US Seeks More Foreign Doctors, Medical Students

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Recent studies suggest the United States health care system will soon experience a shortage of doctors and medical professionals. This is leading to increased efforts to attract foreign doctors and medical students to the United States. John Featherly narrates.

Experts say several states have or will soon experience shortages of physicians in a variety of specialties, including cardiology, radiology, surgery and pediatrics.

Dr. Susan Wolfsthal, the director of the University of Maryland's Residency Program, says the United States needs more doctors in all specialties. "There are some parts of the United States where there are many, many physicians and it is very easy for patients to have access to clinical care. And then there are other areas of the United States where there is less and there might be only one physician for many thousands of patients."

This shortage is putting pressure on American medical schools to increase enrollment and on the U.S. government to allow more foreign doctors into the country.

U.S. Congressman Rob Simmons says the United States needs these foreign nationals. "We have people who come to the United States to provide nursing care and medical care and gosh knows we need all the help we can get."

Educators, including Wolfsthal, say foreign students can gain valuable experience and knowledge studying in the United States and working in U.S. hospitals. "You get the same exposure, you get the same opportunity to see whether this is something you are interested in and they also get to see you in action."

Sonia Yousef, a rheumatology fellow at the University of Maryland, says foreign students should try to have well-rounded experiences before coming to the United States.

"So you should try to do some volunteer work, anyways it’s good, and that looks good on your resume as well. So that is probably the fourth thing, but it is not as important as clinical experience."

Wolfsthal says universities value the diversity international students bring. "When you have international graduates they bring, as someone from another institution would, they bring a different perspective, they have different interests and so they bring that to the program."

Experts and educators say foreign medical students and doctors gain a lot from their time spent in the United states. They say working in American hospitals and studying at universities in the United States gives foreign students and doctors a chance to work with the latest technology and to grow professionally.

US Remains Top Destination for Foreign Students

For decades, the United States has been a magnet for the world's brightest university students. But the number of foreign students enrolling in U.S. colleges and universities slumped after the terrorist attacks of 2001. Now, U.S. officials say those numbers have rebounded, and America's educational ties to the world are stronger than ever. From Washington, VOA's Michael Bowman reports.

From 1985 to 2002, the number of international students enrolled in U.S. institutions of higher learning rose each and every year, for a cumulative increase of more than 50 percent. From 2002 to 2005, however, the trend reversed and enrollment declined. The drop in enrollment from Middle Eastern and Muslim nations was especially severe.

"The number of international students who came to America to study in academic year 2006-2007 has increased from last year and rebounded to record-setting pre-9/11 levels," said Hughes. "The number of American students traveling abroad to study is at an all time high."

Nearly 600,000 international students are currently enrolled in American colleges and universities, according to the Institute of International Education, which administers the much-heralded Fulbright scholarship program on behalf of the State Department. That number represents more than a fifth of the world's international students, making the United States the world's top destination for foreign scholars, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, and China. Secretary Hughes says the benefits are enormous.

"I believe that America's international educational and exchange programs have proven to be our single most-effective public diplomacy tool of the last 50 years," said Hughes. "These programs also have the potential to change the world, because more than 130 world leaders have participated in America's international exchange programs, including the current president of France, the current prime minister of Britain, and the new president of Turkey."

More than half the international students enrolled in U.S. institutions come from Asia. The top five leading nations of origin are India, China, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. The top fields of study are engineering and business management. Americans studying abroad overwhelmingly opt for European destinations.

Institute of International Education Vice President Peggy Blumenthal says the total number of international students is growing and will continue to do so.

"This is really not a matter of [asking] which of us can capture the largest share of a static number of students, but [rather] how can we all build our capacity so we can host the increasingly expanding number of international students who want to study abroad," said Blumenthal. "In the 2004-2005 period, worldwide international students increased from 2.5 million to 2.7 million, and the projections are for it to very dramatically expand [further]."

In this regard, the United States has a clear advantage over some other countries. Foreign students account for less than five percent of America's total student body in higher education, compared to roughly 20 percent in Australia.

Blumenthal says, not only does the United States host more international students than any other nation, it has the capacity to increase that number in a way that few other nations can match.

Healthcare Administration is the focus for Suliman Alghnam Attending Hofstra University

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Hofstra University on Long Island, New York gave Suliman Alghnam as well as other international students a wonderful welcome to the United States and the university when he arrived a year ago. “One of the best days for me when I came to the United States was the first week when the international student office took us into the city to watch a musical called ‘Hairspray’ which was really beautiful and after that we went back and played some soccer on campus, “he says.” “It was actually one of the best nights I’ve ever had here at Hofstra because one you come to a new place and you feel so welcome, you stop to forget that you are away from home and you feel that you are among friends and family,” he says.

“Another experience was experiencing Thanksgiving dinner at the Vice president of the university when she invited us over for Thanksgiving which was really a beautiful experience for me.”

Coming to the United States to pursue a master's degree has been a life long dream for Suliman. “I’m from Saudi Arabia I am from the capital I grew up in Riyadh and I decided to come to the United States because I was given a scholarship by the Saudi government to do my graduate degree in the United States and its been a dreamed that I would come and do my education here and it worked out well and as soon as I got my undergrad I got the scholarship and then I came.”

Suliman says his major will afford him many opportunities to be employed either here in the U.S. as well as back home. “I’m doing my masters in healthcare administration. I have a background in physical therapy and when I choose that major I wasn’t one-hundred percent sure what I was going to do, but once I started experiencing the major and learning much about it I just feel in love with it, “ he says.

“I think it is one of the best majors out. I will have a variety of options in the future to do things like hospitals, nursing homes, pharmaceuticals; insurance companies there are a lot of opportunities for me to seize and my background was working in hospitals so I think it is something that I really want to pursue and continue working either here in the United States or when I go back home.”

One thing Suliman says he realizes is being an international student has given him a way to network with other students and also be an ambassador for his country to share his culture and life. “The first and the most important advice is always get involved. I mean get involved with people in your class. Get involved with activities on campus. Get involved with any associations related into your major. If you are a Business major then join a Business association or fraternity. I mean anywhere in the world if you don’t get involved that takes place in that place you will never be able to make friends, you would never be able to network in case you wanted a job, “he says. “So, it is important to get involved, don’t be shy, share your experiences a lot of people misconception about the place you came from. You are here as a messenger to teach people exacting working both ways. You came here to learn and let others learn from you and your culture.”

Suliman isn't too sure what he will do once he completes his studies, however he does want to work some here in the United States before going back home. “I haven’t thought about it yet, but probably I would look for a job and take advantage of the opportunity that international students have after they finish school in the United States every student get a chance to work in the United States for a year doing what is called an open year training so I might take advantage of that and then go back home and start applying what I have learned here in the United States.”

Nida Shadeed Pursues Political Science Degree at Shaw University

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Nida Shadeed is a Political Science major. Deciding to study in that field was a decision influenced by a summer internship and an associate she met in 2005. “I did an intern the summer of 2005 and believe it or not that is when I decided that I wanted to do Political Science because I actually graduated from high school 2005 and that summer I did an internship at the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands and my co-worker she was a college graduate and she also wanted to go to law school and her major was Political Science so she kind of influenced me on that decision.”

Having a family member already studying at Shaw University made Nida Shadeed decision to attend the university that much easier. “I’m from the Virgin Islands, its U-S territory so it is not really that much difference from the U-S, but of course it’s an island,” she says. “The real reason why I decided to go Shaw here is Raleigh, North Carolina is because I have an older sister and she goes to Shaw as well and you know it just made sense I guess why I decided to come.”

While focusing on her studies, Nida is also involved with the Political Science Club as well as the Pre-law Club. She says meeting international students and getting to know them is one experience she enjoys. “Shaw University is a private school. It is very small and the teachers are hands on and that is something that I like personally. Everybody seems to be very friendly and I like it,” she says. “I got introduced to the international students through a friend of mine, a mutual friend and they are great. It is kind of like knowing people from all different walks of the world so that is one experience that I really treasure at Shaw.”

This is Nida's junior year. She says there are a few educational differences attending college away from home, but one thing is certain, she has also notice changes within herself both intellectually and personally. “To me the differences is back at home teachers are a little bit, the curriculum in my opinion is a little bit more harder and teachers challenge you a little more,” she says.

“Whereas here for me it was getting out of my comfort zone because I lived a pretty sheltered life being that I grew up on an island and coming here where it is like I really do not have that much family and I was forced to try to be a little more independent and be on my own a little bit more, it has kind of help me to realize that this is real life and in that sense it has kind of changed me.”

When Nida graduates from Shaw University in 2009 she wants to go to Law school in the United States too. Her advice to others interested in college here is....”My advice is just makes sure it is something that you really want to do and have school as your number one priority and know that is what you are there for and make as many friends as you can. Nida is one of more than 500-thousand international students currently enrolled in the U-S college and universities.

Muna Ngenda Attends Temple University, Same As Father

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His father went to Temple University in Philadelphia so Muna Ngenda decided that too would be the university for him. “I’m from Zambia in Southern Africa, the capital city of Lusaka and right now I am attending Temple University in Philadelphia. It was recommended by my dad because he is a Temple alumni and after I looked at it I liked the ranking of the Business school, it is rather highly ranked and also because it has a diverse international student population so it seemed like a good choice,” he says.

"I decided to come to the United States because of the Law degree is something I could get from here. It is very influential I would say, it is good for my credentials and I wanted my education to be more international because I have studied in a few other countries so I thought I would add the United States to the list to round it off.”

Muna is twenty years old. His major is International Business, but he also is interested in Law as well. "I initially wanted to study Law, but while waiting to come to Law school because I planned to come to Las school in America and in America as opposed to England, the Law program is on a second degree,” he says. “You do the law after you get an undergraduate degree. So I decided to get my first official degree in Accounts[ing]. So After studying accounts a few years I decided that I like that field as well so I am going to do Business and Law so that is why I am studying Business as well.

"So I will be receiving a bachelors then I will go on to get a joint a JD MBA.”
From making new friends, getting to know the professors and participating in a few campus activities, Muna says he is getting the total university experience. “Things are going well, I settled in okay and started making a few friends. It was a bit rough at first trying to settle in and get use to the new environment and stuff, but you manage to adapt,” he says.

"The students are okay. The faculty is really cool. There are some excellent teachers, so I really like that. I would say the worse thing is probably been the weather. Otherwise, it has been a very good experience. It has been fun. It has been new and interesting. I joined a couple of organizations there is a student Christian organization that I am apart of as well as the organization of African students and I play sports every now and then. So I have had a good time here."

Zambia, England and the Ivory Coast in West Africa are places Muna have received education. Now, being in the United States he can share the differences and the importance of each system. "The things that I can note, I know back home the education is very intensive should I say that is the major difference I noticed between back home and other countries. The teachers would really push us a lot like during high school and primary school, during the earlier years, I notice that the teachers really pushed us a lot whereas when I went to England the emphasis was more on the student. If was your own decision whether to work hard or not, whereas with African education the teachers really make you work hard,” he says.

"There is a lot of teacher involvement. Then in Ivory Coast, it was a lot of the same thing. Ivory Coast was somewhere in between the two extremes and now in the [U-S] states I say it depends on the teachers some teachers will give you a lot of work to make you do the work, but, with the university it depends on the student themselves, how hard they want to work. The lectures are always available so when you need help, when you need some extra input its there.”

Muna says he even has set several goals for himself that he plans to achieve. “I like to graduate from the honors program, graduate with the highest credentials possible, get any extracurricular activities I can in, get any internships, job opportunities just to excel in my studies and to get my resume updated and develop a very good profile to get the most I can from being here.

When it comes to Muna's goals, graduating and future objectives, he says, “I should graduate in May 2011 or a little earlier if I get some additional transfer credits and my ultimate interest is business consulting. I would like to help people with business ideas, start their businesses and also pursue multi-national investments like getting international companies to invest in Africa, but before I do that I will probably get some experience with some large consulting firms, large business companies.

On the Web, College Classes With No Charge (or Credit)

Free course materials, including videos of lectures, are available online in many different subjects.

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Knowledge is free on the Internet at a small but growing number of colleges and universities.

About 160 schools around the world now offer course materials free online to the public. Recent additions in the United States include projects at Yale, Johns Hopkins and the University of California, Berkeley.

Berkeley said it will offer videos of lectures on YouTube. Free videos from other schools are available at the Apple iTunes store.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology became an early leader with its OpenCourseWare project, first announced in 2001. Free lecture notes, exams and other resources are published at ocw.mit.edu. Many exams and homework assignments even include the answers. The Web site also has videos of lectures and demonstrations.

Today, OpenCourseWare offers materials from 1,800 undergraduate and graduate courses. These range from physics and linear algebra to anthropology, political science -- even scuba diving.

Visitors can learn the same things M.I.T. students learn. But as the site points out, OpenCourseWare is not an M.I.T. education. Visitors receive no credit toward a degree. Some materials from a course may not be available, and the site does not provide contact with teachers.

Still, M.I.T. says the site has had 40 million visits by 31 million visitors from almost every country. 60% of the visitors are from outside the United States and Canada.

There are links to materials translated into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Thai. OpenCourseWare averages one million visits each month, and the translations receive half a million more.

Students and educators use the site, including students at M.I.T. But the largest number of visitors, about half, are self-learners.

Some professors have become well known around the world as a result of appearing online. Walter Lewin, a physics professor at M.I.T., is especially popular. Fans enjoy his entertaining demonstrations.

M.I.T. OpenCourseWare now includes materials for high school. The goal is to improve education in science, technology, math and engineering.

US Colleges Move to Increase Financial Aid

Action by Harvard turns up heat on other schools to use more of their endowment money to help their students.

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A recent decision by Harvard University to expand financial aid is putting pressure on other schools to do the same.

Graduation ceremonies at Harvard in JuneThe full price for one year at Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is more than $45,000. Many other private colleges cost just as much. But Harvard is much wealthier than any other American university, so it has more to give.

Harvard already offers a free education to students from families that earn up to $60,000 a year. This has helped increase the numbers of lower income and minority students.

Now, the aim is to help all but the wealthiest American families pay for a Harvard education. The new policies announced last month will assist families that earn as much as one hundred eighty thousand dollars. These families will be asked to pay no more than ten percent of their income for college.

For example, a family earning $120,000 would pay about $12,000 a year. Under existing student aid policies the amount is more than $19,000.

What Harvard has done is change the way it offers financial aid. Undergraduates will not be expected to take out loans. Increases in grant aid will replace loans. Also, Harvard officials will no longer consider the value of a family's home when deciding how much aid to give.

Harvard says it expects to spend up to $22 million more a year in financial aid. This will come from its endowment. A college endowment is money given by former students and others as gifts. Schools invest the money to earn more. Harvard's endowment is valued at $35 billion.

Other universities with large endowments are also changing their financial aid policies. Examples include Yale, Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania.

Yale's endowment is the second largest after Harvard, at $22.5 billion . This week, Yale in New Haven, Connecticut, announced it will use more of that money for financial aid as well as scientific research. Yale may also admit more students.

But some colleges say they simply do not have enough money to compete with the new policies that are being announced.

Critics of the rising costs of a college education say schools are making these changes in an attempt to avoid action by Congress. Some lawmakers have criticized universities for raising their prices even as their endowments grow larger and larger.