IMG Masterclass

Dr. Terrence Julien, M.D. Neurosurgeon, specialized in Complex Spine, Robotics Spine, and Neurosurgical-Oncology, based out of Tampa, Florida.
He endorses an impressive Resume that has no blemish, after 12 pages, the amount of accolades and professional accomplishments and publications never runs out and overshadows anyone. The critical fact is that despite the fact he is not an IMG (Went to medical school at Howard University in Washington, DC, USA). He is the son of a Mechanical Engineer Caribbean immigrant from Trinidad and Tobago. They relocated to suburban America to provide both of his children with the necessary life skills, tools, and education to become successful in a racist country that makes part of people based on their accent and skin color.

Racism in America is prevalent and palpable, to this day, the 21st century. Segregation occurs and has been promoted and endorsed by government institutions over several decades and, to this day, becomes a limiting factor in obtaining equal opportunities for minorities, not only for Black but Latino, Native Americans, and Asians.

So with this background of societal adversities and minimal odds, he went on to become a Physician with a Medical Doctor degree from a very prominent university, obtained an academic scholarship to excellent academic performance for research and strengthen his resume to become one of the very few Black Brain Surgeons in the USA. He has attended extremely prominent institutions, not in order but to Include NYU, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse, Medical Center of Delaware among others.

After more than 20 years of Undergraduate, Graduate, Postgraduate, and Doctoral education, He is an example to follow for everyone, not only for Black minorities but for any of us that has the desire, grit, and dream to become someone in the USA. Becoming a Brain surgeon is the most competitive endeavor in the medical career. It has always been a field of an elite select group, lead mostly by White Caucasians society members (Physicians). The hardship endured is like no other, and he always had not only been excellent, but much better than any other applicant/physician when competing for a training/work spot.

So, in this episode, we enjoyed talking about his life in the USA and shared the resilience shown to become the "creme de la creme." Listen on!

A few concepts of Racism and segregation:

De Facto segregation vs. De Jure segregation. DeJure ("by law") describes practices that are legally recognized, regardless of whether the method exists in reality. In contrast, de facto ("in fact") describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legally recognized racial, ethnic, or other segregation resulting from societal differences between groups, as socioeconomic or political disparity, without institutionalized legislation intended to segregate.

The factors of RacismRacism may vary from country to country due to historical, cultural, religious, economic, or demographic reasons. Several academics assert that RacismRacism and ethnic discrimination are deep, inherent, and fundamental aspects of North American society. Historical RacismRacism continues to reflect on socioeconomic inequality. Racial stratification continues to occur in employment, housing, education, lending, and government.

Racism in the United States has been a significant issue ever since the era of colonialism and slavery. Legally sanctioned RacismRacism imposed a heavy burden on Native Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans, Americans from lesser developed parts of Europe and Asian Americans. European Americans were privileged by law in matters of literacy, immigration, voting rights, citizenship, land acquisition, and criminal procedure over periods that extended from the 17th century to the 1960s. However, numerous European ethnic groups, including Jews, Irish, Southern European, and Eastern European Americans, as well as immigrants from elsewhere, suffered xenophobic exclusion and other forms of RacismRacism in American society.

As in most countries, many people in the U.S. continue to have some prejudices against other races. In the view of a network of scores of U.S. civil rights and human rights organizations, "Discrimination permeates all aspects of life in the United States, and extends to all communities of color." Discrimination against African Americans and Latin Americans is widely acknowledged.

1. Prepare in advance (Practice and Rehearse) 
2. Be professional and respectful to everyone (From the Environmental Services Lady all the way up to the Program Director)
3. Ask thoughtful questions! (They are an open book and are available to be reviewed, so you do not feel surprised as they come up)
4. Send thank-you notes (Written notes are preferred - So gather contact information, and be ready to personalize those)

Follow the link to visit the Most FAQ during US Residency Interviews: 

Thousands of Doctors every year have to jump through the legal hoops when dealing with immigration issues. And today, we have brought one of the top 5 immigration attorneys in the world to speak to us. Mr. Greg Sisking, is an extremely accomplished attorney, based out of Memphis, TN. His practice, SISKIND & SUSER - Immigration lawyers found at www.visalaw.com. 

He has devoted his career to assisting organizations and individuals around the world with their immigration law needs. Greg began practicing law when he was 22 after receiving his bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University and his law degree from the University of Chicago. Greg is the author of several books, including the annually published J-1 Visa Guidebook, the American Bar Association's Lawyers Guide to Marketing on the Internet, and the recently published SHRM's Employer's Immigration Compliance Desk Reference. He is also the author of many immigration-related pieces of legislation and has testified as an expert in front of the US House of Representatives Immigration Subcommittee.

In 1994, he created www.visalaw.com, the first immigration law web site in the world, and is the editor of Siskind's Immigration Bulletin. This newsletter is distributed to more than 40,000 subscribers each week. He was also the first lawyer in the world with a blog and is the proprietor of one of the most famous lawyer blogs at http://blogs.ilw.com/gregsiskind.

First immigration lawyer ever photographed for the cover of the American Bar Association Journal, and he has been interviewed by more than 100 publications including USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Time, NPR's All Things Considered, National Law Journal, Forbes, Modern Healthcare. He was recently named by Who's Who in Corporate Immigration Law on its list of the ten most distinguished lawyers in the world and by Chambers and Partners as one of the top 25 immigration lawyers in the US. He is one of the founders of Visalaw International, the global alliance of immigration lawyers (www.visalawint.com). He currently serves as a member of the Board of Governors of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

His book "The Physician Immigration Handbook" 5th edition, the link for it is: 

https://www.amazon.com/Physician-Immigration-Handbook-Greg-Siskind/dp/1732027137/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=greg+siskind+immigration+for+physicians&qid=1592271948&sr=8-1&author-follow=B01AWYX7U8&;

Physician immigration is perhaps the most complicated area of U.S. immigration law, but I am extremely thrilled to have him on the show, because with his knowledge and experience he will bring some enlightening in topics regarding J-1 Waivers, H1-B visas, and demystify why having J-1 visa is not the end of the world, but actually, might be a better situation than landing an H1-B. Timeline on the application is the key and not rushing the process will be fundamental to secure a great outcome. Thanks for listening!

To learn more about the recent decision to suspend test administration of the Step 2 Clinical Skills exam for the next 12-18 months, listen to our podcast featuring Dr. Ricardo Correa-Marquez. He will provide insight into the decision-making process, alternative delivery options that are being explored, and the next steps for the USMLE program to consider. The impacts of the USMLE program’s decision is significant and immediate for international medical students and graduates (IMGs). They have relied on Step 2 CS to meet the clinical skills requirements for ECFMG® Certification, to participate in the National Resident Matching Program (“the Match”), and to enter US programs of graduate medical education (GME). As we know, this is a dynamic issue, and the final decision on how it will be implemented is still a future determination to be made. Hopefully, soon, we will all have an answer to resolve our fears and calm uncertainties. Thanks for listening! Please share and leave us feedback: [email protected] - Stay tuned for more!

Have you ever faked mental illness to accomplish your goals? - I doubt it, and if you have, I think under some different circumstances, difficult times lead to difficult measures, and for our Guest, Dr. Omar Cardenas, it was what was needed to escape the socialist regimen that has been in Cuba since the 20th century until today!  He fled his native country of Cuba during "El Mariel" boatlift.  For those not familiar with this event, in 1980 a massive Cuban emigration (more than 100k people) came to the US port of Key West in the largest migration of Cuban citizens to the US in such a short time in history.

The exodus of Cubans was triggered by the progressive deterioration of life conditions in Cuba and the failed promise of a better life given by the communist elite.  Dr. Cardenas, halfway through his medical education, came to the US and had to sacrifice his previous education and work in menial jobs for nine years until he decided to go to Madrid, Spain, and complete his education at the "Universidad Complutense".  When he was done, he returned to the State with his family.  He passed the certifying exams without an issue and had to retake them due to ECFMG Credentialing modifications, and was able to get it done.  He obtained a residency position in Internal Medicine in Philadelphia and finished his long carrier in 1997.  Now, after almost 31 years since obtaining his initial medical degree, he works as a hospitalist in Tampa and shares his story of motivation with us.  It will move you (it moved me!) and will make you realize, that just a few struggles, shall not make you break or give up when pursuing your most wanted dreams.  So, NEVER GIVE UP...  Please Listen, share it and love it and if you do, leave us a great 5 stars review if we deserve it. 

Alonso Osorio, M.D. 

I am 42 years old and I have been in practice now for almost 20 years, the last 6 years, locally in Tampa, FL. And who would have thought, but I lost my job to COVID19-ED Related Volume Declines. I was off the market for 45 minutes and found myself with a new job the same day, that I was let go. As stressful as it seems, its an opportunity to re-invent myself, to grab life by the horns, and to take massive action!. I cannot fall asleep in the laurels. Life could be unfair, and at any minute could turn its back on us. But here we are, with a brand new attitude towards life and at work. A moment of reflection. A pause in life, to move forward and move along. With the support of my family, and my loved coworkers I will overcome any adversity, and my only motivation is to keep going. I won't take it as a crisis, its a situation to learn from, and make myself a better person, a better physician and why not, maybe, one small door closed, but probably a huge gate is waiting for me on the other side. I am confident about what the future will bring and at the same time excited about new opportunities to grow and rediscover myself. Never give up! - Life goes on...