About a quarter of doctors currently in practice were educated in foreign medical schools and the United States faces a growing physician shortage.

Newly-minted M.D.s are among the thousands of students, trainees, teachers and exchange visitors put in limbo after the Trump State department hit pause on new visa appointments last week, as it develops a plan to vet visa candidates’ social media. For foreign-born and educated doctors who haven’t snagged an appointment yet, the timing couldn’t be worse—most medical residencies officially begin July 1, with orientations for the newest M.D.s (known as interns or P.G. 1s) starting some time in June. International medical graduates without visas could miss their start date, putting their positions at risk and leaving hospitals in the lurch, since interns provide hands-on medical care under the supervision of more experienced doctors.

According to the American Medical Association, about a quarter of doctors currently in practice in the U.S. were educated in foreign medical schools and the nation faces a

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