Denial of J-1 visas to Pakistani physicians
J-1 visa applications of 26 Pakistani physicians have been turned down this year. Only one visa application from Pakistan was denied last year, according to Dr Shahzad Iqbal, a representative of the APPNA
Physicians of Pakistani origin have contributed extensively to healthcare services in the United Sates in the last few decades. Although Pakistan is not among the six countries mentioned in President Donald Trump’s travel ban,
it appears that obtaining a work visa for has become difficult for Pakistani physicians in recent weeks.
According to the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA), rejections of J-1 visa applications of Pakistani physicians are at a record high at the moment. This situation understandably worries many physicians who have secured residency positions in the US after years of hard work.
Sana
* was one of the best students in her class at medical school in Pakistan. She had dreamt of becoming a neurologist. As a third-year medical student, she left the comfort of her home country and came to one of the leading medical institutions of the world, Johns Hopkins Medical Centre in Maryland, to obtain clinical experience and research expertise. She was very clear about her professional track; get training at the top institutions in the world; learn cutting-edge clinical, academic and research skills; and return to Pakistan to serve her nation.
She visited the US three times in the last few years and during her visits finished a clinical rotation at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic, took the requisite exams, and interviewed for a residency position. For her residency, she chose a hospital in rural Virginia because of its location, excellent training opportunities, and academic nature of its programme.
Her dream was crushed in May 2017 when her application for a J-1 visa was rejected. The reason given by the US authorities was her “poor social ties to Pakistan”.
It’s unfortunate that J-1 visas are being rejected. To obtain a J-1 visa, a physician has to provide a ‘statement of need’ issued by the ministry of health of the native country, to show that there is a need for skills the person intends to learn in the US. The physician is also required to sign a statement agreeing to return to the native country for work after completion of training. If a physician wants to remain in the US after training, he or she must agree to work among a federally-designated underserved community, thereby benefiting one of the many communities in the US facing a shortage of physicians.
Sana is not the only physician of Pakistani origin whose dream came to a bitter end in the past few weeks.
There are 26 Pakistani physicians whose J-1 visa applications have been rejected this year. This number is astounding. According to Dr Shahzad Iqbal, a representative of the APPNA, only one visa application from Pakistan was denied last year.
APPNA is trying hard to lobby for these young and aspiring physicians. On May 16, its representatives met several members of Congress and their staff to share details about Pakistani physicians’ visa rejection cases.
Interestingly, one in four physicians working in the US is a graduate of international medical schools. Pakistan is among the top countries-of-origin of these international medical graduates (IMGs). Pakistani physicians have contributed extensively to clinical, research and academic landscape of modern American medicine. Last year, then US President Barack Obama had awarded the prestigious National Medal of Technology and Innovation — the nation’s highest award for technology achievement — to Pakistani American doctor of medicine Mark S. Humayun. Recently, the Trump administration selected another Pakistani American physician Dr. Ali Haider, to receive one of the highest civilian awards, the Ellis Island Medal of Honour for his work in surgery and public health.
According to APPANA,
there are almost 3,000 active physicians of Pakistani origin taking care of patients all across the US.
The value of IMGs in the American health system is indisputable. Denial of work visa to IMGs seeking entry into residency training programmes will have both short- and long- term impacts on the US healthcare system, as well as on healthcare systems in the countries-of-origin of these graduates.
Due to the shortage of American medical graduates, the residency positions are likely to go unfilled, thereby depriving hospitals and patients of needed services. In the future, the number of IMGs who remain in the US and strengthen the healthcare system will be reduced.
Americans deserve the best medical care available, irrespective of the country-of-origin of their physicians. Pakistani physicians are professional, competent and compassionate in their work. Many of them work in underserved areas facing shortage of health professionals. American healthcare system will suffer immediate as well as long-term repercussions if these physicians are not allowed entry into the US.
*Name is changed to protect the identity
Cheers
)
IIRC, he popped up in BRF, when momeens here called him names after his rants got published by some paki newspaper and got himself banned here, after a few hours for justifying terrorists as "essential". Remember him because of his ridiculous surname
