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The wisdom of depending on International Medical School Graduates (IMGs) to fill

ID: 127190 • Letter: T

Question

The wisdom of depending on International Medical School Graduates (IMGs) to fill gaps in physician supply, while US medical schools hold class size constant, is questionable. In addition, the aging of the physician workforce, the decreasing hours worked by both physicians in practice and physicians in residency, and a 20 percent reduction in the effort of the increasing proportion of female physicians, will result in a significant decrease in the “effective” supply of physicians. Should the gap be filled by a major substitution of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and others, or are there alternatives?

Explanation / Answer

The decrease in "effective" supply can't be subsitutaed by nurse practitioners ,physician assistant , chiropractors, acupuncturist and others.Nurse practioners are not capable of replacement of physician as physican are more qualified and trained in theier field as compared to nurse practioners.

It is essential for a nurse practioner to complete a master or doctoral degree programme in adition to their registered nurse certificattion.

Nurse practioners training can't be compared to physician training and clinical experience whuch is more than 10,000 hours thats why it is essential for them to complete their masters or doctoral programmme. That's why 29 states of US are preventing nurse practioners without some level of doctors supervision.

There is no other alternative than depending on international medical graduates for meeting the decreasing physicians as the supply of physician by medical schools has been drastically decreased day by day. IMGs play a crucial role in health care delivery system. An IMG graduate has same level of training but the origin is different.

In todays scenerio IMGs are working in speciality to fullfill the demands of physician. For example IMGs are turning very benificial in serving socioeconomical disadvantaged populations of united states. Theu add much needed diversity to the US population workforce.

So IMGs are very crucial in delivering an effective health care to population as a substituation of physicians. Patient can be reliable on them. They are the best alternatibe of the ongoing problem.