Coalition BRIGHT

While US physicians often engage in hands-on clinical care and educational activities in LMICs, their LMIC counterparts are restricted to observational roles only when in the U.S. This imbalance limits the potential for global health system strengthening by preventing LMIC physicians from gaining practical clinical experience in advanced healthcare settings. Addressing this inequity is essential for advancing global health education and promoting international healthcare diplomacy. 

In response, the ACS Committee on Global Engagement Advocacy Subcommittee formed the Coalition for Building Reciprocal Initiatives for Global Health Training (BRIGHT) to address federal, state, and institutional policy barriers that limit hands-on clinical experiences for visiting international short-term clinical learners (VISCLs) from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Coalition BRIGHT’s vision is a global health community where every physician, regardless of geographic or economic background, has equal access to comprehensive, hands-on clinical training. 

Current Objective

Coalition BRIGHT is gathering support for a J-1 Visa amendment proposal. Please consider signing on as an institution supporting this proposal.