View from Academia on training enhancements for International Medical Graduates:A report card

Since 1958, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduate (ECFMG) has certified international medical graduates (IMGs) who wish to pursue advanced medical training in the United States. New assessment programs like clinical skills assessments (CSA) have been recently implemented. More suggestions have been made, some acknowledged and others rejected. The objective of this paper is to provide a systematic review of available literature to determine key research done on the enhancement of training of future IMGs working in the US healthcare system. Authors reviewed all available articles from scholarly peer-reviewed journals found in the library databases from 1950 to 2007 for possible inclusion in the analysis. They have also included accessible statistical information from EFMG, National Resident Matching Program, American Medical Association, Association of Medical Colleges, among others. Secondary intentions were to identify whether there has been a quality improvement in the matriculated IMGs based on the evolving assessment and gaps in research of the same. Based on initial categorization of articles and mapping of topic trends, preliminary results suggest that a void exists in the literature with regards to training provided to IMGs. In order to make good policy decisions for the future and as identified by this study, gaps in the literature recommend additional academic attention be paid to training enhancements deemed relevant to aspiring IMGs and their medical institutions. There is more research being done; the results and conclusions to be further discussed.