International medical graduates as physician assistants

This study describes the MEDEX physician assistant (PA) program's experience with screening, educating, and graduating PA students who were international medical graduates (IMGs).

The study reviewed IMG-PA demographics including country of origin; prior primary care practice; and current practice location, specialty, and medically underserved designation. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis or Fisher exact test summarize outcomes.

Thirty-nine IMG-PAs were graduated from 1991 through 2013. IMGs came from central and eastern Europe (48.7%), Asia (33.3%), and other regions. Most (69.2%) are women. Almost all (91.7%) practice in urban settings, 55.6% are in primary care, and 30.6% work in medically underserved areas. IMG-PAs in primary care were more likely to practice in underserved areas (P=0.009).

MEDEX has graduated IMG-PAs who possess appropriate clinical and professional PA skills.