The authors investigated the credentials of foreign medical graduate
(FMG) and U.S. medical graduate (USMG) psychiatrists providing a
substantial amount of Medicaid care and compared them with those of a group
of other psychiatric practitioners in New York City. USMGs were more likely
to be Board certified, but FMGs were as likely to have APA membership,
psychoanalytic training, medical school and hopsital affiliation, and
fellowships. The credentials of the Medicaid psychiatrists and the group of
New York psychiatrists were similar. Hispanic FMG psychiatrists provided a
major service for the Spanish- speaking community, but the poor black
population underused Medicaid services. Diagnosis did not appear to be
influenced by racial bias.
Abstract Teaser