The Pivotal Role of the International Medical Graduate

* Abbreviations: AAP — : American Academy of Pediatrics ECFMG — : Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates IMG — : international medical graduate The American Medical Association Physician Masterfile reveals 26 000 physicians who attended medical school outside the United States and Canada and who are not currently in residency, declaring pediatrics as their specialty. According to the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), in 2015, 3 countries (India, Canada, and Pakistan) contributed the highest numbers of non–US-born international medical graduates (IMGs) receiving ECFMG certification. However, there were also a sizable number of certificate holders from Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa (Nigeria).1 Non–US-born pediatricians inherently offer a broad cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity; as such, they may contribute to the goal in our pediatric specialty to improve workforce diversity and culturally effective health care.2,3 IMGs (including US-born IMGs) comprise >26% of the entire physician workforce in the United States. Forty-one percent of practicing IMGs are in primary care disciplines as defined by the Association of American Medical Colleges.4 They play a vital role in the care of vulnerable populations in both rural and urban underserved areas.2,5 Non–US-born IMGs also constitute a disproportionate number of subspecialists … Address correspondence to Rana Chakraborty, MD, MSc, FRCPCH, FAAP, FPIDS, PhD, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55905. E-mail: chakraborty.rana{at}mayo.edu