Profession
Renewal of Conrad 30 program moves forward
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted June 16, 2008
The U.S. House in May passed a bill to renew for five years a program used to attract physicians to medically underserved rural and urban areas. The Senate has yet to vote on a companion bill to save what is called the Conrad 30 program.
The program exempts international medical graduates in the United States from having to return to their home country for two years after training. Instead, this requirement is waived for those with J-1 student visas who are allowed to stay in the U.S. in exchange for practicing in a medically underserved area for at least three years.
The Conrad 30 program permits each state to sponsor 30 waivers. The program expired June 1 and won't be renewed unless the Senate passes a bill and the extension is signed into law by the president.
Until then, IMGs who were in the U.S. before the deadline will be able to seek waivers. The program will be closed to IMGs who entered the country after June 1, unless the extension bills are made into law.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/06/16/prbf0616.htm.
