UP Ibalon Bicol: Filipino doctors in USA, 2nd to India among IMGs

Filipino doctors in USA, 2nd to India among IMGs

3/23/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

We are quick to assert that among the international medical graduates (IMGs) in the United States, Filipinos are 2nd to doctors from India as the most represented ethnic group in the profession. This is a very good record for our country who has distinguished itself as one of the most prolific doctor suppliers of America. About ¼ of doctors in USA are IMGs.

Top Ten Countries of Medical Education for IMG Physicians

2007
India------------------------------------ 19.99%----------------------47,581
Philippines------------------------------8.7%-------------------------20,861
Mexico----------------------------------5.8%-------------------------13,929
Pakistan---------------------------------4.8%-------------------------11,330
Dominican Republic------------------3.3%--------------------------7,892
Russia----------------------------------2.5%------------------------- 6,039
Grenada---------------------------------2.4%--------------------------5,708
Egypt------------------------------------2.2%--------------------------5,202
Korea------------------------------------2,1%--------------------------4,982
Italy--------------------------------------2.1%--------------------------4,741
Source: American Medical Association (AMA) Masterfile 2007

2008
India-------------------------------------21%--------------------------41,247
Philippines------------------------------ 9%---------------------------21,081
Mexico---------------------------------- 6%---------------------------13,980
Pakistan----------------------------------5%---------------------------11,901
Dominican Republic-------------------3.7%---------------------------8,618
Russia------------------------------------2.7%---------------------------6,293
Grenada----------------------------------2.7%---------------------------6,299
Egypt-------------------------------------2.2%---------------------------5,301
Korea-------------------------------------2.1%---------------------------5,031
China-------------------------------------2.1%---------------------------5,087
Source: American Medical Association (AMA) Masterfile 2008

The 2008 American Medical Association (AMA) IMG record shows the Filipino doctors rank second to India in number----9% and 21% respectively of the total number of foreign medics who train in the United States. That’s a total of 21,081 Filipinos vs. 41,247 Indians. Because of the sharp difference (double) in numbers between the two groups, Filipino physicians in USA looks scarcer compared to the Indians.

The current distribution of Filipino doctors will probably stay for a while since the boom of the nursing profession in the Philippines has lured more doctors to come to USA as nurses. Former Sec of Health Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan confirmed this trend when he revealed in 2007, "My latest study, there are 9,000 doctors who have become nurses. Six thousand of them (6,000) have left the Philippines mainly for the U.S. to work as nurses." Majority of these MD-nurses come from government hospitals, keeping the pool of United States Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) takers and residency seekers from new graduates relatively intact.

A coincident fall of medical student enrollment, as much as 40% in some schools, has caused the lack of physicians in the Philippines, but not so much in USA since it remains to be a favored job destination of Filipino health professionals for more than 50 years. What is astounding is even if Filipino IMGs are second to the Indians, their number is small---less than half of the latter.(Photo Credit: Jandentonchua) =0=

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Labels: American Medical Association, Filipino doctors, Filipinos, IMG, India, International Medical Graduate, Medicine, Physicians, Totie Mesia, USMLE

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Filipino doctors in USA, 2nd to India among IMGs

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