AMOpportunities, a Chicago-based startup that provides international medical students and graduates with clinical rotations across the United States, announced today a Series A investment of $2.2 million. The funding comes from existing investors OCA Ventures, HealthX Ventures, Wildcat LLC, and M25 Group. Past investor University of Chicago is also part of the investment, providing funding from their endowment fund.  

This investment allows AMOpportunities to launch an Android/iPhone app, finalize a SaaS platform for clinical institutions that will allow them to seamlessly manage visitors, develop a membership model, provide concierge-level support for its visitors and continue to grow its ever-expanding employee base.  

“The exponential growth AMOpportunities experienced last year and has accomplished every year made another investment an easy decision,” says XXX INVESTOR “But it’s not only their companywide success, it’s their commitment to diversity and desire to shape a world that provides equal access to education for all a company that we want to invest in.”

Since officially launching in 2013, AMOpportunities has hosted more than 2,200 visitors across 200-plus clinical sites in the United States. They’ve developed partnerships with University of Chicago, a community-based community hospital in South Side Chicago, and the University of Miami. Clinical rotations are a requirement for becoming a U.S. physician, and these experiences can bring IMGs one step closer to becoming a U.S. doctor, which is paramount to the growth of the American health system.  

According to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges, the U.S. could see a shortage of 120,000 physicians by 2030. The process of acculturation that comes with inviting international medical students and graduates into the American medical system can only improve and support the healthcare system.  

“To thrive, the American healthcare system needs doctors from all over the world,” says Kyle Swinsky, CEO. “Without these international trainees, the U.S. will experience a devastating physician shortage. We need these international physicians to ensure our healthcare system survives. Diversity and immigration will only make our country stronger.”

Breaking down barriers—physical and metaphorical—spreads information around the world that can better healthcare for patients and creates stronger, more well-rounded physicians. One small step in doing so is bringing international medical students and graduates to the U.S. in clinics, hospitals and institutions across the country. Diversity drives patient outcomes and immigration shapes economic growth and social opportunity.

“There is an aspect of healthcare that is universal across the world whether from India, Africa or Brazil,” says Dr. Fagelman, one of the first physicians to work with AMOpportunities. “Teaching international medical students and graduates is a chance to be exposed to a different culture and gives some insight into how they’re practicing from a different part of the world. We love partnering with AMOpportunities.”