The Problems of Indian Psychiatrists in an Alien Culture

Since the early 60's, consequent to the change in the immigration laws of the United States (USA), the number of physicians entering the United States has steadily increased. In fact, from 1957 to 1965 the number of foreign medical graduates (FMG) coming to USA fluctuated at around 2,000 a year. The rise in their number began in 1966. More than 7,000 immigrant visas went to physicians in 1972 and in 1973. Around the year 1973, there were 31,743 physicians from Asia (Stevens et al., 1975) which include a considerable number of immigrants from India . Some of these physicians have chosen Psychiatry as their speciality. The 1973 membership directory of the American Psychiatric Association lists about 220 South Asian psychiatrists from Bangladesh, Ceylon, India and Pakistan. During the year 1970, there were a total of 130(117 male and 13 female) Indian psychiatrists among a total of 3,379 foreign psychiatrists. (Arnhoffand Kurabar , 1973). Therefore, in order to facilitate adaptat ion and help assimilation of the Indian psychiatrists coming to another culture and thereby assure quali ty psychiatric care to the population, the problems of adaptat ion of a psychiatrist to an alien culture is worth further investigation.