The IMG Roadmap Podcast

This IMG is successfully training in Emergency Medicine residency but she heard “NO” several times before she got to where she is today.

After not being able to match on the first attempt, she did not give up. Observership, clerkships … you name it. She did it.

Yet nothing was happening.

If that is not determination to be in the ER, then I must not know what is.

Just before she gave up, this door opened for her and now she is where she believes she is meant to be!

In today’s podcast she also  insist on why US citizens should avoid the stress of going to the Caribbean especially if they are not resilient enough to put in the work it requires to network and make this path work for one’s self.

Visit my website for more IMG information www.drninalum.com

Dr. Orajiaka shares how you can overcome the fear of being an "old grad" as an IMG by using your mindset. She is an American board certified Pediatrician with love for Emergency Medicine and is rocking the ER life in a pretty busy children’s Emergency room in Ohio.

She prides herself in being a wife and mother of 3 wonderful kids. Dr. Orajiaka grew up in Nigeria and completed medical school there. She fell in love with New York City when she moved to the US for a few years to obtain a Masters in Public Health from Columbia University New York.

 After obtaining her MPH degree she then moved back to Nigeria, worked on her portfolio and ultimately returned to New York city for Pediatrics Residency at the Columbia University Medical Center affiliation at Harlem Hospital.

Besides being an outstanding physician in the peds ED, she is a blogger on https://drnkeiru.com/ and a health educator on Instagram where you can fine her at  @dr_norajiaka. 

Did you know that in 2018, 33 IMGs applied into Urology and 8 of them matched?

This created a match rate of 24% for IMGs! You can find full stats on the American Urological Association website HERE.

Before you run off saying “Nah Dr. Lum, that's too slim of a chance” … Dr. Milhouse thinks this is good news for IMGs because Urology is generally a very small sub-specialized and closed off field, so in her books the stats are fair for the competitive IMG!

In this episode she share details on:

As you know, once you start residency a majority of your preceptors and attending physicians will be US graduates. Thus, it is fitting that we entertain non-IMGs on the podcast for several reasons:

2. During our interview process we are more likely going to encounter program directors, faculty etc who were previous US graduates.

Let’s just call this IMG Roadmap Series # 27 with Dr Fenwa Milhouse.

If you enjoy this episode, please rate, comment and subscribe to this podcast. You can also find me (Dr. Lum) at drninalum.com

Today, Dr. Lum shares the 4 things she did WRONG in medical school. She believes avoiding these missteps will highly increase your chance of receiving more interview invitations! She shares practical ways you as an international medical student or graduate can avoid them.  As a special bonus to the readers and listeners, she added a 5th bonus point in a detailed blog post that is available RIGHT NOW on her blog drninalum.com. You can read all 5 points by clicking here.

Next week, the interview series returns with a surgical specialist offering IMGs remarkable advice!

My Top 5 Tips for Creating Your ROL (Rank Order List)

Match day is slowly creeping closer. the thought of not matching terrifies you then I want you to put serious consideration into how you create your rank order list.

In this episode, I share the top evidence backed resources on how to create a rank order list.  The key point here are:

Below I have provided you with a few links and websites as to where you can learn more about the match algorithm. You should definitely start with the free resources on the NRMP's (National Resident Match Program) youtube page which has tons of graphics and easy to understand videos that explain the algorithm.

This post is sponsored by the only coaching program by an IMG for an IMG seeking to match into US residency. The IMG Roadmap is an annual course that launches each Spring to help other international medical students and graduates achieve their US doctor goals. Created by Dr. Lum, it will give you practical tools to win this journey! COMING SOON> Sign up to learn more by CLICKING HERE.

Other Helpful Links

- NRMP Youtube page link : https://www.youtube.com/c/NationalResidentMatchingProgram

- Understanding the Interview and Ranking Behaviors of Unmatched International Medical Students and Graduates in the 2013 Main Residency Match. J Grad Med Educ. 2015;7(4):610–616. doi:10.4300/JGME-D-14-00742.1. Liang M, Curtin LS, Signer MM, Savoia MC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4675419/

- Create your own medical success story with the IMG Roadmap Course. The 2021 session launches this Spring 2021 at drninalum.com/courses . Sign up for updates. Limited spots available

Dr. Hina is a an Obstetrician/Gynecologist robotic surgeon by training. She is originally from Pakistan and achieved this level of success even as a non US-International Medical Graduate (IMG). She is also an entrepreneur who has achieved financial independence which allows her to practice medicine on her own terms!  She is extremely passionate about her faith and family. She runs a vibrant instagram page (@storyofstyle) where influences people with her stories on medicine, motherhood, home decor, lifestyle, fashion and her faith! Dr. Cheema is also a philanthropist who has traveled on medical missions to Africa and in her locality in the Texas area. 

You can find her at storyofstyle.com where she emphasizes motivation and success through self-development and character building. She uses her personal experiences in medicine, fashion, style, home decor, motherhood, marriage, family, travel, etc to show us what is possible with belief. Follow her journey, but I am just delighted to share her top advice for IMG's here !

DR. STANLEY OGU is a Nigerian born,  international medical graduate turned board certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon in Houston, Texas.

Dr. Stanley Ogu is a cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon with Lexington Plastic Surgeons in Sugar Land, Texas. He specializes in aesthetic surgery of the face, breast and body; including gluteal augmentation (Brazilian Butt Lift), breast augmentation, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), post-bariatric body contouring and gender-affirmation top surgery. He is a candidate member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery and an associate fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Ogu is of Nigerian heritage, and relocated to the Sugar Land area with his family after obtaining his medical degree from the University of Lagos, as both a Federal Government and Shell Petroleum academic merit scholar. He received board certification by the American Board of Surgery, after completion of a General Surgery residency at Easton Hospital – Drexel University College of Medicine in Pennsylvania, where he served as Chief Resident. Dr. Ogu subsequently completed a very competitive and rigorous three-year fellowship in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at one of the busiest programs in the nation – Indiana University School of Medicine, where he received advanced training in cutting-edge aesthetic and reconstructive surgery techniques, as well as transgender surgery.

Dr. Ogu was the recipient of numerous honors throughout the course of his training including awards for the Best In-service Training Exam Score (99 percentile), Most Outstanding Resident Award (given to the best all-round resident) and Resident Teacher of the Year (chosen by medical students for excellence in teaching), to mention a few. He has presented original papers at both regional and national meetings, including at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. He is also well published in reputable medical journals, including Plastic Surgery and Modern Techniques, American Surgeon, Oxford Academic Journal and Drexel Medical Journal.

Dr. Ogu is well liked by his patients for his warm and caring personality, as well as his attention to detail. He is committed to helping patients achieve their unique desired results and become the best version of themselves, through both surgical and non-surgical techniques. He is also passionate about charity work and has had extensive volunteer experience, providing medically disadvantaged communities with free pediatric, burn and breast reconstructive surgery, on mission trips to El Salvador and Nigeria. In his free time, he enjoys mentoring the youth in the community, fitness, soccer and spending time with his beautiful family. 

Kimberly M. Brown, MD, MPH is a board-certified emergency physician and public health professional with a passion for health education and disease prevention. She is also the best-selling author of It’s an Emergency!: Understanding the What, How and Why of Your ER Visit, is a speaker and media personality featured on Health.com, Doximity, the Women in White Coats blog and podcast, and Medical Economics.

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she left home to attend Fisk University, where she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology. She completed a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Public Health Management and Policy from the University of Florida. In 2014, she earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from Ross University School of Medicine. She completed her emergency medicine residency at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tennessee.

Dr. Brown currently lives, works, and plays in Memphis. She does her best writing in her bed, snuggled up under the covers and listening to podcasts. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, watching the Real Housewives, kickboxing, and spending time with her friends.

www.drkimberlyb.com

Facebook.com/drkimberlyb

Instagram: @drkimberlyb

Dr. Hakman is an Emergency Medicine (EM) resident physician in the Michigan area. He is a graduate of American University of the Caribbean located on the beautiful island of  Sint Marteen.  Today he shares his journey into Emergency Medicine and what he did to stand out from the competition. Of special interest, he shares one way that IMG's can obtain some scholarly activity. He encourages IMG's to learn more about this at https://www.statpearls.com/. He also wants IMG's to put in twice the work required and to be bold to ask for favors. Learn more when you listen today.  If you enjoy this episode please leave a review of the podcast today! Also subscribe to the blog drninalum.com and share with all other IMG's you know! Thank you for listening.

Dr. Khan is a Family Medicine resident physician from Pakistan by way of the United Arab Emirates. Like myself, her path into medicine in America was tortuous. From Seychelles to the Caribbean she is now  completing Family Medicine training somewhere in New York State.  As an instagram blogger and avid traveler  she also inspires and motivates other IMG's on her platform. You can find her on instagram @primarycaredoc. If you enjoy this podcast, please leave use a review on Apple and share it with all the IMG's you know!