A major impediment to the entry of international physicians could continue for another year or more, according to a communication sent by the Educational Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates. The US Medical Licensing Exam Clinical Skills assessment is a requirement for all physicians seeking J-1 visas to come to the US to engage in graduate medical training. The USMLE Step 2CS exam is comprised of a series of patient encounters where the physician sees standardized patients (SPs), take a history, do a physical examination, determine differential diagnoses, and then write a patient note based on their determinations.
ECFMG says it is investigating alternatives.