The IMG Roadmap Podcast

By Dr. Nina LumBusiness Careers

The IMG Roadmap Podcast episodes

January 22, 2023 111. An IMG advocate who worked with the World Health Organization? Dr. Ilan Shapiro talks, medicine, life and social justice. (IMG Roadmap Series #104)
Want to stay inspired with content tailored specifically to IMG’s looking to create their medical success story? Sign up for the IMG Roadmap Newsletter so you never miss a beat!

Click here to join the waitlist for the 2023 cohort of the IMG Roadmap course – the boost you need on your IMG journey!
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Dr. Ilan Shapiro is an advocate for IMGs from all over the world, with a focus on Hispanic countries. He has been able to make his voice of advocacy heard worldwide, stressing the importance of human compassion in medicine. Keep listening to find out more about Dr. Shapiro’s background, medical journey and his many inspirational tidbits!
Here’s an outline of what to expect this episode:
What is Dr. Ilan Shapiro’s background?
What was Dr. Shapiro’s IMG journey like?
How IMGs can deal with difficulties with matching:
What is Dr. Shapiro’s famous onion analogy?
How does Dr. Shapiro motivate IMGs who didn’t match?
What kind of work does Dr. Shapiro do for IMGs?
Dr. Shapiro is a media personality in healthcare. How did he get into this domain?
Rapid fire: Who is Dr. Shapiro?
You can reach out to Dr. Shapiro via:
- Instagram: @Drshapps
- His website.
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Follow us on Instagram for supportive content and download our targeted planner from our website!
Subscribe to our podcast and newsletter and consider joining our program in the spring to kick start your IMG journey in 2023.
As always you can click on the following links to listen to more episodes of our podcasts on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.
35 min
January 15, 2023 110. She went from 0 publications to 15 peer reviewed publications over 2 years ? Nephrologist and researcher Dr. Jia Ng tells us how she did it! (IMG Roadmap Series #103)
Want to stay inspired with content tailored specifically to IMG’s looking to create their medical success story? Sign up for the IMG Roadmap Newsletter so you never miss a beat!

Click here to join the waitlist for the 2023 cohort of the IMG Roadmap course – the boost you need on your IMG journey!
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Do you have questions as to how to complete clinical research to boost your application into residency as an IMG? Dr. Jia Ng is here to save the day! Keep listening to find out all about her intriguing medical and professional journeys.
Board certified Nephrologist, assistant professor at Zucker School of medicine, and founder of Published Md, Dr. Ng coaches clinicians on how to build their authority and achieve academic goals.

Here is an outline of our interview with this inspiring physician:
What makes Dr. Ng an IMG?

What was Dr. Ng’s Pre-residency journey like?
What made Dr. Ng the resilient person she is?
As a visa applicant, how was she able to land such a fellowship opportunity?
How did Dr. Ng get her start in the research field?
What advice does Dr. Ng give to people who may be in a similar position to her during her first application?
How can IMGs make themselves more competitive?
What has Dr. Ng’s career as a physician been like?
And finally, Dr. Ng’s general advice to IMGs.
You can reach out to Dr. Ng via:

@jiahweing on Twitter
@publishmd on Youtube
@publishedmd on Instagram
And through her website publishedmd.com
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Follow us on Instagram for supportive content and download our targeted planner from our website!
Subscribe to our podcast and newsletter and consider joining our program in the spring to kick start your IMG journey in 2023.
As always you can click on the following links to listen to more episodes of our podcasts on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.
39 min
January 08, 2023109. How can IMGs ensure success in 2023? Dr. Lum helps you come up with your winning strategy!
Want to stay inspired with content tailored specifically to IMG’s looking to create their medical success story? Sign up for the IMG Roadmap Newsletter so you never miss a beat!

Click here to join the waitlist for the 2023 cohort of the IMG Roadmap course – the boost you need on your IMG journey!
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Happy New Year from the IMG Roadmap to you! This episode features a webinar that was held to help IMGs like you plan their successful IMG journeys for the following year. Keep listening and feel free to do the exercises yourself!
What are three things that you were proud of last year?

What is one goal that you set for yourself in 2022 but did not end up achieving?

Why did you not complete this goal? Honesty and Introspection are key!

Pivoting from this, how can you plan to achieve all of your goals in 2023?
You may not have realized it, but you’ve just completed a SWOT analysis: You identified your Strengths (What you accomplished last year), Weaknesses (What you didn’t accomplish), Opportunities (How you can plan for 2023) and Threats (Why didn’t you accomplish your goals from last year).

The best advice is to cancel motivation and take action in the direction of the results you want to see.
Write out 3 things you want to achieve this year.

Separate your goals into bite-size pieces.

Break your three new goals into actionable steps that you can accomplish throughout the first quarter of the year and then repeat these steps for the remaining quarters!

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Follow us on Instagram for supportive content and download our targeted planner from our website to complete this analysis yourself.
Subscribe to our podcast and newsletter and consider joining our program in the spring to kick start your IMG journey in 2023.

As always you can click on the following links to listen to more episodes of our podcasts on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.
1 hr 3 min
December 25, 2022 108. IMG Roadmap Best of 2022!
Want to stay inspired with content tailored specifically to IMG’s looking to create their medical success story? Sign up for the IMG Roadmap Newsletter so you never miss a beat!
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2022 was surely a year to remember with so many lives being touched by the IMG Roadmap course and podcast. Thank you for journeying with us and making this our biggest year yet. We appreciate you!

Stay tuned for our Best of 2022, determined by the ten episodes that you listened to and downloaded the most this year!

Episode #1: 101. How Today's Women Can Excel in Their Personal and Professional Lives - An Interview With Tami Adeleke (@takeoffwithtami)
Episode #2: 90. IMGRoadmap Series #89 Dr. Marc Katz (Cardiology)
Episode #3: 91. IMGRoadmap Series #90 Dr. Aditi Agrawal (Psychiatry)
Episode #4: 92. How to Complete Your Most Challenging Tasks of 2022 as an IMG
Episode #5: 95. IMGRoadmap Series #93 Dr. Paul M. Osunwa, Jr. (Anesthesiology)
Episode #6: 94. IMGRoadmap Series #92 Dr. Deborah Makinde (Internal Medicine)
Episode #7: 96. IMGRoadmap Series #94 Dr. Agyingi Kimbong (Internal Medicine)
Episode #8: 93. IMGRoadmap Series #91 Dr. Adannia Enyioha (Pediatrics)
Episode #9: 99. IMG Roadmap Series #96: Dr. Enaka Yembe (Family Medicine)
Episode #10: 97. 2022 IMG Match Results & FAQ's about the IMGRoadmap Course!
Click here to download your free 2023 IMG Roadmap calendar as we wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!
You can also listen to all full episodes of the podcast on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.
25 min
October 16, 2022107. Clinical Fellowship instead of Residency? Learn how Memory Disorder Pre-Clinical Fellow Dr. Siegried Chin followed this unique pathway! (IMG Roadmap Series #102)
Want to stay inspired with content tailored specifically to IMG’s looking to create their medical success story? Sign up for the IMG Roadmap Newsletter so you never miss a beat!
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A Clinical Fellow is defined as “a doctoral level health professional whose interest focusses on biomedical research”. In the IMG roadmap program, this has never been seen as an alternative path to residency since most international doctors choose residency as their first option.
Let’s explore how this young doctor has achieved this feat by choosing an alternative route!
Dr. Siegried Chin, a Philippines’ native, migrated to the United States in 2020 and became a permanent citizen in 2021 after her graduation from the De la Falle Medical and Health Science Institute in 2017.
Like many of her fellow IMG colleagues, Dr. Chin admittedly encountered many challenges during the match season. She applied to 120 programs and scored 5 interviews, none of which were successful.
Cognizant of her own weaknesses by attaining a low step one score, Dr. Chin, though devastated for not being matched, did not wallow in self-pity, but decided to utilize the available online resources for the sole purpose of networking on several social media platforms to boost her future chances.
It was then that she was introduced to a doctor who had migrated from the Philippines and had graduated from the fellow program of which she ultimately became part.
Dr. Chin is currently working as a Memory Disorder Pre-Clinical Fellow at the Augusta University in Georgia. She was fortunate to have received a five-year NIH grant for studies at this extraordinary program. She states that she is getting hands on knowledge when dealing with patients who have Alzheimers or Parkinson’s Disease along with other related disorders.
As a fellow, which is a paid position, she performs similar functions as a PGY1, can see patients under the supervision of an attending, can prescribe medication and has a temporary license to practice.
Dr. Chin acclaims her success to her tenacity and shares the following tips with future IMGs:
Have a strong support system of family and friends

Be steadfast in your capabilities, and be realistic

Network, foster academic friendships by joining support groups on social media like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and others

Remember to give back to the community and to others who were once in your position.
You can reach out to Dr. Chin through her Instagram @theresieggoes.
You can also listen to all full episodes of the podcast on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.
30 min
October 09, 2022 106. From Microbiology to Medicine to Data Analysis: System Quality & Health Information Manager Dr. John Emmanuel tells us how he did it! (IMG Roadmap Series #101)
Want to stay inspired with content tailored specifically to IMG’s looking to create their medical success story? Sign up for the IMG Roadmap Newsletter so you never miss a beat!
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Do you ever struggle with self-doubt in your journey as an IMG? Dr. John Emmanuel is here today to share how he was able to overcome this struggle and achieve success. Keep listening to find out about his Medical Success Story!
Nigerian-born Dr. John Emmanuel is a Transformative Physician Leader committed to leveraging clinically innovative, health information technology and data analytical tools to solve complex problems around Quality Improvement, Value-Based Care and Practice Transformation in the continuum of care.
After earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Microbiology, he migrated to the Caribbean for his medical studies where he experienced culture shock. Eventually, he was able to continue on his journey to the USA after acquiring his Visa.
To date, Dr. Emmanuel has worked in various capacities in the healthcare and clinical diagnostic industry. He even has previous experience working with one of the nation’s leading auditing firms as a Healthcare consultant with specialty in clinical documentation improvement and currently serves as in a CDI leadership capacity at one of the prestigious academic medical center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Though his path was nontraditional, he encountered challenges just like many others. His tenacity and drive to complete his studies caused him to waver, but he never quitted.
He is now offering his very own courses through FOS Consulting LLC to assist others in paving a way to success.
Other tips that helped him in his success were:
· Having a positive support system who would be your cheerleaders and serve as mentors
· Creating a five year and ten year plan
· Charting a vision board, outlining short term as well as long term goals
· Job sculpting by utilizing available data analysis
· Having the passion and not quit, remain resilient
· Having a purpose bigger than oneself.
Dr. Emmanuel’s day to day functions are in the field of Clinical Documentation Integrity. Some of his responsibilities include reviewing the medical records of a patient from admission to discharge.
He attributes his success to remaining marketable by constantly improving himself through taking courses and other means while never giving up!
You can connect with Dr. Emmanuel on his website www.fosconsulting.org& his Instagram @fosconsultingllc.

You can also listen to all full episodes of the podcast on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.
49 min
October 02, 2022105. Her dream program preferred IMGs with green cards? Internist Dr. Anita Lwanga reveals how landed the residency anyway! (IMG Roadmap Series #100)
Want to stay inspired with content tailored specifically to IMG’s looking to create their medical success story? Sign up for the IMG Roadmap Newsletter so you never miss a beat!
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Sometimes, when applying for residency, you may feel like you don’t check all of the boxes on the program coordinators’ list. But you shouldn’t let this discourage you – proceed anyway! Dr. Anita Lwanga is here today to show us how persistence and belief in yourself can yield results. Keep listening to find out more!
Calling in from Western Canada where she grew up and did her undergraduate training, Dr. Lwanga begins by sharing some of her background:
Born in Kenya, she is the daughter of Ugandan refugees who later migrated to Canada.

Her father was an IMG in Canada after migrating. His hard work inspired her to study medicine, regardless of how difficult it was to get into Canadian schools.

She attended medical school at the St. Matthews University in the Cayman Islands.

Completed residency at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago.

Engaged in a fellowship in geriatrics at the University of Illinois.

Worked in Upstate New York.

Moved back to Canada to practice as a general internist.

She currently does both in-patient and out-patient work in her own clinic and at the hospital.
Dr. Lwanga’s unique residency story:
She was sure to choose a medical school that friends and family had also attended.

She did not match into residency the first time.

The second time around, she landed some interviews.

She ended up matching into a program for which her friend had gotten her an interview.

At the winning interview, the program coordinators had said that they preferred green-card holders, which she wasn’t. Regardless, they were so impressed by her, that they chose her on the spot despite the odds!
As such, she advises IMGs to:
Network as much as possible.

Get LORs from experts who are known to the program coordinators.

Be confident in what you have to offer. Capitalize on what makes you unique.

Follow your gut!
As a former competitive gymnast, Dr. Lwanga is passionate about nutrition and exercise. She has high hopes for her practice and envisions a future where she will be able to see her patients with no rush and incorporate lifestyle medicine in her care.
You can reach out to Dr. Lwanga and learn more about her inspiring story via:
Linkedin: Anita Lwanga
Instagram: @lwangamd
Twitter: @lwangamd
Tiktok: @drlwanga
Access free resources and view our course catalog at imgroadmap.com.
You can also listen to all full episodes of the podcast on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.
38 min
September 25, 2022104. 21 Residency interviews?! Psychiatrist Dr. Sarah Pospos reveals her secrets for success! (IMG Roadmap Series #99)
Want to stay inspired with content tailored specifically to IMG’s looking to create their medical success story? Sign up for the IMG Roadmap Newsletter so you never miss a beat!
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Scoring a whopping 21 residency interviews out of 150 applications, Dr. Sarah Pospos is here to prove that anything is possible with determination, strategic thinking and hardwork. Keep listening to hear the compelling story of how she landed her psychiatry residency!
Here are the highlights of her journey:
Indonesian born and raised, she attended the Universitas Katolik Indonesia Atma Jaya Fakultas Kedoketan Medical school from which she graduated in 2013.

Pursued a masters in Psychopharmacology and Applied Psychology.

After a successful application process even as an “Old IMG”, she was selected as a chief resident and currently practices as a psychiatrist for high performers in sports and within the field of perinatal psychiatry.

She received 21 interviews from institutions including Yale and Duke out of only 150 applications.

She used a cut-throat strategic and personalized approach to maximize her applications.

She worked simultaneously at multiple places to get her US clinical experience, instead of engaging in short stints one after the other.

She participated in 14 publications, 7 of which were authored, and 5 total research opportunities at institutions including UCLA and UCSD.

She was able to secure 4 LORs from relevant professionals in the field. LORs from within your target field and similar specialties from US doctors are recommended.
Here are Dr. Pospos’ recommendations for future applicants into psychiatry residency:
Be strategic and objective instead of subjective

It’s all about how you present yourself

Personal statements are key

Don’t be too generic, but stay professional

Use concrete examples with numbers and statistics as proof.
Her general tips are as follows:
Don’t neglect self-care on your journey.

Seek help if you feel depressed or anxious.

Use proven study and time-management techniques.

Take it one task at a time!
You can connect with Dr. Pospos on her website lifestyletelepsychiatry.com and her Instagram @lifestyletelepsychiatry.
You can also listen to all full episodes of the podcast on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.
46 min
September 18, 2022103. A Radiology Residency Application with no Plan B as an IMG? Dr. Maham Siddique Shares her Winning Strategy! (IMG Roadmap Series #98)
Want to stay inspired with content tailored specifically to IMG’s looking to create their medical success story? Sign up for the IMG Roadmap Newsletter so you never miss a beat!
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Is applying to various specialties despite your dream of landing a residency in a particular field always the best idea? Radiology resident Dr. Maham Siddique is here today to share her story of determination and not taking no for an answer!

Here are some of the highlights of her journey:
Dr. Maham was born and raised in Pakistan, where she attended the Aga Khan University and discovered her love for Radiology before her graduation in 2016.

While in medical school, she was given the option to pursue clinical rotations in the US. By completing her electives in the US, she was able to see how Radiology was conducted there, and realized the need for research items when applying into residency in this field.
As such, she moved to NYC 4 years ago on a J1 research visa, where she engaged in lung and breast cancer research in Radiology for 3 years.

She then applied to Radiology residency in 2020 after attaining her green card, thereby classifying her as a US IMG.
How was Dr. Maham able to find research opportunities?
She was deliberate and transparent with her research program coordinators about wanting to get into Radiology residency.

She was determined, focused on her goals and would not settle for any other field.

She built connections and strengthened her network through demonstrable seriousness about the field.

Eventually she was able to land a Radiology residency position at her top ranked institution in NYC.
These are her tips for applying into Radiology residency:
Ask yourself whether you like the field enough to practice it for the rest of your life.

Look at the official statistics released by organizations such as the NRMP and ensure that your step scores (above 245 for Radiology), number and quality of LORs, and research items correspond with those of the successful candidates in the years prior.

Ensure that you analyze the structure of the Radiology residency:
Take into account that it is advanced, meaning that it starts at the PGY2 level, and the candidate is expected to find their own intern year.

Dr. Maham herself completed her intern year in Internal Medicine, applied with 3 LORs.

She then applied into Radiology with 4 Radiology LORs and 1 Internal Medicine LOR.

Your personal statement is the one document that is 100% in your control - make it count!
How can we maneuver the challenges we face as IMGs?
Your step score is just one important part of the application. There are other parts that you can work on to compensate for it.

Commit fully to the dream and put in the necessary work, time and effort investments to achieve it.

Don’t listen to everybody’s opinion–take the time to form your own ideas.
You can reach out to Dr. Maham via email [email protected] and her Instagram @maham_s_rana.
You can also listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts & Spotify.
34 min
September 11, 2022102. From IMG to Program Director? Critical Care Specialist Dr. Amira Mohamed reveals how she did it! (IMG Roadmap Series #97)
Want to stay inspired with content tailored specifically to IMG’s looking to create their medical success story? Sign up for the IMG Roadmap Newsletter so you never miss a beat!
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Have you ever wondered what exactly program directors are looking for when reviewing residency applications from IMGs? Do you also one day see yourself as a program director? Dr. Amira Mohamed is here today to share some valuable insight. Keep listening to learn more about her fascinating journey!
After finishing medical school in Khartoum, Sudan where she was born and raised, Dr. Mohamed made the bold decision to start pursuing medical residency in the US. Here’s how she managed to navigate through the process and some of the highlights of her journey:
Since she didn’t know the pathway, she took a year off and did a lot of her own research.

During that year, she moved to the US and did a Step One prep course in Washington DC.

She eventually landed a job as a medical assistant for a gastroenterologist at Howard University hospital, while studying for exams.

Finally, she scored a 3 year internal medicine residency, then a 2 year critical care fellowship.

She was an attending physician for a few years, before transitioning into being an associate program director and then a program director.
Right now she works in the Bronx, New York at the Montefiore Medical Center which is a part of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. There, she serves as a critical care medicine fellowship program director.
Dr. Mohamed also works with the residency program of her institution as part of the clinical competency committee and at the adjoint medical school as a teacher.
Therefore, while she primarily works with fellows, she also works with residents and students.
As a program director, here is some of the advice that Dr. Mohamed has for IMGs:
Letters of recommendation should be written by someone who knows you and can highlight your good qualities. These letters should also be geared towards your intended specialty.

Speak to people who have been down your intended path and heed their relevant advice to make your journey easier.

If you can, avoid applying to multiple specialties - if you have to, ensure that you show priority to the specialty you’re most passionate about.

Apply on time--if you have to be late, send an email explaining the situation.

Take the time to plan your interview cycle carefully—place the programs that you are most interested in, last. That way you can overcome any early interview jitters with lower stakes.

Be careful about the questions you ask. Ensure that your questions demonstrate your interest in the field and willingness to commit. Know your audience!

Have a post-residency plan – what educational, research and other CV building opportunities does your residency have that you can take advantage of?

Networking is key! Go up to the people you admire and ask them how they did it!
As a program director she loves when candidates show initiative and go the extra mile. Don’t hesitate to reach out to programs to show your interest!
If you have any further questions, you can reach out to Dr. Mohamed via twitter @amiramohamedmd.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple & Google Podcasts
40 min

About The IMG Roadmap Podcast

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The IMG Roadmap is the only podcast dedicated to guiding International Medical Graduates (IMGs) with success blueprints for this unique pathway.

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About The IMG Roadmap Podcast