Changes since

Joint statement by the network of African Science Academies

Llewelyn M, undergraduates in International Health at UCL

Medical doctors profile in Ethiopia: Production, attrition and retention.

Medical migration: Who are the real losers?

Medical schools in sub-Saharan Africa.

NCHS data brief: Role of international medical graduates providing office-based medical care: United States,

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly55/2, United Nationals Millennium Declaration, Fifty-fifth session, Agenda item 60(b).

Seddoh A

Statistical Abstract of the United States:

The financial costs of doctors emigrating from sub-Saharan Africa: Human capital analysis.

The metrics of the physician brain drain.

The migration of physicians from sub-Saharan Africa to the United States of America: Measures of the African brain drain. Human Resources for Health 2:

The nation’s physician workforce: Options for balancing supply and requirements.

WHO global code of practice on the international recruitment of health personnel. Available at http://www.who.int/hrh/migration/code/practice/en/ index.html.

WHO to stem health care worker exodus. Alliance News Digest: Africa and Middle East, week of

World health report (2006) Working together for health. Geneva: World Health Organization.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=3310056

The US Distribution of Physicians from Lower Income Countries

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

FigShare

Directory of Open Access Journals

Public Library of Science (PLOS)

Crossref