Medically underserved areas and International Medical Graduates (IMGs) in the United States: challenges during the COVID-19 era

Background: Given that nearly a quarter of the US physician workforce are international medical graduates (IMGs), many of whom remain on temporary work visas for prolonged periods due to processing delays, the pandemic has posed unique challenges to these frontline workers and has arbitrarily limited our physician workforce. Methods: This is cross-sectional survey data obtained from IMGs on temporary work visas pertaining to their role in healthcare, impact of visa-related restrictions on their professional and personal lives was sent to the participants. Results: A total of 2630 IMGs responded to the survey. Most of the respondents (1493, 56.8%) were physicians in active practice, with Internal Medicine (1684, 65.7%) being the predominant specialty encountered. 64.1% were practicing in Medically Underserved Areas (MUA) or Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA), with 45.6% practicing in a rural area. Nearly 89% of respondents had been involved with direct care of COVID-19 patients, with 63.7% assuming administrative responsibilities for COVID-19 preparedness. 261 physicians (11.5%) were subject to quarantine, while 28 (1.2%) reported a confirmed COVID-19 infection. 93% physicians expressed inability to serve in COVID-19 surge areas due to visa-related restrictions, while 57% had been approached by recruiters due to staffing shortages. 72% physicians reported that their families would be at risk for deportation in case of their disability or death. Most respondents (98.8%) felt that permanent resident status would help alleviate the above concerns. Conclusion: A significant proportion of the US physician workforce is adversely impacted by work-based visa restrictions and processing backlog. Mitigating these restrictions could significantly bolster the current physician workforce and prove beneficial in our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.