WASHINGTON, July 3, 2025 – Hundreds of international medical graduates (IMGs) who matched to U.S. residency programs this year are unable to begin their training due to delays and denials in securing J-1 visas. The issue is leaving hospitals across the country understaffed, especially in underserved and rural areas that rely heavily on foreign-trained doctors.
In March, over 6,600 IMGs were matched through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), the highest number on record. But in May, U.S. consulates paused visa appointments due to administrative reviews and new national security procedures. Though the pause was lifted in June, applicants from certain countries are still experiencing long delays or denials. In some cases, embassies have no available interview appointments before residency start dates in July.
The result has been widespread anxiety among matched doctors and health systems. Speaking to the Associated Press, Donna Lamb, president of the NRMP, said, “This group of residents is absolutely critical. Without them, some hospitals will not be able to function at full capacity.”
Programs have reported scrambling to cover clinical shifts and onboarding without key members of their incoming class. One hospital in Pennsylvania noted that their matched IMG resident was denied a visa just days before their expected arrival, forcing them to delay care for hundreds of patients. Another internal medicine program in California said their incoming IMG was “essential” to coverage for overnight calls.
The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), which certifies IMGs, is working with U.S. officials to expedite cases and is advising hospitals to consider deferring start dates or holding residency positions open for one year rather than cancelling contracts.
Beyond logistics, the situation raises broader concerns about the U.S. healthcare workforce. Foreign-trained physicians make up nearly 25% of doctors in the U.S. and fill vital roles in primary care and specialties where shortages are worsening. Many also work in federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas, where staffing gaps are most acute.
Health policy analysts warn that without swift action, the delays could undermine already fragile health systems. “We can’t afford to lose this workforce,” one hospital administrator told Forbes. “The care of thousands of patients depends on these physicians being here, and being here now.”