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Related Concept Videos

Barriers to Effective Communication II01:21

Barriers to Effective Communication II

The barriers to effective communication also include cultural barriers, semantic barriers, gender barriers, and time constraints.
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
International Nursing Organizations II01:28

International Nursing Organizations II

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations based in Geneva. The WHO has many initiatives that center around health. Primarily, they lead global efforts to expand universal health coverage using science-based policies and programs. They are also responsible for shaping health research agendas and developing norms and standards.
The WHO provides expert team support, including funding, vaccines, testing, and treatment tools at the country level to fight...
International Nursing Organizations I01:23

International Nursing Organizations I

International Nursing Organization (ICN) is a global union of national nurses' organizations. Individual nurses can be a part of ICN through member organizations. Each member organization strives to ensure quality nursing care, sound health policies, the advancement of nursing knowledge, respect for the profession, and a satisfied and competent nursing workforce.
ICN member organizations work to advance the field of nursing and healthcare via policies, partnerships, lobbying, professional...
Factors Affecting Drug Distribution: Physiological Barriers01:23

Factors Affecting Drug Distribution: Physiological Barriers

Drug distribution in the body is intricately regulated by various physiological barriers that control the passage of substances. These include the capillary endothelial barrier, the blood-brain, blood-cerebrospinal fluid, blood-placental, and blood-testis barriers.
The capillary endothelial barrier allows only smaller molecules below 600 Da (Daltons) to pass through. It also restricts drugs like heparin that are bound to blood components, limiting their movement within the bloodstream.
The...
Barriers to Effective Communication I01:30

Barriers to Effective Communication I

A communication barrier is any distortion or interruption during a conversation, resulting in miscommunication of the message. A good communicator should know these barriers and continuously check for the listener's understanding by obtaining feedback.
Communication barriers include the following:
Physiological barriers: They are limitations caused by a person's health condition or disability, such as hearing loss, poor eyesight, illness, or unconsciousness. An example to overcome this barrier...
Issues And Trends In Healthcare Delivery System01:29

Issues And Trends In Healthcare Delivery System

The issues and trends in healthcare delivery are constantly changing. The COVID-19 pandemic is one recent issue that wreaked havoc on healthcare systems, causing a shortage of healthcare workers, high demand for medicines and supplies, and increased medical expenditure due to a lack of insurance. Other issues include rising healthcare costs and care fragmentation.
Cost Containment
Payment for healthcare services has historically promoted adoption of costly and often unnecessary or inefficient...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 20, 2026

Bridging the Technology Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Using Virtual Outreach to Expose Middle and High School Students to Imaging Technology
09:55

Bridging the Technology Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Using Virtual Outreach to Expose Middle and High School Students to Imaging Technology

Published on: September 28, 2022

"Empty Places…People Could Not See": Structural Barriers Faced by US-Based International Medical Graduates.

TingLan Ma1, Kirsten R Brown1

  • 1Department of Health Professions Education, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Teaching and Learning in Medicine
|May 18, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Structural barriers in the US visa system and institutions significantly impact international medical graduates (IMGs), affecting their careers, families, and emotional well-being. Addressing these systemic issues is crucial for retaining IMGs in the US physician workforce.

Keywords:
International medical graduatesemotionfamilyguiltstructural barriersvisawellbeing

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 20, 2026

Bridging the Technology Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Using Virtual Outreach to Expose Middle and High School Students to Imaging Technology
09:55

Bridging the Technology Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Using Virtual Outreach to Expose Middle and High School Students to Imaging Technology

Published on: September 28, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Medical Education
  • Sociology of Health and Illness
  • Health Policy

Background:

  • International medical graduates (IMGs) constitute 25% of practicing physicians in the US, vital for primary care and immigrant populations.
  • Existing research on IMGs often focuses on individual challenges, neglecting systemic barriers and their impact on personal lives and emotional health.
  • Asian IMGs in the US face unique structural impediments affecting their professional and personal spheres.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the structural barriers encountered by Asian IMGs in the US.
  • To examine how these barriers impact their everyday thriving, including family wellbeing, work conditions, and emotional life.
  • To identify potential institutional changes to mitigate these challenges.

Main Methods:

  • A constructivist, qualitative interview study was conducted with 20 IMG physicians in 2023.
  • Participants were purposefully sampled across specialties, clinical settings, and geographic areas, with an average of 11.8 years as attending physicians.
  • Reflexive thematic analysis and theories on the politics of emotions were used to interpret semi-structured interview data.

Main Results:

  • IMGs face interconnected structural barriers from the US visa system, leading to financial hardship, prolonged family separation, and career precarity.
  • Participants experienced institutional selection bias and professional gatekeeping, including an 'invisible ceiling,' tokenization, and underrepresentation in diversity initiatives.
  • Despite career opportunities, IMGs reported significant emotional distress, including guilt and shame, stemming from outsider status and the need to constantly justify their legitimacy.

Conclusions:

  • Structural barriers profoundly affect IMGs' relational and emotional lives, with issues like family separation being consequences of systemic constraints.
  • Participants advocated for institutional changes such as formalized mentorship, stronger accountability, explicit inclusion practices, and policy advocacy.
  • Addressing these inequities requires institutional engagement to support the sustainability of the US physician workforce.