We need more Qualified Physicians to help in COVID-19 Crisis

We are physicians who are either US Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents. We are foreign medical graduates. Our medical education and clinical training were screened, evaluated and accepted as equivalent to the United States medical graduates by the United States Educational Commission of Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and successfully passed all the required United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Steps (including USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2 clinical knowledge and USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills Assessment) and became ECFMG certified. After being ECFMG certified, we became eligible to apply for the United States Residency (specialty training) just like any US medical graduate who passes these tests.

We are registered and have a valid ID number with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) plus the Educational Commission of Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).
We have applied for specialty training through ERAS 2020 cycle which has ended on March 29th, but we did not match. We are 2,013 qualified physicians who did not match through this last cycle verses 4,222 non US Citizen or Permanent Residents foreign physicians who matched into specialty trainings and waiting on visas to enter the United States, which might actually increase the risk of bringing more COVID-19 cases to the US during this time of travel ban. The ECFMG is urging the Department of State to issue their visas so they can enter into the US.

We are here; our experience and hands with you to help our country pass through this critical time and we, proudly as Americans, can do it. We are highly trained and highly qualified physicians who are committed to practice evidence based medicine. We have excellent outpatient and inpatient medical clinical experience. We know how the healthcare system works and expert in meaningful use of the electronic health record system. We have been working hard and luckily we have saved money to finish our education and also the USMLE exams without any loans or family financial support, and we did it on our own.

We would love to engage in helping our country through this COVID-19 crisis. Medical Schools across our country are having early graduation for senior medical students, which is exceptional decision in this critical time of our country. We are also here; our voices and hands are with you at this crisis time and any other time and waiting for exceptional decision to include us in these tremendous efforts to deliver sound healthcare services to our nation.

We don't have someone to represent us as helping hands at any place of decision making of our country except you. Our years of education, training and clinical experience of practicing evidence based medicine is very useful to our nation and it hurts to see it going down the drain. We love our country and ready to serve our nation with a great passion and strong commitment and come out of these hard times strong and better again.