To the Editor: Elkin and colleagues acknowledged that “most [international studies] have found no association” between acquiring a medical degree overseas and being the subject of a complaint;1 however, their principal findings — which differ from these other studies — require care in interpretation.
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- 1. Elkin K, Spittal MJ, Studdert DM. Risks of complaints and adverse disciplinary findings against international medical graduates in Victoria and Western Australia. Med J Aust 2012; 197: 448-452. <MJA full text>
- 2. Hickson GB, Federspiel CF, Pichert JW, et al. Patient complaints and malpractice risk. JAMA 2002; 287: 2951-2957.
- 3. Khaliq AA, Dimassi H, Huang CY, et al. Disciplinary action against physicians: who is likely to get disciplined? Am J Med 2005; 118: 773-777.
- 4. Humphrey C, Hickman S, Gulliford MC. Place of medical qualification and outcomes of UK General Medical Council “fitness to practise” process: cohort study. BMJ 2011; 342: d1817.
- 5. House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing. Lost in the labyrinth: report on the inquiry into registration processes and support for overseas trained doctors. Canberra: Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, 2012. http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House_ of_Representatives_Committees?url=haa/overseasdoctors/report.htm (accessed Feb 2013).
- 6. Kohatsu ND, Gould D, Ross LK, et al. Characteristics associated with physician discipline: a case-control study. Arch Intern Med 2004; 164: 653-658.
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