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Journeys in Medicine: An ECFMG Blog

Category: Cross-cultural Experience

Author Journeys User4Posted on Categories Clinical Training Experience, Cross-cultural Experience, Host Institution, Well-being GrantsTags , , , ,

Building a Community for IMG Trainees at a Large Academic Hospital

By Dr. Can Misel Kilciksiz

Recipient of the 2023 Grant Opportunity for J-1 Physicians: Well-being Projects Supporting Foreign National Physicians

I am Dr. Can Misel Kilciksiz, an international medical graduate (IMG) from Turkey and a PGY-4 psychiatry resident at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis (WashU). I am writing this blog piece on behalf of our wonderful team, the WashU IMG Wellness Initiative. Our initiative was started in July 2023 by a group of trainees and faculty, including myself, Dr. Nadia Wattad (pediatric pulmonology fellow from Israel), Dr. Callie Torres (pathology resident from the United States), Dr. Rawan Safa (emergency medicine resident from Lebanon), Dr. Jennifer Duncan (professor in pediatrics, director of GME Wellness), and Dr. Patricia Cavazos-Rehg (professor in psychiatry, vice chair for DEI). Since July 2023, many other amazing trainee members have joined the leadership committee of our initiative, including Dr. Mew Udomkittivorakul (pediatrics resident from Thailand), Dr. Esra Pehlivan (pediatrics neurology resident from Turkey), Dr. Mehul Thakkar (pediatrics hematology/oncology fellow from India), and Dr. Shao Ching Tu (pediatrics/genetics resident from Taiwan).

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Author Journeys User4Posted on Categories Cross-cultural Experience, My Story, Words of WisdomTags , , , , ,

March Madness

By Dr. Emilio Jose Fabian Corona

“March Madness” is upon us, but I must clarify that it is probably not the one you are thinking about, especially if you are a sports enthusiast. I am alluding of course to the Match season, that time of the year when thousands of medical students from across the country and around the world wait patiently for that long-anticipated email in mid-March: the correspondence that will dictate if your dreams of becoming a trainee at your desired program and institution are to be fulfilled.

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Author Journeys User4Posted on Categories Clinical Training Experience, Cross-cultural Experience, Words of WisdomTags , , , ,

The Pop-Up Cultural Marketplace

By Dr. Vernicia Hernandez

I am an internal medicine resident at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital (UM/JMH) in Florida. The director of my program, Dr. Stefanie Brown, is committed to recruiting the most diverse class of residents, which is reflected in our residency cohort. There is strength in diversity, and it can be leveraged through a culture of mutual understanding and respect. To help promote this culture in my program, I decided to launch a project called the ‘“Pop-Up Cultural Marketplace.” The Pop-Up Cultural Marketplace project aims to foster a better understanding of the other societies, values, and cultures represented by the community at my host institution.

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Author Journeys User4Posted on Categories Clinical Training Experience, Cross-cultural Experience, My Story, Words of WisdomTags , , , ,

Life Begins at the End of Your Comfort Zone

By Dr. Shibinath Velutha-Mannil

The decision to pursue cross-cultural experiences in one’s medical career takes courage and an eagerness to explore new frontiers. I write this blog in hopes that some of you reading this are international medical graduates who are considering this option and will derive some inspiration from my experience. My desire to do a residency in the United States ignited as I was finishing medical school in India. The infrastructure and advancement of modern medicine in the United States and the opportunities for career development and research intrigued me.

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Author Journeys User4Posted on Categories Clinical Training Experience, Cross-cultural Experience, My StoryTags , , , ,

Pursuing Our Dreams from Coast to Coast

By Dr. Rajkumar Doshi

I completed my Internal Medicine residency at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. During my three-year residency, I thoroughly enjoyed living on the West Coast of the United States. Now, as a fellow, I am experiencing life in New York City as well as the suburban lifestyle in New Jersey.

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