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The United States Medical Licensing Examination, or USMLE, is a three-step examination for medical licensure in the United States and is Sponsored by the Federation of States Medical Boards (FSMB)
and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). Students and graduates of US or Canadian medical school programs leading to the MD degree that are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or leading to the DO degree that are accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) register for Step 1 and Step 2 with the NBME. Students and graduates of medical schools outside the United States and Canada register for Step 1 and Step 2 with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). Graduates of medical schools in and outside the United States and Canada register for Step 3 with the FSMB or a medical licensing authority in the United States.
The USMLE assesses a physician’s ability to apply knowledge, concepts, and principles and to demonstrate fundamental patient-centered skills that are important in health and disease, and that constitute the basis of safe and effective patient care.
Interestingly these same organizations also have a BIG say on how medicine is taught in the US.
Having quoted the above assessments for medical licensing, be inform that different countries have different means of assessing the competency of their physicians.
What American Samoa need to establish is some form of assessment also. I understand you already have a law in place for this and that is to pass the USMLE as stated by Mr. Warren. I agree with the good chairman that it’s either we enforce the law, or change the law.
Do we have to follow what the FSMB, NBME, & ECFMG requires? NO. For those in the dark, there is NO Federal Government say in who get licenses to practice or not. It is all up to individual states and territories. If a state or territory wishes to use the USMLE as it’s assurance to grant practicing licenses, that is their choice. There is NO Federal policy that would bar them from this right if they decide not to also.
Who are these organizations? They are private organizations just like FIFA, NFL, NBA, etc. To belong you must walk the line, sweat the sweat, pay the fees and be good.
Is the medical governing body for American Samoa a member of these organizations? I don’t know but if they wish to they have to play the game. Otherwise, form your own rules. It seems like that’s been the way for the last 20 years anyway. Is it working?
The 22 doctors have two choices if the law is not changed.
1. Resign and seek work where you are needed and appreciated. The Pacific region, Australia, N.Z., UNICEF, WHO, etc. recognizes your credentials. The World is in need of your skills and "Doctors Without Borders" is recruiting.
2. Leave without pay and study for the USMLE. Pass the dang thing…ona uma lava lea o le pisa so’o.
It’s good LBJ will support you financially if you choose the later but the reality is, who will man the clinics if all 22 of you take time off to study? Dr. Hurtwiz & Dr. Fiafoma’i? The USMLE has it’s quota for IMG’s anyway and you‘ll have a stiff time to pass. Your medical training was to practice medicine, not to pass the USMLE as US medical students are. I do think you all need to complete your post-graduates and approach Samoa’s healthcare problem through preventative education as your good Dr. Tuliau is doing now.
Points to ponder: If you were a licensing body would you favor granting licenses to graduates from your medical schools, or would you favor an influx of graduates from schools outside of the country? If you have only 10 slots allotted for foreign graduates and 50 passed your standard exams, will you still grant 50 licenses? I would take the top 10 and fail the rest. They are NOT allowed to review the actual exam they sat anyway. They’ll see my assessment but not the actual
paper. And since I’m a private corporation I can set my own rules as long as I don’t get caught and is paying the right politician.
For the Medical Board & Policy makers: Ask yourselves why it cost so dang high to get a medical education in the US and why so hard to get accepted. Seek out how it got so expensive to get medical treatment in the US.
The answer lie with the Rockefeller monopoly, Allopathic philosophies, pharmaceutical principals, and the formation of the American Medical Association in the early 1900‘s. The concept of medical insurances was also part of the plan. This would be a great piece of investigative reporting for Samoa News to educate the public with.
One vital issue not being discussed is "OVERWORKED and UNDERSTAFFED". No matter how good your doctors are, with these two conditions in place, you will never have an effective system.
Pen T.
Xray's can see through you.
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Fa'afetai tele lava / Thank you
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