Evening star., 1960-06-12
New I est for Foreign |nterns
Spells roubIe for Hospitals
By CHARLES G. BROOKS
Star Staf Writer

OPOIlo IN
By CHARLES G. BROOKS
Star Stan Writer
Stiff new examinations for
foreign medical school gradu-
ates will mean better care for
patients but will pose serious
problems for many hospitals,
doctors say.
The examinations, which
will be required beginning July
/, will lead to better public re-
lations for hospitals as we'll
as better medical care, doctors
agree almost unanimously.
They may mean an end to
the days of patients trying in
vain to communicate symptoms
to a doctor who can't under
stand much English.
But many hospitals through
out the country depend entire
ly on foreign interns and resi-
dents for their "houSe staffs"
and may be forced to do with
out such help, at least for a
while.
Hurt Smaller Hospitals
While the larger university
hospitals are we'll protected by
the fact that the medical
schools direct their graduates
into service there, smaller sub
urban and country inStitu-
tions face the problem of OBJ
tanning and keeping qualified
house Staffs.
The problem is simple: With
American medical schools grad
uating some $500 doctors a
year, there are 1880 intern
ships throughout the country
which should be filled.
When doctor is graduated
by a medical school, he must
spend a year as an intern Ia
an approved hospital. After
that, if he wishes to specialize
he spends more years as a res
ident in a hospital.
These young doctors take a
great share of the burden of
routine hospital care of the
shoulders of private physicians,
who have grown to depend on
them for carrying out medica-
ton orders and watching for
changes in the condition of
patients.
Influx Growing
The difference between the
number of American graduates
and the internShipS available
has been largely made up by
foreign medical school gradu-
ates since World War II. At
first American doctors thought
the situation was a postwar
phenomenon. but the influx of
foreign-trained graduates has
increased yearly.
Both patients and American |
physicians have complained |
bitterly over the last few years !
about the foreign graduates in .
training here. Are they up to
par? Some are and some are
not. Washington area physi-
clans say. Many with excellent .
training speak so little Eng
lish that their effectiveness
suffers.
Recently. it was learned, a
man rushed his tiny son to a
nearby hospital emergency |
room after the boy swallowed !
a quantity of aspirin pills. He
tried for 80 minutes to explain
what happened to a foreign .
intern. FINELY, in despair, he
put his boy in his car and
found a policeman to escort
him to downtown Children's
Hospital for help
Generally. but not always,
nurses and other attendants
can help translate, but prob
lens still exist.
Orders Misunderstood
A practicing physician here
complained that he is fearful
of leaving medication orders
with some foreign interns and .
residents. The orders, he said,
aren't understood.
Neither doctors nor hospital
administrators like to be
quoted about this touchy prob
lem. Doctors are naturally re-
luctant to criticize other ply
sicians and hospital admin
istrators are fearful that to
speak out will focus attention
on their institutions and cause
bad public relations.
But most agree that the
stringent new system of exam
nations is a good one. This |
was started by the American .
Medical Association, the Amer
ican Hospital Association, the
Association of American Medi-
cal Colleges and the Federation |
of State Medical Boards. 1t is
administered by the Educa-
tional Council for Foreign Med
ical Graduates.
Tests given all foreign medi-
cal school graduates will force
about 1000 out of United "
States hospitals by July l. The
tests are expected to bar some
1,700, or about half of the for
eign-trained doctors who other
wise would come to this coun-
try on temporary visaS. next
year.
Situation Not Settled
The Washington area situa-
ton hasn't settled yet, with
some foreign doctors still to be
examined and others awaiting
results.