Report:Number of U.S. primary care MDs falls

A new study underscores the point that the number of U.S. doctors specializing in primary care is falling, though stats suggest that the gap is being covered by doctors who move here from other countries. According to a new report from the General Accountability Office, there were 22,146 American doctors in residency programs for primary care practice, down from 23,801 in 1995. Meanwhile, the number of international medical graduates training in primary care climbed from 13,025 in 1995 to 15,565 in 2006, the GAO report concluded.

The presence of foreign-born physicians goes well beyond primary care. At this point, in fact, one in four new physicians is an international medical graduate, according to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who spoke at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee meeting where the report was presented. 

To learn more about the report:
- read this Associated Press article

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