The contribution of international medical graduates to diversity in the U.S. physician workforce: graduate medical education.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the ethnicity/race and gender distribution of the international medical graduates (IMGs) qualified to enter graduate medical education (GME) and those who are actually in GME.


METHODS
The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) database and the American Medical Association's Masterfile provided ethnicity/race and gender data for the pool of IMGs qualified to enter GME (ECFMG certificants from 2000-2005) and those in GME in 2005. Data for U.S. medical graduates come from Association of American Medical Colleges' publications.


RESULTS
Compared with USMGs, both the pool of available IMGs and those in graduate training have a larger percentage of Asians and Hispanics, a lower percentage of Blacks and American Indian/Pacific Islanders, and a much lower percentage of Whites. The groups had comparable percentages of women.


CONCLUSIONS
International medical graduates provide much-needed diversity in GME. Since most IMGs remain in the U.S. after training, this diversity can lead to a richer training environment, increased access to health care, and better health care outcomes.
Norcini
John J
JJ
Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. jnorcini@faimer.org
van Zanten
Marta
M
Boulet
John R
JR
D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006280:Health Workforce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014481:United States