2025/06/21 by Aroua, Meriem, Chowdhury, Nashit, Lake, Deidre +1
#Community Engagement #Ethnic Minority #Immigrant #Inclusive #Newcomer #Participatory #Power Informed #Racialized #Transdisciplinary #Visible Minority
paper · doi:10.11575/prism/49516
Objectives: Challenges in primary care have never been more pertinent, due to an aging and diversifying population, a growing burden of chronic diseases, and a shortage of healthcare professionals. In this article, we explored the contributions that International Medical Graduates (IMGs) can potentially have in addressing these concerns. We sought to obtain the perspectives of IMGs to explore potential non-physician roles, to improve community health and wellness, through this descriptive phenomenological study. Methods: Eight focus groups in total were conducted (n=42), and we used an inductive thematic analysis approach to code the data. Themes and sub-themes were reviewed and finalized following revisions from community partners and participants. Results: We aimed to gauge this population in discussion to capture perspectives within the IMG community about contributions to health and wellness. Participants gave a range of alternative contribution pathways other than that of a physician practicing medicine, as well as some challenges and barriers to those alternative pathways, and proposed mechanisms to making changes. Many themes were then conceptualized from three big questions asked, which were regarding Potential platforms for IMG contribution potential IMG roles, Avenues of IMG contribution to community health and wellness challenges, and mechanisms for change Perceived challenges to community health and wellness contribution. Conclusion: Findings indicate that IMGs believe possess many suggestions and ideas surrounding there are many avenues and platforms for them to contribute to health and wellness in the community and are a source of insight when it comes to community planning if some of their challenges are addressed. Organizations must know that IMGs are willing to fill many important roles in the community, and that they are surely underutilized resources for community health and wellness.