More than 22 million Medicare patients received care from doctors born outside the United States in 2024, according to an American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) study published today in JAMA. A close look at internal medicine physicians—including those who continued their training to practice in subspecialty fields such as medical oncology and cardiology—revealed that doctors born abroad make up nearly half (47.2%) of the field’s workforce and provide essential care to patients in underserved communities.

About the Study: In this cross-sectional study, authors found that non-US-born physicians, including US medical graduates (USMGs) and international medical graduates (IMGs), accounted for nearly half of the US internal medicine workforce while providing a disproportionate share of care for underserved patient populations.

About the Study: In this qualitative study, surgical residents described experiencing vigilance as the perception of identity-related threats, the adjustment of self-presentation accordingly, and the monitoring of the environment for risk. Participants expressed that this process imposed significant emotional and cognitive demands, contributing to fatigue, burnout, and, in some cases, thoughts of leaving surgery; however, they identified opportunities on the programmatic level to mitigate the negative consequences of vigilance.

About the Study: The authors of this Special Communication write that treatment of perinatal Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) should be prioritized during pregnancy. Authors argue that expanding access to maternity, child health, and psychiatric care is a public health imperative, and that structured, evidence-based decision-making can help clinicians and patients balance the risks of untreated depression, treatment benefits, and potential risks associated with SSRI exposure. Authors' institutions include Children's National Hospital, George Washington University School of Medicine, University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School.

About the Study: The authors of this Special Communication write that treatment of perinatal Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) should be prioritized during pregnancy. Authors argue that expanding access to maternity, child health, and psychiatric care is a public health imperative, and that structured, evidence-based decision-making can help clinicians and patients balance the risks of untreated depression, treatment benefits, and potential risks associated with SSRI exposure. Authors' institutions include Children's National Hospital, George Washington University School of Medicine, University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School.

About the Study: Among patients undergoing cancer surgery, waiting times to initiation of first-course therapy have steadily increased since 2012, particularly at high-volume academic centers and among patients referred for definitive care. With continued consolidation and expansion of health systems, system-level strategies are urgently needed to monitor and mitigate delays in the delivery of surgical care for cancer.

About the Study: This JAMA Patient Page describes common symptoms, risk factors, screening tests, diagnosis, and treatment of celiac disease.

Adverse pregnancy outcomes—such as preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, low-birth weight, and preterm birth—are associated with risk of further complications, chronic disease, and cardiovascular disease. They also disproportionately affect Black and Latina women. A new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham finds adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) among Black and Latina women are also associated with substantially greater health-related social needs, spanning domains such as education, transportation, food security, financial strain, employment, and social support. The researchers conclude that integrating social needs assessment into postpartum care could help improve long-term maternal health and reduce disparities. Results are published in JAMA Network Open.