Are all doctors foreign born, or is it just me?

Here in NY State.... it seems that >90% of the doctors were born in a different country. Is this the same where you are, or is it just me? The particular country does not matter, other than it's not the US as their original one.

It doesn't seem right that one of the highest paying jobs we have in our country are all filled by foreign-born people... Whether they are US citizens now or not... is not the point. I'm just wondering why regular english-speaking Americans, without accents, are not working those jobs?? I think it's weird.

What happened? Is it the same for nurses as well?

This thread is not a racist rant. My apologies if you take it that way. This thread is a foreign person and a regular non-accented English speaking American person issue.

I smell a conspiracy.

I wouldn't say 90%

But where I used to work. We trained 20% of ALL new pathologists.

We did have a large percentage of non US Doctors.

I would say 50%?

From my own observations. You gotta "know" someone to get into med school.

Or you have to have a Spanish last name.

I will tell you exactly what is going on here. Back in the 60's there were more residency positions than applicants so they took in foreign docs. Nowadays there are a lot more applicants than residency positions so the foreign graduates are having a harder time applying. The foreign grads for consideration to residency training need to have USMLE step 1, USMLE step 2, and USMLE step 3 with stellar scores and need to be ECFMG certified. A lot of residency training program directors take these foreign grads on H1b visas over US students because a lot of US students do not go into primary care. The US graduates go specialties and are not interested in primary care.

The AAMC (American medical colleges association) is opening up more medical school positions in the upcoming years but keeping residency positions (federally funded) the same. This will make it difficult for foreign graduates to enter into the upcoming years residency matches, particularly 2013-2016



www.nrmp.org...

My doctor is from the Cameroon, he's a pretty good doctor in my opinion. His wife who's also a doctor and from Cameroon practices in the Bahamas. I don't think it's so much a conspiracy as doctors can make the most money in the USA and it's pretty easy for them to migrate with there education. So i guess it boils down to people wanting to live the best lives that they can.

It's the same here mate. Doctors come from overseas to train in the UK and a lot of them end up staying and working. It's more apparent in hospitals here but there are plenty of foreign GP's also.

At home a lot of them probably can't get the 250k a year the NHS pays GP's.

You want to see how desperate the foreign docs are to get US doctor jobs:

www.usmleforum.com...

They sit their and study every day and have entire forums dedicated to the USMLE exams, each and every one. Lesson to be learned: As an american study your ass off if you want to keep your job in the healtcare field, not only that it goes to show that the outsourcing is not limited to just corporate work, it also involves our healthcare.

reply to post by THE_PROFESSIONAL

I will tell you exactly what is going on here. Back in the 60's there were more residency positions than applicants so they took in foreign docs.

OK... I understand the statistics... but what were the forces that skewed these statistics as such? Why would the AAMC- American medical colleges association allow this slow invasion of foreigners into our country- to take over our most trusted/sensitive and best paying jobs almost completely? Any theories?

What does their skin color/heritage matter if they are US citizens? Americans have European heritage anyway so what's to moan about? they just came here later than you...

Oh and to answer your question, it's because we here in America seem to take everything for granted, people in other countries actually work hard. The education system is also really poor in the US. Most European countries, Aus, NZ, South Asians(India, Pakistan) and East Asians(China, Korea, Japan etc) have much higher education standards.

Originally posted by GLaDOS
What does their skin color/heritage matter...

No-one said anything about skin color or heritage. For example, if these doctors were all from England, Russia, or Australia, Western or Eastern Europe originally... the issue would remain.

I always heard that it was d*mn hard to get into medical school... but then all these outside-the-US-born foreigners got in... Seems fishy.... almost like a conspiracy.

reply to post by MarkJS


I am not sure but it is possible that they could have miscalculated the number of required doctor postions that the USA needs. Secondly the AAMC keeps the supply of doctors low to keep their incomes higher than average. In the upcoming years the AAMC is opening up a lot more US medical student positions, but the residency (training) positions will be kept the same, this is to edge out the foreign trained docs. Here is the thing, these foreign docs understand that competuition is stiff and they study for months and months for the USMLE exams and get excellent scores and sometimes even take the position of a to be US grad who has just passed the exam. This is not to be all doomy and gloomy but 95% of US medical students get a position as opposed to 50% of foreign trained docs. So it still favors US medical school graduates.

It seems to me a lot of doctors come and train in the US because we have some of the greatest medical training in the world. A lot end up staying here, because you can make a lot more money here, than if they go back and be doctors in their own countries. I am sure a lot get cozy in the years of schooling here, and that probably plays a role as well.

Originally posted by MarkJS

Originally posted by GLaDOS
What does their skin color/heritage matter...

I always heard that it was d*mn hard to get into medical school... but then all these outside-the-US-born foreigners got in... Seems fishy.... almost like a conspiracy.

edit on 11/4/2012 by MarkJS because: (no reason given)

As I said in my original post, the US has a poor education standard compared to some other countries, that's why the foreigners get in first.

reply to post by MarkJS


Is it possible that American students just don't have the brains that the foreigners have?

It is well-documented that Asians have a serious work ethic when it comes to study and that their grades reflect that dedication.

reply to post by GLaDOS


It is hard to get into medical school in the USA, but the residency training positions require the USMLE examinations to get in with excellent scores. In the USA you need MCATS to get into school, overseas you do not, but in order to practice with a license in the USA you need to pass USMLE 1,2 and 3 get ECFMG certified, and find a postion (residency training).

It's just like anything else. TPTB wants to destroy the livelihood of anyone who actually does anything useful by opening the floodgates to cheap labor. The jobs they can't send overseas the'll ruin by bringing overseas here.

To paraphrase a famous old thing some might recognize...

First they came for the factory workers, but I did not speak up because I was not a factory worker.
Then they came for the tech workers, but I did not speak up because I was not a tech worker.
Then they came for the doctors an lawyers, but I did not speak up because I wasn't one of those.
Then they came for my job, and there was nobody to speak up because everyone was already unemployed..."


Stop outsourcing and offshoring - while we still can!

Originally posted by disgustingfatbody
reply to post by MarkJS

 

Is it possible that American students just don't have the brains that the foreigners have?

It is well-documented that Asians have a serious work ethic when it comes to study and that their grades reflect that dedication.

You're missing the point. I have no problem with American-born Asians.... The OP addresses all people born outside of the US who are doctors now... This would include Asian-born Asians.

I don't buy the Amureecans are stoopid (lol) line.... Why? Because somewhere down the line, most likely our forefathers were foreign as well, and we have the same blood.

Your point just detracts from the OP... and on one level I believe that it doesn't really hold up to logic.

The issue is deeper than that...

How does someone pay for medic al school unless they come from a pretty well to do family? 80% of American families vould not afford to their children through med school even with fianncial assistance.

It is all about the money!

reply to post by MarkJS


I'm sorry. The fact of the matter is that Americans are not as well-educated as a large portion of the rest of the world.

The cost to apply for med school is $1500 a pop.

This is a factor for a lot of my friends that try year after year.

I have seen a woman who had the married name of Martinez.

She did not change her name back to Neil because she knew she would have a better chance of getting into med school.

She was right.

I saw a brilliant scientist not get accepted. He was a white American.

In my same lab. A less experienced female was accepted. Her grades and scores were not as good as the guys.

She got accepted. On her first try. She was half black half Navajo.

This is affirmative action.

This is the state on New Mexico for you.

reply to post by sligtlyskeptical

Even worse, a whole lot of Americans cannot even afford to go to regular college, let alone graduate school, without taking on boatloads of debt in the process.