First Generation Immigrants are Filling Up the Shortage of Healthcare Professionals in USA

According to the American Association of Medical Colleges, by 2025, the US is expected to face a dire shortage of around 90,000 physicians.

Let that sink in. The interesting part is that these statistics were revealed back in March 2013, when the crisis of lack of health professionals finally caught attention of the association. The reality today might be quite worse than it was back then.

A recent report from the AAMC revealed that this shortage can get as bad as 104,900 physicians as we reach the year 2030.

By 2030, the number of citizens over the age of 65 in the country is expected to rise by more than 55%! Can you imagine the impact of that on the already crumbling healthcare situation in the country?

Truth is, a large part of the American population consists of senior citizens that are expected to live with chronic diseases that will require specialist to provide adequate medical care to them. For now, however, the country faces a critical need of healthcare professionals – mainly physicians and specialists.

With the problem clearly identified, the first thing you want to look at is the plausible solution that can help the nation overcome this problem. There could be steps taken to ensure that the US medical schools produce enough doctors in the coming years to meet the shortage – if not completely, than at least to an extent. However, that’s a long haul. You just can’t start churning out more doctors overnight.

Another way about it could be studying in overseas medical schools. It’s true that the existing med schools in America do not have the capacity to produce the number of doctors we need to fill this shortage; but Americans always have the option to study to become qualified physicians in accredited Caribbean medical schools if they don't get accepted right away to U.S schools because of limited seats. Caribbean schools such as Aureus University in Aruba, Ross, St George, Avalon and many others offer students to study in there facility for a few years and then come back to the US for clinical rotations and residencies. This has certainly helped.

Given the situation, it is at times like these that 1st generation immigrants to America have stepped up to fill the need for physicians required in the country. The most prominent of these immigrant groups are the Indian Americans, who make up the largest segment of non-Caucasian Doctors serving the healthcare industry in America.

In the recent past, these Indian trained doctors have become a force to reckon with their active charitable and political efforts. Things however, have been on the downside lately. Following 9/11, obtaining visas for doctors trained in India or any other countries where most immigrants to America come from had become specifically difficult. Today, with the stricter policies on immigration, the already low chances have gotten grimmer.

These immigrant doctors can actually help meet the increasing need for physicians and specialists in the country, but the tougher visa requirements are only exacerbating the healthcare crisis in the country further beyond repair. It needs to change!

The thing is, there is great demand for doctors in the country. The healthcare industry needs them. However, the country needs a proper channel through which qualified doctors can be funneled into mainstream healthcare. Till then, the 1st generation immigrants are doing what they can to keep the system afloat.