As the nation's baby boomers begin to head into their golden years, the nation will need more doctors to care for aging patients. In the face of a national physician shortage, Chicago entrepreneur Dr. Mark Kaushal has started a program to address the problem. Source America, as it is called, will send U.S. students to Eastern Europe, where they will train to become doctors in only six years time. Kaushal notes that many qualified candidates are turned away from medical schools or are unable to afford high tuition in the U.S. "Meanwhile, we have an aging population and American medical schools that can't produce enough docs. I'd like to change that," he told the Chicago Tribune. Critics worry that the U.S. is becoming too dependent on foreign-trained students: a full quarter of practicing physicians in this country are trained abroad. They also question whether the education doctors receive at foreign institutions is comparable to schooling in the U.S. Still, Kaushal thinks that Source America is an excellent way to solve a serious and growing problem in America.
For details on Source America:
- check out this Chicago Tribune article
PLUS: A recent Wall Street Journal article recognized the burden physician shortages place on retirees. Article (sub. req.)