Immigration and the Physician Workforce

In 1965, Congress passed the bill that created Medicare.  It was implemented in 1966, and suddenly 20 million previously medically uninsured seniors had access to health care.  The need for a larger physician workforce was obvious, and in an uncharacteristically timely fashion, Congress, for the first time, created a route for physicians who were graduates of foreign medical schools to train and practice medicine in the United States.   To qualify, International Medical Graduates (IMGs, formerly referred to as Foreign Medical Graduates) undergo a rigorous process that includes passing all exams for licensure that American grads take, plus a test to…

by jpwmd July 21, 2026July 21, 2026