How Medical Residencies May Change Due to the Pandemic

The world has not been the same for anyone since the Covid-19 pandemic. This is especially true for those fighting on the front lines each and every day since this virus struck in 2019.

Not only has the pandemic affected doctors and nurses that treat these patients around the clock, but it has left the world in dire need of more health care professionals. Sadly, due to the closure of borders and all of the health care practices put into place, finding medical residency in the US can be difficult, leaving many soon-to-be doctors unobtainable.

The struggle for access to US-based medical residency may no longer be something holding our future front-liners back. Thanks to Residents Medical Group, finding a residency program no matter where you are located in the world could still be a possibility, but it may not be easy.

Services Provided by Residents Medical Group

While the numbers are lower than ever before, Residents Medical Group is still moving on full-steam ahead. They provide services to help pair residents, including FMGs, into the best residency location with the training and experience to match the medical graduate with the perfect programs.

The Resident Medical Group program helps medical graduates integrate into an accredited residency training program where they work directly with residents, attendants, and the program director in a professional clinical setting to get the hands-on experience that will open doors for each participant once they complete the program and receive their medical license. 

A huge service the company provides is the ability to process thousands of foreign medical graduate applications and help them obtain a VISA to complete their education in the states. Because nearly 40% of US general practitioners are FMG, this program is essential to keeping offices and hospitals filled with many qualified doctors of medicine.

Once an application is accepted, applicants have the ability to choose from different packages offered through Resident Medical Group, which helps them gain the skill, behaviors, and traits necessary to get through the residency program and then land the job of their dreams.

How the Pandemic May Change Medical Residencies

There are numerous benefits to the Residents Medical Group, with the obvious being the ability to match foreign medical graduates or FMG's to the best fitting US residency program, suiting their strengths and skills.

In the past (or pre-covid days), thousands of well-trained and talented FMG's were able to come over to the U.S for the best residency opportunities available, giving the world well-qualified and high-quality doctors once the program was completed.

With the borders being closed and VISAs on hold, these doctors are unable to utilize the great services offered through Residents Medical Group and other programs like it. The lack of residence creates a lack of new skilled doctors, which is a serious problem during a worldwide virus breakout.

More people than ever are searching for qualified doctors to help keep them alive and well, with not as many residents passing their courses and being certified and licensed to provide the necessary treatments.

Residencies Need In-Person Instructions

In order to adapt to the new way of life while the world is trying to get a hold of this extremely infectious and dangerous virus, medical schools in the nation are doing their best to keep residents learning. Doctors have access to the clinics and instruction needed to finish their educational journey to begin their full-time careers in the healthcare field.

To accommodate residents in this trying time, the Residents Medical Group is working over-time processing applications and closely working with medical schools to continue providing options to residents at home and abroad.

Although it is the best we can hope for at this time, it doesn't seem to be enough. Residents who work hard to have the opportunity of obtaining a US residency now have to rely on virtual clinics, waive USMLE requirements, and forgo the US experience altogether. Leaving America short-handed on qualified doctors and disappointed qualified doctors.

Without these residents having the opportunity to obtain their VISA, America and the rest of the world are missing out on the many doctors we have never needed more so than now.

All Hope is Not Lost

No, Covid-19 doesn't seem to be going anywhere any time soon. However, the way the world is beginning to learn about it, and from it, we are slowly finding a way to work around it, including the possibilities of opening the borders sooner than later.

There is no better time than now for medical graduates to start putting in their applications to the Residents Medical Group; the process may be slow, but it is still ongoing, and the need for doctors is higher now than ever.

Hopefully, the once ambitious FMG's haven't lost all hope yet and are ready and waiting once the doors are opened back up.