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Journeys in Medicine: An ECFMG Blog

Category: Host Institution

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

Building the Map We Wanted to Leave Behind

By Dr. Youmna Faheem

Recipient of the 2025 Intealth Well-being Grant Opportunity: Projects Supporting IMG Physician Wellness

I still remember landing at JFK for the first time: contract signed, residency starting in days. No idea how to get a Social Security number or what a DS-2019 renewal even looked like. I had trained in the United Arab Emirates and matched into a pediatric residency program in the Bronx, a place as far from anything familiar as I could have imagined. I was excited. I was also, quietly, terrified.

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

The Wellness Passport: Where Cultures Meet and Hearts Connect

By Dr. Arushee Bhatnagar

Recipient of the 2025 Intealth Well-being Grant Opportunity: Projects Supporting IMG Physician Wellness

When I boarded a flight from India to pursue residency training in the United States, I carried the hopes and aspirations shared by countless other international medical graduates (IMGs). I saw myself growing as a physician within a new healthcare system, while continuing to serve patients with compassion and purpose. I knew the road ahead would not be easy. What I did not fully anticipate was the emotional and practical transition that followed.

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Author Journeys User4Posted on Categories Clinical Training Experience, Cross-cultural Experience, Host InstitutionTags , , , ,

Celebrating IMG Well-being Day: Building Belonging in Residency

By Dr. Belinda Kwartemaa Nti

Being an international medical graduate (IMG) is both an honor and a challenge. We carry the richness of our home countries—our languages, traditions, and training—while simultaneously learning to thrive in a completely new environment. Moving to the United States from Ghana for residency was my very first time traveling abroad. The excitement of beginning this new chapter was accompanied by deep uncertainty concerning the new systems, new expectations, and a healthcare structure vastly different from what I had known that I was about to encounter. Beyond the professional transition, there was the emotional weight of leaving family, friends, and everything familiar. Like many IMGs, I arrived with determination and gratitude, but also with moments of quiet self-doubt and homesickness that are rarely spoken about.

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

The Children’s National IMG Taskforce

Dr. Domenica Garcia Dumler and Dr. Ligia Moschen Nascente Chanock

By Dr. Domenica Garcia Dumler and Dr. Ligia Moschen Nascente Chanock

Recipient Team of the 2024 Grant Opportunity for J-1 Physicians: Well-being Projects Supporting Foreign National Physicians

We are two members of the Children’s National IMG (International Medical Graduate) Taskforce, which was one of five projects awarded funding by the 2024 Intealth Well-being Grant Opportunity. The taskforce was initially formed at Children’s National Hospital in 2021 with a mission to optimize the experience of IMG residents and fellows by establishing a network of peer and faculty mentors. Our objectives include providing guidance and support during the transition to the United States and assisting with onboarding, familiarization with the U.S. healthcare system, mentorship, career development, and legal awareness. We are very grateful to have been awarded the 2024 Intealth Well-being Grant to support our ongoing mission, which has allowed us to expand and advance our pre-existing program.

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

Building Support for IMGs at UAMS

By Dr. German Corrales

Recipient of the 2024 Grant Opportunity for J-1 Physicians: Well-being Projects Supporting Foreign National Physicians

When I moved from Córdoba, Argentina, to the United States to apply for residency, I was filled with excitement and hope. At the time, I was a postdoctoral research fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. But just as I was preparing to take the USMLE Steps, COVID-19 hit. Testing centers shut down, and like many others, I had to delay my Match application by a full year. I stayed on in my research role and, during that extended time, connected with several other international medical graduates (IMGs) going through similar delays. Our shared stories of uncertainty and perseverance helped me feel less alone and more determined to continue forward.

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