The need of community health centers for international medical graduates.
OBJECTIVE
This study sought to determine whether community health centers need international medical graduates to fill staff positions.


METHODS
The authors surveyed 100 community health center administrators to learn about their perceptions of international medical graduates.


RESULTS
Nationally, about one quarter of community health centers depend on international medical graduates to fill physician vacancies; most of these centers foresee unfilled positions in the event of a cutback.


CONCLUSIONS
Policies calling for a national reduction in the supply of international medical graduates need to be balanced by an understanding of these individuals' role in reducing local physician shortages.
Baer
L D
LD
Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-7590, USA. lenny_baer@unc.edu
Konrad
T R
TR
Miller
J S
JS
D003151:Community Health Centers; D003625:Data Collection; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005550:Foreign Medical Graduates / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011640:Public Policy; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce