POSSIBLE DISCRIMINATION IN RECRUITMENT OF PSYCHIATRY RESIDENTS

Objective: The authors sought to determine whether there is a selectio n bias against international medical graduate applicants for U.S. resi dency training positions in psychiatry. Method: Identical requests for a program application were sent by two resident applicants - one inte rnational medical graduate and one graduate of a U.S. medical school-t o 193 residency training programs, and the rate and character of respo nses were compared. Results: The response rate to requests for an appl ication form was significantly higher for the U.S. medical school grad uate (159 responses) than the international medical graduate (87 respo nses). The quality of responses was also different in some cases. Conc lusions: Some residency programs in psychiatry are attempting to limit the influx of international medical graduate applicants at the very f irst level: the request for an application form. The reasons for this practice are not known, but discrimination could be a possible explana tion.