Non-U.S.-Born Physicians Make Up Nearly Half of Internal Medicine Workforce

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 19, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Non-U.S.-born physicians make up nearly half of the internal medicine workforce in the United States, according to a research letter published online Aug. 12 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Giacomo Meille, Ph.D., from the American Board of Internal Medicine in Philadelphia, and colleagues estimated the share of U.S.-born and non-U.S.-born U.S. medical graduates (MGs) and international MGs in the internal medicine workforce, as well as the share of underserved patients they care for. The analysis included all physicians initially certified in internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine from 1990 to 2025.

The researchers found that in 2026, the total U.S. workforce included 249,679 board-certified internal medicine physicians, with non-U.S.-born international MGs making up 36.1 percent and non-U.S.-born U.S. MGs making up 11.1 percent. The largest share of non-U.S.-born international MGs were from India and Pakistan (10.8 and 3.8 percent of the internal medicine workforce, respectively). Six percent of the workforce was from physicians born in the 39 travel ban countries. The proportion of non-U.S.-born physicians grew from 34.9 percent in 1990-1994 to 54.2 percent in 1995-1999, and declined after 2015 (44.5 percent in 2020-2025). Non-U.S.-born U.S. MGs and non-U.S.-born international MGs treated roughly 4.8 million and 17.7 million Medicare beneficiaries, respectively. Compared with patients served by U.S.-born U.S. MGs, non-U.S.-born physicians treated a larger share of patients from underserved populations, including patients who were Black, Latino, Medicare-eligible based on disability, and dual eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and those who lived in high-poverty ZIP codes, areas designated as medically underserved, and primary care shortage areas.

“These findings highlight the important role of non-U.S.-born physicians in our nation”s health care system, particularly for patients who have more difficulties accessing care,” Meille said in a statement. “As the nation”s population ages, demand for care continues to grow, especially for physicians certified in subspecialties such as geriatrics, which relies extensively on physicians born outside the United States.”

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)