Identity Development for International Medical Graduate Physicians: A Perspective

Abstract

Unlike their peers who were born in the USA, international medical graduate physicians face the challenge of having to develop a professional identity as a physician in a new and unfamiliar culture. Successfully developing a strong, bicultural identity can provide the IMG physician with a sense of belonging and heightened self-esteem while allowing for the maintenance of a valuable connection with the culture in which he or she was raised. As IMG physicians comprise 30 % of the United States’ physician work force, it is crucial for them to establish a physician identity that is professionally and personally gratifying, congruent with the clinical services they provide, and authentic to those they teach and train. This chapter provides an overview of the myriad of ways in which a physician’s identity impacts his or her daily life, and offers practical strategies to encourage international graduates to actively develop their own identities in ways which will benefit themselves both personally and professionally, allowing them to provide the best care possible to their patients.