MEDICALLY-UNDERSERVED AREAS
Foreign-born physicians who wish to stay in the U.S. to practice medicine may first be required to to serve for a number of years in federally-designated medically-underserved areas (MUAs) or health professional shortage areas (HPSAs). For instance, International Medical Graduates (IMGs) on J-1 visas might need to serve in a physician shortage area in order to obtain J waivers and avoid returning to their countries of origin for their 2-year home residency requirement. Foreign doctors wishing to obtain green cards using National Interest Waivers (NIWs) must also practice in such shortage areas before being granted permanent residence.
General Resources
- Physician Shortage Areas (PSAs)
- Health Professional Shortage Areas – (Department of Health and Human Services)
- Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) – Search Government Database
- How to Apply for HPSA Designation
- Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs)/Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs) – Search Government Database
- Designation Guidelines for MUAs/MUPs
If the above lists have provided you with a number of census tracts (CT’s), and all you have is the street address of your job offer, use “The Census Tract Street Locator” below to find the number of the census tract of your new job. If the census tract where your job offer is located is on the HPSA/MUA/MUP lists, you are in luck!