How Many US Clinicians Come From Banned Countries?

Counties with at least one clinician from a banned country were more likely to be designated primary care shortage areas.

By
Kathryn Wighton
June 3, 2026
4 min

MDSpire News

Objective:

To analyze the number of physicians and nurses from 19 countries affected by a December 2025 US immigration ban and their impact on the US healthcare workforce.

Key Findings:

In 2023, there were 23,745 physicians and 56,332 nurses from banned countries in the US workforce.
Physician inflow from banned countries increased from 350 in 2010 to 459 in 2023, making up about 2.5% of total physician inflow.
Nurse inflow rose from 189 in 2010 to 368 in 2022, accounting for approximately 1% of total nurse inflow.
Counties with at least one physician from a banned country had 2.4 times the odds of being designated a primary care Health Professional Shortage Area.
Counties with at least one nurse from a banned country had 1.7 times the odds of being designated a primary care Health Professional Shortage Area.

Interpretation:

Limitations:

The study could not determine immigration status, physician specialty, or whether all clinicians who immigrated ultimately practiced clinically in the US.
It could not evaluate potential causal effects of the immigration ban.

How Many US Clinicians Come From Banned Countries?

Objective:

Key Findings:

Interpretation:

Limitations:

Conclusion:

Original Source(s)

How Many US Clinicians Come From Banned Countries?

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