New UK policy on overseas doctors: Thank God for the American Dream

doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7548.1033-d

BMJ 2006;332:1033-1034 (29 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7548.1033-d

Letter

New UK policy on overseas doctors

Thank God for the American Dream

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EDITOR—Trewby et al identify the new nationality basedemployment policy of the NHS as a short term benefit.¹ I amgrateful that the institutionalised bias against foreign physiciansin the United Kingdom was evident to me seven years ago whenI decided to search for opportunities outside India. The USis still a bastion of equality and democracy, treating foreignmedical graduates on merit and not being reluctant to hire them.The US shows that hiring people for talent rather than nationalityis good for progress as well as ethically sound.

Naren Gupta, surgery resident

Department of Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0300, USA ng7e@virginia.edu

Competing interests: None declared.

Trewby P, Williams G, Williamson P, Barnes E, Carr P, Crilley J, et al. European doctors and change in UK policy. BMJ 2006;332: 913-4. (15 April.)[Free Full Text]