Monday, 19 August 2019

International Medical Students And Young Physician Program Benefits

By Christine Thomas


While there are currently physicians and specialists working in rural areas, towns and cities, there is still a major shortage of primary care doctors and others in the United States. In fact, according to experts in the field of demographics, it is likely the country will need up to 120,000 additional specialists, general practitioners and others by the year 2030. In response, the international medical students and young physician program has now been set up in the United States.

It is hoped that a number of international medical graduates may actually be able to play an integral role in alleviating the crisis. Recent reports show that students attending International schools of medicine are more likely to go into primary care, especially in rural areas where the need is greatest than those whom graduate in the United States. While there is a shortage of doctors, the problem is more the distribution of medical staff to various geographic areas.

Other reasons for the shortage include a number of limited positions being available at hospitals hosting residency programs. In addition, most programs of residency focus on specialties rather than primary care. Training being out of alignment with current health care utilization is another issue which contributes to the problem. For, if there are no primary care providers, it can be difficult for an individual to obtain a referral to a specialist.

With this being the case, it is now forecast that over the coming 12 plus years, the 65 and over population will most likely grow by fifty percent. Whereas, estimates show the population under the age of eighteen will only grow by 3 percent during that same period. Considering the fact that older people utilize health care at increased rates compared to younger individuals and the number of physicians approaching retirement, the demand for additional health care providers will most likely continue to increase.

The crisis is greatest in rural, urban and underserved areas such as those with small community hospitals and clinics. In fact, a number of small cities and towns such as Arcata and McKinleyville, California have a hard time keeping doctors beyond the hours to complete a residency. Whereas, others refuse to take positions in these areas due to the cost of housing, or lack of services in the area.

While this is the case, medical students whom are averse to working in primary care fields only add to the problem. For, internal medicine, family medicine and pediatrics are often the most difficult positions to fill around the country. Most often, these individuals avoid working in these areas due to pay being lower than in a number of more specialized areas though training programs are also to blame.

Most medical schools in the United States train physicians at huge university hospitals. As a result, those in training are often discouraged from working in the primary care field by the upon graduation. One reason this is the case, is because these individuals are often taught that if clinics and hospitals want primary care physicians, then there needs to be a program for training in this area.

Once having arrived in the United States from participating schools of medicine, these young residents will work in rural areas as primary care physicians. For, another contributing factor to the shortage is the distribution of physicians to these areas. After which, it is hoped that the shortage will begin to shrink and more students will become interested in these areas in the future.




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