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CardioNerds (Amit Goyal and Daniel Ambinder) join fellow lead, Dr. Giselle A. Suero-Abreu (FIT, Massachusets General Hospital), Dr. Isadora Sande Mathias (FIT, Houston Methodist and CardioNerds Academy Fellow), and Dr. Victor Nauffal (FIT, Brigham and Women's Hospital) for a discussion with Dr. William Zoghbi (Chair, Department of Cardiology, Houston Methodist Hospital, Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, Past President, the American College of Cardiology) about international medical graduates in the cardiology workforce. This episode focuses on the narratives of international medical graduates (IMGs) who make important contributions to the US medical workforce and scientific innovation. Listen to the episode to learn the state of IMGs in the US physician workforce and the field of Cardiology, an overview of factors that influence IMG selection when applying to residency and fellowship training programs in the US, the impact of recent changes in licensing exams and immigration restrictions, and how to address challenges and support IMGs throughout their medical careers. Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, Dr. Leticia Helms.\n\n\n\nClaim free CME just for enjoying this episode! Disclosures: None\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCardionerds Narratives in Cardiology PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll\n\n\n\n\n\nSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShow notes \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n1. What is the definition of an international medical graduate (IMGs)?\n\n\n\nInternational medical graduates (IMGs) are physicians who who graduated from a medical school outside the United States, regardless of nationality.\n\n\n\nThis group of foreign-trained physicians include US-IMGs (US citizens) and non-US IMGs (non-US citizens). Nearly 80% of IMGs are born abroad [1].\n\n\n\nIn a paper senior authored by Dr. Zoghbi, IMGs in the US physician workforce are described as \u201cthe multicultural, multiethnic, open-minded, and plural fabric that has defined American medicine and contributed to its success over the years\u201d [2].\n\n\n\n2. Why are IMGs important?\n\n\n\nIMGs are an integral part of the U.S. healthcare system. They constitute about 25% of the physician workforce and, since 2010, the number of IMGs in practice has grown by nearly 18% [1, 3].\n\n\n\nIMGs play a critical role in addressing healthcare inequities across the US, comprising a significant proportion of physicians in high-need rural and underserved urban areas [1, 3, 4].\n\n\n\nIMGs contribute to the diversity and cultural competence in the US physician workforce with 98% of them speaking two or more languages fluently. They help patients overcome linguistic and cultural barriers that can interfere with their care [5]. Learn more about Diversity and inclusion (Episode 95) and Latinx representation in cardiology\xa0 (Episode 129).\n\n\n\nRacial and ethnic concordance between physicians and their patients results in improved healthcare outcomes, and IMGs are essential in matching the needs of the increasingly diverse US population [6].\n\n\n\nMany IMGs pursue the opportunity to train in the best academic programs in the US and return as leaders to serve their country. This becomes an avenue for international collaboration to help patients and contribute to research, innovation, and education.\n\n\n\n3. What is the state of the IMG workforce in Cardiology?\n\n\n\nIMGs in cardiology serve as an important source of cardiac care in the United States.\n\n\n\nData from the 2020 Physician Specialty Data Report from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) [7] showed that:\n\n\n\nAmong active US physicians, IMGs comprise 31% of general cardiologists, 46% of interventional cardiologists, and 26% of pediatric cardiologists.Among ACGME trainees, IMGs constitute 38% of fellows in cardiovascular disease, 53% in interventional cardiology, and 20% in pediatric cardiology.Many IMGs have non-immigrant visas, including the J-1 Visitor Exchange visa,