Expanding Physician Access

Highly qualified physicians with foreign degrees living in the United States are often unable to practice in their local communities, or are subjected to arbitrary and burdensome licensing and residency requirements. At a time when the U.S. faces a physician shortage, especially in rural areas, that should change.

As COVID-19 made clear, America’s physician shortage can be a matter of life and death. By allowing qualified internationally-trained physicians to practice in underserved communities without having to spend years repeating their residencies, states can increase healthcare access, particularly in rural counties and in primary care, and fix rising physician shortages by allowing additional skilled physicians to work.