A North Carolina U.S. Senator and a bipartisan group of lawmakers have introduced a bill intended to increase the number of doctors working in rural and medically underserved areas.
Senator Thom Tillis said many rural areas in North Carolina and across the country lack the health care workforce needed to provide quality and timely care, and the legislation will allow American-trained doctors to help fill those gaps.
The President of Physicians for American Healthcare Access Ram Alur said the Conrad 30 program allows international doctors who have completed their residency training in the U.S. to remain in the country under the condition that they practice in areas experiencing physician shortages, providing a “vital lifeline for rural and underserved communities.”
Generally, doctors from other countries working in America on J-1 visas are required to return to their home country after their residency has ended for two years before they can apply for another visa or green card.
The program allows doctors to stay in the United States without having to return home if they agree to practice in an underserved area for three years.
