Possible discrimination in recruitment of psychiatry residents?

OBJECTIVE

The authors sought to determine whether there is a selection bias against international medical graduate applicants for U.S. residency training positions in psychiatry.

METHOD

Identical requests for a program application were sent by two resident applicants--one international medical graduate and one graduate of a U.S. medical school--to 193 residency training programs, and the rate and character of responses were compared.

RESULTS

The response rate to requests for an application form was significantly higher for the U.S. medical school graduate (159 responses) than the international medical graduate (87 responses). The quality of responses was also different in some cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Some residency programs in psychiatry are attempting to limit the influx of international medical graduate applicants at the very first level: the request for an application form. The reasons for this practice are not known, but discrimination could be a possible explanation.