Research Results
Exploring and Comparing Needs of International and US Medical Graduates in US Health Care
Introduction / Background
This web-based survey aimed to examine and compare the needs of international medical graduates (IMGs) and their United States peers. Topics of interest included communication in the workplace, both amongst colleagues and between physicians and patients, and the trainings medical graduates received as they began their practice in the United States. The ultimate goal is to determine specific areas in which IMGs and US graduates still struggle and to tailor workshops or trainings to better assist them in those areas during the transition to practice.
Methods
A comprehensive literature review was conducted, and sample topics and questions were pulled from other papers that had been previously published in addition to expert opinion. The survey was branched into two parts depending on whether you had completed your medical education inside or outside of the United States with roughly 25 questions in each survey. The survey was recently finalized and received IRB approval under exempt category. It has been sent out via email to practicing physicians in the US via two local and national listservs
Results
Figure 1. This graph shows the percentage of IMG and USMG respondents.
Figure 2. This graph shows the ranking of communication skills by USMGs and IMGs.
Figure 3. This figure displays the frequency that USMGs and IMGs reported being misunderstood in the workplace.
Figure 4. This figure displays the frequency that USMGs and IMGs reported hesitating to speak up in the workplace.
Table 1. This table shows the percentages of USMG and IMG respondents who reported never being misunderstood or being misunderstood to some degree.
Table 2. This table shows the percentages of USMGs and IMGs who reported never hesitating to speak up or hesitating to speak up to some degree.
Figure 5. This figure shows the amount of respondents and their reported difficulty in building relationships with fellow staff members.
Table 3. This table shows the different issues brought up by IMGs when prompted "What other challenges / unmet needs did you have in your residency or your faculty position?"
Table 4. This table shows the different issues brought up by USMGs when prompted "What other challenges / unmet needs did you have in your residency or your faculty position?"
Conclusion
Based on these preliminary findings of the initial survey responses, USMGs appear to have more difficulty in communication and speaking up in the workplace than their IMG colleagues. Further analysis after completion of data collection would yield more information.