Large number of Indians among 65,000 unlicensed international medical graduates in the US.
With the US continuing to be one of the worst coronavirus affected countries in the world, there is an increased need for medical professionals to join the fight against covid-19.
Yet about 65,000 unlicensed medical graduates from international schools including a large number of Indians are not allowed to join in efforts to contain the spreading pandemic.
Keeping this in mind, AMOpportunities, a Chicago-based organization that connects international medical students, graduates, and trainees with clinical experiences in the US has started a petition on Change.org to allow IMGs (international medical graduates) to assist US hospitals in any capacity. As of 1:40 pm EST, April 6, 2020, nearly 11,700 people have already signed the petition.
“Covid-19 is quickly depleting our country’s healthcare resources and putting an incredible strain on the professionals who show up to hospitals every day,” said Kyle Swinsky, CEO of AMOpportunities explaining the need for such a petition. “They need help, and an answer is the 65,000 unlicensed international medical graduates in the US.”
“State medical boards should allow these US-based, ECFMG-certified, unmatched IMGs to join the fight against Covid-19,” he said. “Their combined knowledge and expertise could have a tremendous impact in eradicating this virus.”
RELATED LINK: READ THE PETITION
More than one fourth, 27% to be precise, of all US physicians are internationally trained with a large number of international medical graduates being Indians.
According to Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) data, In the past 25 years, Indian citizen international medical graduates were either the first or second largest population only after US citizens to be ECFMG certified, which IMGs need to take the USMLE (medical exam version of the bar) and to become a licensed physician.
Also, data from a 2016 census of actively licensed physicians showed out of the 216,812 actively licensed IMGs, 23% were from schools in India.
Data from AMOpportunities, shared with the American Bazaar also proves that Indian medical graduates consistently remain among top contenders for physician jobs in the US.
Since 2017, 459 Indian medical students and graduates have booked programs with AMO. India is also one of the most popular countries for AMO visitors.
The petition says, “Already, US hospitals are calling on retired healthcare professionals and medical students to lend their support. Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey recently signed an executive order, to grant temporary licenses to doctors licensed in foreign countries. The rest of the country must follow suit.”
Often the international medical graduates are unable to work because of lack of residency options available. Out of the 65,000 IMGs many have passed their board licensing program but cannot secure residency slots and thus can’t practice.
READ MORE:
How to keep safe during corona times (April 1, 2020)
Global COVID-19 cases jump by a hundred thousand to top 700,000 (March 30, 2020)
U.S. now accounts for roughly one-sixth of global coronavirus cases (March 28, 2020)
US COVID cases tops 100,000 (March 27, 2020)
Coronavirus cases cross half a million globally (March 26, 2020)
Coronavirus: Global cases surpass 400,000 (March 25, 2020)
US could become COVID-19’s new epicenter: WHO (March 24, 2020)
Indiana Sikh American family offers homemade masks for Corona crisis (March 23, 2020)
Corona News: Cases top 200,000 worldwide, U.S., India curtail travel (March 20, 2020)
The different types of college students and their reactions to COVID-19 (March 20, 2020)
India bans travel from US, rest of the world beginning March 22 for one week (March 19, 2020)
India’s visa suspension creates anxiety, confusion in the U.S. (March 13, 2020)
Indian Americans step forward to help in COVID-19 crisis (March 17, 2020)
India’s Kerala state shows how to fight Coronavirus (March 18, 2020)
Coronavirus starts a toilet paper run in North America (March 13, 2020)
Hundreds of Coronavirus fighting Indian doctors stuck in green card backlog (March 18, 2020)
India’s visa suspension creates anxiety, confusion in the U.S. (March 13, 2020)
How India lover Elizabeth Schneider survived dreaded Coronavirus (March 12, 2020)
Religious institutions live stream prayer services amid Coronavirus shut down (March 15, 2020)
Indian American led team translating COVID-19 info in 30 languages (March 17, 2020)
Hum some desi tunes to fight Coronavirus blues! (March 17, 2020)
4 Comments
We are willing to help , we have the skills , the experience . Don’t let it go for waste . It’s the biggest asset that’s there untapped . Cut the red tape , let people do the job they are best at .its unfair for the doctors and the patients too for the lack there of medical doctors to treat them . The system is flawed and the pandemic just left a gaping hole . No other country is reeling from it so bad , as an advanced country as the United States .
Please let us help us all we ask of . It’s frustrating to see people die and our hands tied and just sit and watch despite the ability to help .
We all foreign medical graduates are ready to fight with Corona virus . But how to approach.
This is not beg but this is justifiable
All fmge doctor are ready to fight against corona . Pls allow FMGE