undefined | Better HN

0 pointsIG_Semmelweiss4y ago0 comments

all those immigrant physicians went thru the same programs as the non-immigrants.

In fact, I hear this is continuously a problem for well qualified , practicing, and established physicians to migrate to the US. They are fed up with their own home countries lack of security, opportunities for their children, freedom etc, but they cannot imagine going back to medical school to be accredited to practice in the US.

This does not apply to every country. Notably, 4, all here:

https://www.theabfm.org/become-certified/i-am-certified-coun...

While many foreign physicians will have years of experiences diagnosing, treating patients, and administering medicine, in order to practice as a US doctor, it essentially requires them to start all over again academically, especially when the curriculum differs from overseas qualifications. [1] https://www.fnu.edu/foreign-physicians-work-healthcare-pract...

0 comments

dublin4y ago

No, they most certainly did not. I've spent a large chunk of my career in healthcare technology, and one thing I can say for sure is that with very few exceptions, foreign doctors are no where close to the knowledge and capability of those educated in the US.

I'm not going to specify to avoid slamming particular countries, but I would definitely refuse to be treated by doctors from several major countries that crank out tons of doctors, many of whom worm their way into US practice. (This isn't based on race, etc, at all just competency, and I have a much larger exposure to this than most people. These people kill way too many patients with their incompetence, but (especially lately) they cannot be criticized for fear of being branded racist. My body, my choice.)

IG_SemmelweissOP4y ago

I disagree.

I've spent my own career in healthtech and at actual clinics.

While I won't dispute the fact that medical care abroad can be hit or miss, we are certainly not strangers to substandard doctors ourselves.

The difference between your experience and reality, is that the bad US doctors get put in corners where you have not been looking.

You should read marty makary's book unaccountable.

So, while your heuristic may be valid for someone living in a large metro area with tons of options, I would make a safe bet that it wouldn't be as useful in rural, underserved areas where the bad doctors end up.

lostlogin4y ago

> one thing I can say for sure is that with very few exceptions, foreign doctors

The word ‘foreign’ is doing a lot of work here. It encompasses nearly everywhere, and likely includes the best and worst training systems in the world.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse