Educational interventions for international medical graduates: a review and agenda

Abstract

Research into education for IMGs is critically important but currently underdeveloped. An abundance of justification studies and lack of clarification studies parallel other areas of medical education. Academic fields outside medical education, such as those of cross-cultural psychology and expatriate management, are highly relevant; researchers from these areas should be sought for collaboration. Future research should employ conceptual frameworks in order to facilitate a broader, more nuanced consideration of the diversity of individual IMGs, educational and medical contexts, interventions and outcomes. Rigorous comparative effectiveness research is lacking, but represents a promising avenue for future scholarship.

How do international medical graduates and colleagues perceive and deal with difficulties in everyday collaboration? A qualitative study

“…Colleagues may also find that collaboration with IMGs is more demanding than with native doctors due to factors such as language difficulties and cultural background [13]. Extensive research has shown that, in general, there is a risk for IMGs to struggle in their new work context [for reviews, see 7,8,14,15].…”

International medical graduates: acculturation, repatriation and the third-culture kids of medicine

“…In this issue of Medical Education, Lineberry et al 5 evaluate a series of educational interventions designed for IMGs in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Israel. These programmes focused on the IMG's transition to postgraduate medical education and emphasised clinical topics, language training, culturespecific information and general principles of cross-cultural competency.…”

“…As such, the authors suggest an agenda by which to move research on IMG acculturation forward, which involves engagement with research and researchers from relevant scholarly communities outside medical education, the use of theoretical frameworks to guide curriculum design and evaluation, and an embracing of the complexity of the IMG movement. 5 When it comes to IMG acculturation programmes, to say that one size will not fit all is an understatement. Although it is understandable that institutions will want to do their best to prepare IMGs for success in their new work environments, it cannot be emphasised enough that acculturation is a process.…”

“…In this issue of Medical Education , Lineberry et al . evaluate a series of educational interventions designed for IMGs in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Israel.…”

“…Programmes, however, were felt to be lacking in methodological rigor in design and measurement of outcomes. As such, the authors suggest an agenda by which to move research on IMG acculturation forward, which involves engagement with research and researchers from relevant scholarly communities outside medical education, the use of theoretical frameworks to guide curriculum design and evaluation, and an embracing of the complexity of the IMG movement …”