The availability of fellowship training for foreign family physicians

The authors surveyed the 49 U.S. fellowship programs in family medicine listed in the 1988 Fellowship Directory published by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. The past experience and future intentions of the 47 responding programs toward non-immigrant foreign family physicians coming to the United States to undergo fellowship training in academic family practice were studied. Only a minority of the programs (22%) had ever trained a foreign fellow, and of these only five of 11 were definitely able to do so in the future. Over half (52%) of the programs that had never trained a foreign fellow stated that they were not prepared to train a foreign physician. Although foreign family physicians are encouraged by the American Academy of Family Practice to come to the United States for fellowships, this study shows that it is extremely difficult for these physicians to find programs willing to act as host.