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Physician Migration: Experience of International Medical Graduates in the USA

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of foreign-born international medical graduates (IMGs) in the USA. Few studies describe IMG experiences in attaining medical licensure in the USA at each step of the process. Furthermore, little is known about IMGs who choose not to become a licensed physician or were unsuccessful in doing so. In this study, 20 foreign-born IMGs, 16 practicing IMGs and 4 non-licensed physician IMGs, participated in a 1-h semi-structured face-to-face interview between September 2013 and April 2014. Participants were from North America (Canada), Latin America, South Asia, East Asia, Europe, the Middle East, or Sub-Saharan Africa. Interviews were transcribed. Two of the authors conducted initial analysis of each interview separately. Four primary themes emerged based on the data analysis: (1) barriers to physician careers include the immigration process, years since graduating from medical school, language and culture, and cost and time; (2) positive factors to support physician careers include networking and research experience; (3) factors that positively or negatively affect IMGs seeking physician careers such as the education system in a home country and family; and (4) non-physician careers. In order to develop multiple pathways to utilize IMGs in the US healthcare system, future research examining the following areas is necessary: (1) support systems for IMGs who are taking the US Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) or applying for a residency position and (2) the experience of IMGs who are not certified physicians in the USA.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all international physicians who participated in this study. In addition, the authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of Ty Dickerson, Shiro Fujita, Todd Goodsell, Jamie Prevedel, Usha Ojha, Lenora Olson, and Alan Smith.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, University of Utah, 380 S 1530 E, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA

    Akiko Kamimura, Kyl Myers, Jessica Eckhardt & Sarah Al-Obaydi

  2. Division of Publis Health, University of Utah, 375 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84108, USA

    Mahasen S Samhouri & Tina Huynh

  3. Department of Watershed Sciences, Utah State University, 5200 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah, 84322, USA

    Liana Prudencio

Authors
  1. Akiko Kamimura
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  2. Mahasen S Samhouri
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  3. Kyl Myers
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  4. Tina Huynh
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  5. Liana Prudencio
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  6. Jessica Eckhardt
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  7. Sarah Al-Obaydi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Akiko Kamimura.

Ethics declarations

This study was approved by the University of Utah Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Funding

This study was partially funded by the College of Social and Behavioral Science, the University of Utah.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Appendix

Appendix

List 1

Examples of Interview Questions Asked of IMGs, 2013–2014

  1. 1.

    What were most challenging parts when you were studying for the USMLE?

  2. 2.

    What were most challenging parts when you were applying for a residency position?

  3. 3.

    What were most challenging parts when you were applying for a physician position?

  4. 4.

    What is your opinion about the overall process of becoming licensed as a physician in the USA?

  5. 5.

    How did your spouse or children affect your career in the USA?

  6. 6.

    Could you please describe your decision of not becoming a physician in this country? (Participants who are not licensed physicians in the USA only)

  7. 7.

    What were your main concerns or challenges in seeking a non-physician career in the USA? (Participants who are not licensed physicians in the USA only)

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Kamimura, A., Samhouri, M.S., Myers, K. et al. Physician Migration: Experience of International Medical Graduates in the USA. Int. Migration & Integration 18, 463–481 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-016-0486-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-016-0486-9

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