How deterring foreign physicians could harm U.S. care

The United States has strict policies regarding medical licensing— foreign trained physicians are only allowed to practice in the U.S. once they have obtained a license in the state in which they intend to work, must acquire a visa, pass the first two steps of the United States Medical-Licensing Exam (USMLE), and then become certified by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). They must get into an accredited U.S. or Canadian residency program, and finally, go back and pass step three of the USMLE. Each step can take several years, deterring physicians who are already able to practice in the country in which they were trained. But is it really a good idea to deter them?

Source: The Atlantic