ECFMG Logo
 
Blog HomeAbout
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 , , , , ,

Alone We Survive, Together We Thrive: International Medical Graduate Empowerment Initiative

By Dr. Shruthi Mohan

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

I am Dr. Shruthi Mohan, a PGY-5 from India specializing in pediatric nephrology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. When I first walked through the doors of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital as a pediatric resident four years ago, the moment was filled with euphoria. Confident in my prior residency training from a prestigious institute in India, I was ready to embrace new training, worlds away from home, with enthusiasm. However, the initial euphoria quickly gave way to the daunting realities of visa processes and adapting to a new culture, lifestyle, and healthcare system in a new city. It was a steep learning curve, navigating a system that was entirely foreign to me, with minimal guidance.

Continue reading “Alone We Survive, Together We Thrive: International Medical Graduate Empowerment Initiative”

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).

Continue reading “Building a Community for IMG Trainees at a Large Academic Hospital”

Author Journeys User4Posted on Categories Host Institution, My Story, Post J-1 Experience, Words of WisdomTags , , , ,

Embracing Challenges: From IMG to Program Director

By Dr. Tanaya Sparkle

In 2010, as a young and ambitious medical student, I found myself at a crossroads in my career; I was considering leaving my home country of India to pursue advanced medical training in anesthesiology in the United States. A decade later, in 2020, I was presented with a remarkable opportunity to serve as the program director of the anesthesiology residency training program at The University of Toledo. My passion for anesthesiology and my experience as an international medical graduate (IMG) led me to take this role supporting aspiring physician IMGs, like I once was.

Continue reading “Embracing Challenges: From IMG to Program Director”

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

Supporting International Medical Graduates in Minnesota

Dr. Svatava Merkle
Dr. Ayse Irem Sonmez

By Dr. Svatava Merkle, Dr. Ayse Irem Sonmez, Dr. Tolulope Odebunmi, and Dr. Mats Steffi Jennifer Masilamani

We are a group of four International Medical Graduates (IMGs) training at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine: Dr. Svatava Merkle, a PGY-3 from the Czech Republic specializing in pediatrics; Dr. Ayse Irem Sonmez, a PGY-3 from Turkey specializing in psychiatry; Dr. Toulope Odebunmi, a PGY-4 from Nigeria also specializing in psychiatry; and Dr. Mats Steffi Jennifer Masilamani, a PGY-4 from India specializing in pediatric cardiology.

Continue reading “Supporting International Medical Graduates in Minnesota”

Author Journeys User4Posted on Categories Host Institution, Post J-1 ExperienceTags

Once a J-1 Exchange Student, Now a TPL: My Unique Perspective

By Ekaterine Piccola
Training Program Liaison, Mount Sinai Health System

I first planted my tired feet on US soil in August, 2003. After 12 hours in the air, when I breathed in the humid and intriguingly unfamiliar air outside of Washington Dulles International Airport, I knew that I was in for an adventure of a lifetime. My country, Georgia, was far behind me.

I started out as a new J-1 exchange student at New York University (NYU) in September, 2003. I experienced a multitude of emotions – I simultaneously felt happy, privileged, overwhelmed, and anxious. I realized that I was on my own and for the first time, I had only myself to rely on. The first few weeks were a whirlwind as I was eagerly trying to find a place to live in New York City, navigate through the subway system (mainly figuring out the difference between uptown or downtown, and trying to hear announcements against the noise of a rapidly passing express train), register for all the correct classes for my graduate program, and comply with the J-1 visa requirements. Along the way, I made some new friends who are now friends for life. Also, the support I received from the international office was crucial to my survival and future success.

Continue reading “Once a J-1 Exchange Student, Now a TPL: My Unique Perspective”