WASHINGTON, Dec 28: Recently released statistics show that last year only 26 per cent of Pakistani medical graduates sponsored for training in the US were able to arrive in time to join their residencies.

The situation improved this year, but still 43 per cent Pakistani medical graduates failed to join their residencies either because they were not issued the required visas or the visas were delayed.

Last year, the US Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, which certifies international medical graduates for entry into graduate medical education in the United States, had sponsored a total of 154 Pakistani medical graduates for training in the country. This was the largest number of J1 visas issued for any country.

Of these 154 medical graduates, 121 or 79 per cent eventually reached the United States, but only 40 of them were in time to join their residencies. Even the entry rate was lower compared to other countries, but it went further down when compared with those who were able to reach here in time.

Globally, last year the commission sponsored 1,133 medical graduates from 97 countries. Of them 1,053 or 93 per cent were issued J1 visas and were able to enter the United States, compared to 79 per cent for Pakistan.

Of all foreign graduates sponsored by the commission, 58 per cent were able to arrive here in time for their courses, compared to 26 per cent for Pakistan. India had a total of 142 graduates of which 79 or 56 per cent arrived on time and 133 or 94 per cent were eventually cleared and arrived in the United States.

Canada had 131 graduates of which 110 or 84 per cent arrived on time and 129 or 98 per cent had arrived by the end of the year. This year also the statistics show the same discriminatory pattern.

Pakistan had 161 graduates whose J1 visas were sponsored by the US education commission as opposed to 193 for India and 169 for Canada. Of those, only 100 or 62 per cent have arrived to date from Pakistan as opposed to 157 or 81 per cent for India and 160 or 95 per cent for Canada.

This year, 1313 graduates were sponsored from 108 countries and 1,154 of them or 88 per cent have arrived to date. Again, compared to other countries, Pakistani graduates have the lowest clearance rate. This year only 57 per cent of Pakistanis have arrived on time as opposed to 75 per cent of Indians and 88 per cent of Canadians.