Latest news with #NationalResidentMatchingProgram
The Mainichi
2 days ago
- Health
- The Mainichi
Foreign medical residents fill critical positions at US hospitals, but are running into visa issues
(AP)-- Some hospitals in the U.S. are without essential staff because international doctors who were set to start their medical training this week were delayed by the Trump administration's travel and visa restrictions. It's unclear exactly how many foreign medical residents were unable to start their assignments, but six medical residents interviewed by The Associated Press say they've undergone years of training and work only to be stopped at the finish line by what is usually a procedural step. "I don't want to give up," said a permanent Canadian resident who matched to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Harrisburg but had her visa denied because she is a citizen of Afghanistan. She requested to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal. "But the situation also seems so helpless." Initially, the medical community was worried that hundreds of positions -- many in hospitals in low-income or rural areas of the U.S. -- could be affected. The pause on interviews for J-1 visas for approved work or study-related programs was lifted in mid-June. The national nonprofit that facilitates the residency match process said the visa situation is resolving, but it will take weeks to know with confidence how many medical residents have had the start of their careers derailed because they got their visa too late or were blocked by President Donald Trump's travel ban on 12 countries, according to people who coordinate the residents' training. Four foreign medical residents told the AP that U.S. embassies have been slow to open up interview slots -- and some have not opened any. "You lose out on the time you could have used to treat patients," said one resident from Pakistan, who matched to an internal medicine program in Massachusetts and requested to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal. Thousands of foreign medical residents fill gaps in U.S. hospitals The U.S. is projected to face a physician shortage in the next 11 years, per the Association of American Medical Colleges, and foreign medical residents fill critical gaps in the health care system. More than 6,600 foreign-born international medical residents matched into U.S. programs in 2025 -- the highest on record -- and another 300 filled positions that were vacant after the match process was complete. Not all of those residents were affected by visa issues or the travel ban on foreign nationals from countries including Afghanistan, Haiti and Sudan. International medical graduates often take jobs in places where U.S. medical trainees tend not to go, said Donna Lamb, president of the National Resident Matching Program. "It's not just that they're coming in and they want to work in big, flashy centers on the coast," Lamb said. "They're truly providing health care for all of America." Foreign medical residents work in specialties that U.S. applicants aren't as eager to apply to. For example, international candidates make up almost 40% of residents in internal medicine, which specializes in the prevention and treatment of chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. "The residents are the backbone of the entire hospital," said Dr. Zaid Alrashid from Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in New York, which has medical residents from almost every continent. Most received their visas prior to the pause but a few were caught up in delays. Two residents from India who spoke on condition of anonymity have not been able to get an appointment at any U.S. embassies there despite the J-1 visa pause being lifted. Another resident from Egypt just secured a visa appointment for mid-August but is worried her program may not be willing to wait for her. She's already paid her security deposit for an apartment in Texas to live during her residency. "I don't know when this situation will be resolved," said the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, adding she hasn't been eating or sleeping well. Hospitals waiting for residents to arrive In California, leaders at two graduate medical education programs said they have a small number of residents caught up in J-1 visa delays. Both spoke on condition of anonymity due to concerns for the doctors who are still trying to get visas. A residency leader at one large health care system said two doctors in its 150-resident program are delayed, adding they could start late or defer to next year. A 135-person program at a California public health system told the AP that one resident has yet to arrive, though he was finally scheduled for a visa interview. "We are not going to breathe easy until he's here in our hospital," the second leader said. As of Wednesday, Lamb's matching program had received fewer than 20 requests to defer or cancel residency contracts. Worried about losing their spots if they defer, many foreign medical residents may keep trying to get to the U.S. and start their residencies late, said Dr. Sabesan Karuppiah, a past member of the American Medical Association's International Medical Graduates Governing Council and former director of a large residency program. Some hospitals may struggle at this point to replace the residents who don't make it, leaving fewer people to care for the same number of patients, said Kimberly Pierce Burke, executive director of the Alliance of Independent Academic Medical Centers. Foreign medical trainees who've made it into the U.S. remain on edge about their situations, Karuppiah said. "I can tell you the word on the street is: 'Do not leave the country,'" he said, adding that people are missing out on important events, seeing sick parents or even getting married. "Everybody's scared to just leave, not knowing what's going to happen."
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Foreign medical residents fill critical positions at US hospitals, but are running into visa issues
Some hospitals in the U.S. are without essential staff because international doctors who were set to start their medical training this week were delayed by the Trump administration's travel and visa restrictions. It's unclear exactly how many foreign medical residents were unable to start their assignments, but six medical residents interviewed by The Associated Press say they've undergone years of training and work only to be stopped at the finish line by what is usually a procedural step. 'I don't want to give up,' said a permanent Canadian resident who matched to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Harrisburg but had her visa denied because she is a citizen of Afghanistan. She requested to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal. 'But the situation also seems so helpless.' Initially, the medical community was worried that hundreds of positions — many in hospitals in low-income or rural areas of the U.S. — could be affected. The pause on interviews for J-1 visas for approved work or study-related programs was lifted in mid-June. The national nonprofit that facilitates the residency match process said the visa situation is resolving, but it will take weeks to know with confidence how many medical residents have had the start of their careers derailed because they got their visa too late or were blocked by President Donald Trump's travel ban on 12 countries, according to people who coordinate the residents' training. Four foreign medical residents told the AP that U.S. embassies have been slow to open up interview slots — and some have not opened any. 'You lose out on the time you could have used to treat patients,' said one resident from Pakistan, who matched to an internal medicine program in Massachusetts and requested to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal. Thousands of foreign medical residents fill gaps in U.S. hospitals The U.S. is projected to face a physician shortage in the next 11 years, per the Association of American Medical Colleges, and foreign medical residents fill critical gaps in the health care system. More than 6,600 foreign-born international medical residents matched into U.S. programs in 2025 — the highest on record — and another 300 filled positions that were vacant after the match process was complete. Not all of those residents were affected by visa issues or the travel ban on foreign nationals from countries including Afghanistan, Haiti and Sudan. International medical graduates often take jobs in places where U.S. medical trainees tend not to go, said Donna Lamb, president of the National Resident Matching Program. 'It's not just that they're coming in and they want to work in big, flashy centers on the coast,' Lamb said. 'They're truly providing health care for all of America.' Foreign medical residents work in specialties that U.S. applicants aren't as eager to apply to. For example, international candidates make up almost 40% of residents in internal medicine, which specializes in the prevention and treatment of chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. 'The residents are the backbone of the entire hospital,' said Dr. Zaid Alrashid from Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in New York, which has medical residents from almost every continent. Most received their visas prior to the pause but a few were caught up in delays. Two residents from India who spoke on condition of anonymity have not been able to get an appointment at any U.S. embassies there despite the J-1 visa pause being lifted. Another resident from Egypt just secured a visa appointment for mid-August but is worried her program may not be willing to wait for her. She's already paid her security deposit for an apartment in Texas to live during her residency. 'I don't know when this situation will be resolved,' said the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, adding she hasn't been eating or sleeping well. Hospitals waiting for residents to arrive In California, leaders at two graduate medical education programs said they have a small number of residents caught up in J-1 visa delays. Both spoke on condition of anonymity due to concerns for the doctors who are still trying to get visas. A residency leader at one large health care system said two doctors in its 150-resident program are delayed, adding they could start late or defer to next year. A 135-person program at a California public health system told the AP that one resident has yet to arrive, though he was finally scheduled for a visa interview. 'We are not going to breathe easy until he's here in our hospital,' the second leader said. As of Wednesday, Lamb's matching program had received fewer than 20 requests to defer or cancel residency contracts. Worried about losing their spots if they defer, many foreign medical residents may keep trying to get to the U.S. and start their residencies late, said Dr. Sabesan Karuppiah, a past member of the American Medical Association's International Medical Graduates Governing Council and former director of a large residency program. Some hospitals may struggle at this point to replace the residents who don't make it, leaving fewer people to care for the same number of patients, said Kimberly Pierce Burke, executive director of the Alliance of Independent Academic Medical Centers. Foreign medical trainees who've made it into the U.S. remain on edge about their situations, Karuppiah said. 'I can tell you the word on the street is: 'Do not leave the country,'' he said, adding that people are missing out on important events, seeing sick parents or even getting married. 'Everybody's scared to just leave, not knowing what's going to happen.' —- The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Foreign medical residents fill critical positions at US hospitals, but are running into visa issues
Some hospitals in the U.S. are without essential staff because international doctors who were set to start their medical training this week were delayed by the Trump administration's travel and visa restrictions. It's unclear exactly how many foreign medical residents were unable to start their assignments, but six medical residents interviewed by The Associated Press say they've undergone years of training and work only to be stopped at the finish line by what is usually a procedural step. 'I don't want to give up,' said a permanent Canadian resident who matched to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Harrisburg but had her visa denied because she is a citizen of Afghanistan. She requested to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal. 'But the situation also seems so helpless.' Initially, the medical community was worried that hundreds of positions — many in hospitals in low-income or rural areas of the U.S. — could be affected. The pause on interviews for J-1 visas for approved work or study-related programs was lifted in mid-June. The national nonprofit that facilitates the residency match process said the visa situation is resolving, but it will take weeks to know with confidence how many medical residents have had the start of their careers derailed because they got their visa too late or were blocked by President Donald Trump's travel ban on 12 countries, according to people who coordinate the residents' training. Four foreign medical residents told the AP that U.S. embassies have been slow to open up interview slots — and some have not opened any. 'You lose out on the time you could have used to treat patients,' said one resident from Pakistan, who matched to an internal medicine program in Massachusetts and requested to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal. Thousands of foreign medical residents fill gaps in U.S. hospitals The U.S. is projected to face a physician shortage in the next 11 years, per the Association of American Medical Colleges, and foreign medical residents fill critical gaps in the health care system. More than 6,600 foreign-born international medical residents matched into U.S. programs in 2025 — the highest on record — and another 300 filled positions that were vacant after the match process was complete. Not all of those residents were affected by visa issues or the travel ban on foreign nationals from countries including Afghanistan, Haiti and Sudan. International medical graduates often take jobs in places where U.S. medical trainees tend not to go, said Donna Lamb, president of the National Resident Matching Program. 'It's not just that they're coming in and they want to work in big, flashy centers on the coast,' Lamb said. 'They're truly providing health care for all of America.' Foreign medical residents work in specialties that U.S. applicants aren't as eager to apply to. For example, international candidates make up almost 40% of residents in internal medicine, which specializes in the prevention and treatment of chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. 'The residents are the backbone of the entire hospital,' said Dr. Zaid Alrashid from Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in New York, which has medical residents from almost every continent. Most received their visas prior to the pause but a few were caught up in delays. Two residents from India who spoke on condition of anonymity have not been able to get an appointment at any U.S. embassies there despite the J-1 visa pause being lifted. Another resident from Egypt just secured a visa appointment for mid-August but is worried her program may not be willing to wait for her. She's already paid her security deposit for an apartment in Texas to live during her residency. 'I don't know when this situation will be resolved,' said the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, adding she hasn't been eating or sleeping well. Hospitals waiting for residents to arrive In California, leaders at two graduate medical education programs said they have a small number of residents caught up in J-1 visa delays. Both spoke on condition of anonymity due to concerns for the doctors who are still trying to get visas. A residency leader at one large health care system said two doctors in its 150-resident program are delayed, adding they could start late or defer to next year. A 135-person program at a California public health system told the AP that one resident has yet to arrive, though he was finally scheduled for a visa interview. 'We are not going to breathe easy until he's here in our hospital,' the second leader said. As of Wednesday, Lamb's matching program had received fewer than 20 requests to defer or cancel residency contracts. Worried about losing their spots if they defer, many foreign medical residents may keep trying to get to the U.S. and start their residencies late, said Dr. Sabesan Karuppiah, a past member of the American Medical Association's International Medical Graduates Governing Council and former director of a large residency program. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Some hospitals may struggle at this point to replace the residents who don't make it, leaving fewer people to care for the same number of patients, said Kimberly Pierce Burke, executive director of the Alliance of Independent Academic Medical Centers. Foreign medical trainees who've made it into the U.S. remain on edge about their situations, Karuppiah said. 'I can tell you the word on the street is: 'Do not leave the country,'' he said, adding that people are missing out on important events, seeing sick parents or even getting married. 'Everybody's scared to just leave, not knowing what's going to happen.' —- The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
NBC News
24-06-2025
- Health
- NBC News
Hundreds of international doctors due to start medical residencies are in visa limbo
A week before they are due to start work at U.S. hospitals, hundreds of doctors from abroad are still waiting to obtain visas granting them temporary stays in the country. Many of them have been in limbo since late May, when the State Department suspended applications for J-1 visas, which allow people to come to the U.S. for exchange visitor programs. The visas are the most common way for international doctors to attend residencies in the U.S., which provide medical graduates with training in a given specialty. The State Department announced last week that embassies or consulates could resume visa interviews but that applicants would be required to make their social media accounts public. However, many doctors still haven't been able to schedule visa appointments because their embassies haven't reopened slots, according to Project IMG, a networking and support group for international medical students and graduates. Others have been told at visa appointments over the last several days that their applications require additional vetting. Still others have been denied visas because they are originally from countries listed on the Trump administration's recent travel ban. The administration this month partially restricted visas for people from seven countries and fully suspended visas for an additional 12 countries. NBC News spoke with eight doctors who have struggled to obtain visas ahead of their residencies, most of whom asked to remain anonymous for fear of affecting their visa application process. They said their dreams are now up in the air after years of studying, financial sacrifice and lost time with loved ones. The cost of medical licensing exams, which anyone starting a medical residency in the U.S. is required to pass, can exceed $2,000. They also worry about the communities they're supposed to serve in the U.S., many of which have doctor shortages and rely on incoming medical residents to fill those gaps. Several doctors said they are frantically refreshing embassy pages in hopes that an appointment opens up or looking for slots in nearby countries. Others who have been denied visas are trying to schedule new appointments, but are starting to lose hope. 'Sometimes I want to give up, to be honest,' said one doctor, originally from a travel ban country, who was accepted to a pediatric residency in rural Texas. 'I'm tired. I have studied a lot. I have spent a lot of money.' More than 6,600 doctors who are non-U.S. citizens were accepted into residency programs this year, according to the National Resident Matching Program. Once they're matched with a program, these doctors have a brief window — around three months — to obtain a visa before their residencies start on July 1. Many international doctors were able to schedule interviews and obtain visas before the Trump administration's visa pause, according to Project IMG. But others were still waiting on documents from their government to complete their applications or couldn't get an interview until June. Project IMG said Tuesday it estimates that hundreds of doctors are still stuck abroad due to the Trump administration's visa restrictions. 'We gotta solve this crisis by July 1,' said Dr. Sebastian Arruarana, the organization's founder. Many residency programs are doing their best to reserve people's spots while the visa process plays out, but it's not a guarantee. While programs can't revoke a spot outright, they can apply for a waiver with the National Resident Matching Program that would release them of their commitment to a doctor. They can also defer a doctor's spot to the following year. A spokesperson for the State Department told NBC News last Friday that protecting national security is the highest priority in the visa process. However, they noted that 'visas for qualified medical professionals have played an important role in helping the United States address critical health care shortages.' Many hospitals are indeed counting on incoming residents to address provider shortages, particularly in rural or low-income areas. Dr. Artur Polechshuk and Dr. Kseniia Tonkoshkurova, an engaged couple from Novi Sad, Serbia, were matched into a pediatric residency at a hospital in Kanawha County, West Virginia. The county is designated by the federal government as a medically underserved area with a shortage of primary care providers. Out of nine first-year residents in the couple's program, three were held up by the J-1 visa suspension, Tonkoshkurova said. 'You can imagine how three physicians are crucial [to] health care for this small community,' she said. 'It's patients who will have delays. And doctors who are already there, they will work more.' After weeks of waiting, the couple finally managed to obtain an appointment for a visa interview next week. The Trump administration has directed U.S. embassies and consulates to review applicants' online presences, including social media activity, for any signs of hostility toward the U.S., support for antisemitic harassment or advocacy for foreign terrorist groups. Polechshuk said they have nothing to hide in their social media profiles, which are already public, but they're nervous about how the interview will go. 'Due to these new rules, we don't know what they will ask,' he said. 'When you are in a really stressful situation, you fear to be in this small percentage of people who were declined.' International doctors are often matched with hospitals in underserved communities in part because the positions are less coveted by U.S. applicants. But many international doctors also bring a unique skillset to neighborhoods — they speak languages other than English and may be familiar with diseases that aren't common in the U.S. Training in the U.S. can also benefit populations abroad. Dr. Gabriel Pena, a family medicine doctor from Venezuela who was accepted to a residency program in Chino, California, said he plans to use his training in the U.S. to treat people in his home country. 'In the states, you put a lot of resources toward research, towards finding new treatments to help others,' Pena said. 'You guys have a lot of tools that I'm sure in the future I will be able to use back there in my country.' Like many of his colleagues, Pena is struggling to obtain a visa because of the travel ban. The secretary of state or the secretary of homeland security can grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis for individuals whose stays in the U.S. serve the national interest. But the State Department said it expects 'such exceptions to be very rare.' Dr. Conrad Fischer, residency program director at One Brooklyn Health, a hospital network in New York, said the visa ban could make it harder to attract talented doctors to residency programs next year. Applications open in September. 'We need the help of people who are making these decisions at the State Department and other places to understand the full impacts of the policies,' Fischer said.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
How a visa hold could deepen the US doctor shortage this residency season
Why international medical graduates are stuck as US visa freeze threatens residency season. (AI Image) A recent visa appointment freeze by the Trump administration has placed hundreds of international medical graduates (IMGs) in uncertainty, just weeks before many are expected to begin US residency programs. The pause affects all new visa appointments, leaving many newly-matched doctors at risk of missing their start dates. The freeze, aimed at revising vetting procedures to include social media checks, was announced by the US State Department. According to Forbes, this sudden halt impacts thousands of students, teachers, and exchange visitors. However, IMGs are particularly vulnerable, as most US medical residencies begin in July and require interns to be present in June for orientation. Residency programs depend on foreign-trained doctors According to the American Medical Association, about 25% of practicing doctors in the US were educated in foreign medical schools. These IMGs are required to complete a US residency before receiving a license to practice. In March's 'main residency match,' 37,677 medical graduates were placed into first-year jobs, of which 6,653 were foreign-born graduates of non-US medical schools, based on data from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), as reported by Forbes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Premium Apartments by Signature Global Signature Global Book Now Undo An additional 3,108 matched graduates were US citizens who studied abroad. The visa freeze affects the J-1 visa, which is commonly issued to IMGs for training and education purposes. While many have secured their visa appointments, an estimated 5%—over 300 incoming doctors—have not, said Zain Abdin, a Chicago-based physician and IMG, as quoted by Forbes. These doctors now face the risk of missing the start of their training. A pause with real consequences Hospitals rely heavily on interns—first-year residents—to provide supervised patient care. Missing even a few weeks of training can put IMG positions at risk, and leave hospitals understaffed. According to Forbes, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), which supports IMGs, is seeking an exception for physicians during the freeze. The ECFMG also warned current residents not to leave the country, as re-entry could be denied during the pause. Some IMGs have spoken out about their concerns. 'We are stuck and we are helpless,' said one IMG matched to a Texas medical center, in a message to Sebastian Arruarana, a resident physician and social media influencer focused on IMG issues, as quoted by Forbes. Their orientation had already started in early June. Another newly matched resident said, 'I just got matched on May 23 after so many challenges and against all odds,' but had yet to secure a visa appointment. Some states may be hit harder than others While large states like New York and Florida received the most foreign medical residents this year—1,592 and 698 respectively, according to NRMP data reported by Forbes—smaller, rural states rely on IMGs even more. In states like North Dakota, Wyoming, and Arkansas, IMGs made up 38%, 33%, and 32% of incoming residents respectively. As the visa freeze continues with no confirmed end date, hospitals and foreign doctors are left in a holding pattern, with serious consequences for patient care and the US medical system. Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.
