ORHPC IMG Update - Office of Rural Health and Primary Care

 

MDH ORHPC

Office of Rural Health and Primary Care News

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September 2021

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International Immigrant Medical Graduate Program Funding Update

rural health leaf

Q&A Session

Please join us for a Q&A Session about IMG funding opportunities led by IMG program staff. It will be held Tuesday, October 5, from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. CT.

Join on your computer or mobile app.
Click here to join the meeting

Join with a video conferencing device:
mn@m.webex.com
Video Conference ID: 113 018 343 8

Alternate VTC instructions

Agenda

  • Background
  • Program overview
  • Grant application process
  • Key dates
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Career guidance and support
  • Short-term clinical experience
  • Residency program
  • Next steps

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Background information

Health care organizations in Minnesota and across the country are continuously recruiting qualified health care professionals in both rural and urban areas to address the chronic shortage of primary care professionals. The Minnesota Department of Health’s Office of Rural Health and Primary Care has several programs in place to address these shortages, including the groundbreaking Minnesota International Immigrant Medical Graduate (IIMG) program.

Health care professionals who receive their health care training in other countries face multiple barriers in transferring their credentials after they relocate to the United States, despite pre-existing competencies within their health care professions. Our IMG Program estimates that there are over 300 immigrant health care professionals living in Minnesota that could help alleviate our health care shortages across the state, if we could assist them in becoming licensed. Immigrant medical graduates bring added value and, often, shared experience when serving minority and immigrant populations.

To address barriers and integrate these professionals into the U.S. health care system, the Minnesota Legislature established the International Medical Graduates (IMG) Program, Minnesota Statutes Section 144.1911 to “address barriers to practice and facilitate pathways to assist immigrant international medical graduates[i], with the goal of increasing access to primary care in rural and underserved areas of the state.” The IMG Program offers comprehensive services that addresses the needs of IMGs at different stages on the path to residency and through the licensing process.


[i] An IIMG is an international medical graduate who was born outside the United States, now resides permanently in the United States, and who did not enter the United States on a J1 or similar nonimmigrant visa following acceptance into United States medical residency or fellowship program.

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Open funding

Open: IMG Career Guidance and Support Grant

The IMG Career Guidance and Support program serves as an entry point for IMGs in Minnesota to participate in programming that helps them become ready for health care career opportunities. The program serves to provide IMGs support in addressing barriers to residency and medical practice, and to assist IMGs in preparing for careers in the health care field using their medical background.

Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations that fulfill all of the following criteria:

  • Are located in Minnesota.
  • Have demonstrable experience working with immigrants/refugees in Minnesota.
  • Have a track record providing career guidance and support in health occupations, and preferably with immigrants and refugees.
  • Have experience partnering with educational and support service agencies to maximize resources.
  • Have experience in collaborating with Minnesota health professionals licensing boards.
  • Have an active organizational program website containing program resources, options for participants enrollment and contact links.
  • Are culturally competent and understand health equity collaboration.

Up to $275,000 is available to fund an organization for 24 months to implement initiatives, which assist IMGs with career guidance and support in the recertification process.

Download the Request for Proposal (RFP).

Applications must be submitted online through the MDH Grants Portal website no later than October 15, 2021, 11:59 pm CST.

For more information about this opportunity, contact: MN_health.IMG@state.mn.us, 651–201–3856.

Open: IMG Primary Care Residency Grant

The IMG Primary Care Residency Program authorizes the Commissioner of Health to award grants to eligible grantees to support residency positions for Minnesota IIMGs. The goal of this program is provide funding for up to two residency positions. Applicants eligible for residency support include Minnesota programs, sponsors or potential sponsors of primary care residency program to support a dedicated IMG residency position.

Up to $100,000 is available per year, to fund residency positions for up to four years.  A program may apply for less than $100,000 per residency position per year, and successful applicants may be awarded less than their request.

This grant will serve IMGs who:

  • Were born in various countries around world
  • Now reside in Minnesota as US permanent residents or US Citizens
  • Have resided in Minnesota for at least two years
  • Are committed to becoming certified to provide primary care services (family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, OB-GYN and Psychiatry) to Minnesota residents living in the rural areas or underserved areas of the state

Download the Request for Proposal (RFP).

Applications must be submitted online through the MDH Grants Portal website no later than November 8, 2021, 4:30 pm CST.

For more information about this opportunity, contact: yende.anderson@state.mn.us, 651–201–5988

New this year: IMG Short Term Clinical Experience Grant

The IMG Program is offering short-term clinical opportunities of 30 to 90 days to supplement the BRIIDGE program,[ii] increasing the number of IIMGs who can access needed US clinical experience, build their direct knowledge of the US healthcare system and strengthen their residency applications. The rigorous short-term clinical opportunities program will allow IIMGs with the need to strengthen their clinical skills in specific areas and improve their ability to demonstrate their skills with meaningful assessments that residency directors can rely on.

Eligible applicants are programs and sponsors of clinical medical education or healthcare providers that fulfill all of the following criteria:

  • Are located in Minnesota,
  • Have a history of providing clinical medical education or clinical preparation, and
  • Are willing to provide clinical preparation in primary care, including exposure to ambulatory and inpatient medicine.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and experience of medical clinical training in compliance with the Institutional and Program Requirements for Graduate Medical Education in primary care specialties of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

Up to $75,000 is available this year for this short-term clinical opportunity.

Download the Request for Proposal (RFP).

Applications must be submitted online through the MDH Grants Portal website no later than November 8, 2021, 11:59 pm CST.

For more information about this opportunity, contact: yende.anderson@state.mn.us, 651–201–5988.


[ii] In 2017, MDH partnered with the University of Minnesota support the BRIIDGE program. This program is a 9-month residency preparatory program which consists of inpatient and outpatient training opportunities as well as community- and classroom-based components to optimally prepare participants to match into and succeed in residency programs. The BRIIDGE program has been extremely effective, with 100% of the participants securing a residency position post participation. However due to limited funding and capacity, the reach of the program is limited, and only a few IMGs can benefit from this opportunity.

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