Foreign-Trained Physicians: Partners, Not Competitors

The American Workforce Movement and the Reality of Healthcare Access

We are living in a time where the conversation around an “America-first” workforce is louder than ever. Many industries are grappling with what it means to prioritize domestic labor, secure talent, and sustain economic growth. While those debates continue, one truth cannot be ignored: the United States is in the midst of a growing physician shortage.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the U.S. faces an estimated 37,800 to 124,000 physician shortfall by 2034, with primary care and rural specialties hit hardest. This isn’t just an abstract projection — it translates into millions of Americans struggling to access timely, quality care.

The Role of Foreign-Trained Physicians

Far from “taking jobs,” international medical graduates (IMGs) — physicians who received their medical degree outside the U.S. and Canada — are playing a vital role in keeping our healthcare system afloat:

• 1 in 4 practicing physicians in the U.S. is foreign-trained. That’s over 250,000 doctors nationwide.

• IMGs are disproportionately represented in primary care specialties (Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics), the very areas facing the steepest shortages.

• Rural America depends on them. Nearly 40% of rural physicians are IMGs, and in some states like North Dakota, more than half of new primary care doctors are foreign-trained.

• In federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), IMGs are twice as likely as U.S.-trained doctors to practice and stay long-term.

Addressing the Physician Shortage

Foreign-trained physicians are not competitors. They are gap-fillers, lifelines, and partners in care delivery. Without them:

• Over 84 million people in HPSAs would face even longer wait times for basic care.

• Critical services in inner-city clinics, community hospitals, and rural health centers would collapse under strain.

• The timeline for closing our projected physician shortage would be pushed even further out.

It is important to note that becoming a practicing physician in the U.S. as an IMG is not easy. They must:

1. Pass the same licensing exams (USMLEs) as U.S.-trained graduates.

2. Compete for residency spots — in 2024, IMGs made up ~23% of all residency matches.

3. Clear immigration and visa hurdles (e.g., J-1 waivers) that often tie them to practicing in underserved areas for years.

These are highly trained, rigorously vetted professionals who have deliberately chosen to serve where the need is greatest.

Why Recruiters Should Care

For recruiters, IMGs represent not just a stopgap, but a strategic workforce solution:

• Broader talent pipeline: With U.S. medical schools unable to expand quickly enough, IMGs expand the pool of qualified candidates.

• Community alignment: Many IMGs build deep roots in underserved communities, increasing retention rates and lowering costly turnover.

• Diversity of care: Research shows culturally diverse physician teams improve patient satisfaction, communication, and outcomes — particularly in multilingual and multicultural populations.

A Call to Partnership

Instead of viewing foreign-trained physicians through the lens of competition, we should recognize them as essential partners in ensuring every community has access to healthcare. They are not displacing U.S.-trained doctors — they are strengthening the system.

As physician recruiters, you play a critical role in reframing the narrative:

• Highlight the contributions of IMGs in your organization’s workforce strategy.

• Use data to show how they fill critical shortages, especially in primary care and underserved areas.

• Advocate for policies and recruitment pipelines that make it easier for qualified IMGs to join and stay in the U.S. workforce.

The physician shortage is daunting, but solvable with innovation, investment, and collaboration. Alongside U.S.-trained doctors, IMGs are part of the solution — committed to caring for patients who might otherwise go without.

Bottom line for recruiters: The U.S. cannot close its physician gap without foreign-trained doctors. Embrace them as partners in your mission to connect communities with the care they need.

Clint Rosser is the CEO of PracticeMatch. He has been with PracticeMatch since 2016. He has overseen several departments within PracticeMatch, including Inside Sales, Career Fairs, and the Client Services team. Clint, along with his team, has helped elevate PracticeMatch client services to move past a transactional vendor relationship to a full partnership with clients. This has allowed PracticeMatch to build stronger relationships and work with clients closer to ensure they can achieve the most ROI possible.