What impact do U.S. immigration policies have on physicians from the Muslim world? Do immigration policies and recruitment forinternational medical graduates effectively help provide health care for the underserved in the United States? What impact can American Muslim physicians make on the global health challenges in their countries of origin? Our current research hopes to explore the views and experiences of this growing subset of health care providers. Researchers, community members, and policymakers alike can gain insight into the important contributions of Muslim American physicians to health care, civic and community life, and international development. A rich, variegated profile of this group may help not only in reforming health care to meet the needs of increasingly diverse populations, but also to build understanding and bridge the divide between Muslims and non-Muslims in this country. This project will be mixed-method in design, with quantitative indicators as well as qualitative data collected from in-depth interviews and focus groups.
The major goals of the quantitative part of the study are to:
- assess the types and levels of civic engagement and community service among Muslim physicians
- examine the role immigrant Muslim physicians in caring for underserved Americans.
- discern the impact of shifts in immigration policy on the supply of, demand for, and service opportunities of immigrant Muslim physicians
- understand forces that affect both local and transnational engagement of U.S.-based Muslim physicians in addressing global health needs.
Reforming U.S. healthcare systems and understanding the relationship of the U.S. to the Muslim world may seem like disparate public policy agendas. Religious institutions, such as the Catholic Church and Jewish community health centers, as well as individual public servants have long been central players in providing health care in the U.S. and abroad. As described by Lance Laird in an earlier Institute for Social Policy & Understanding study, Muslim based health care services are an emerging phenomena. This area will also be investigated.
The results of this research have important implications toward U.S. immigration policy both towards Muslim physicians as well as more broadly Muslim professional workers. Furthermore, research may identify areas of strengths within the Muslim physician community which non-profit organizations, health care stakeholders, and global health institutions may use to better serve needy communities both in the United States and abroad.
We are looking for private donors and institutional donors to partner with us to fund this
groundbreaking research study. Please email director@ispu.org for more information about the study or make your tax-deductible donation today.
