By Dr. Frans Serpa
Recipient of the 2024 Grant Opportunity for J-1 Physicians: Well-being Projects Supporting Foreign National Physicians
I still clearly remember my first day of residency training in the United States. This new chapter was the result of years of hard work, sacrifice, and determination finally taking shape. After studying, waiting, and planning for so long, I had made it. I was here. I was ready—or at least I thought I was.
Before I began my training in the United States, I had plenty of experience in medicine. I had taken care of patients, spent long nights on call, and made tough clinical decisions. I even had prior experience within the U.S. healthcare system. Despite all this, I struggled with the transition to U.S. residency. The workflows, electronic health records, and even the way teams communicated felt different and unfamiliar. I kept telling myself I could do this; I had done it before, just in another context. Still, despite my background, I often found myself behind, trying to catch up.
Every day brought something to learn, but also moments of frustration. I spent more time looking for answers about how to improve my situation than finding them. I searched group chats, online forums, and tips from co-residents scattered across multiple platforms. There was a lot out there to discover, but it was not easily accessible or consistent. Advice came from everywhere, with no clear structure. Most nights, I’d lie in bed wondering how to do better, how to adapt more quickly, and how to feel less alone in this journey.
Then, I came across a national grant opportunity focused on well-being for international medical graduates (IMGs): The 2024 Intealth Well-being Grant Opportunity. As I read through the details of the initiative, it became clear to me that the challenges I was facing weren’t just personal; they were systemic, part of a broader experience shared by many IMGs. I began to wonder: What if I could do something about it? Not just for myself, but for my fellow IMGs, now and in the future?
That’s where IMG Connect began.
I didn’t have all the answers, but I had a vision. I wanted to create something I wish I had when I arrived. A support system. A community. A space to connect, to learn, to feel seen. Intealth saw the potential in my vision, and IMG Connect was chosen as one of the five winning projects in the 2024 Well-being Grant Opportunity. I knew I couldn’t develop this project alone, so I reached out and asked for help from others in my program and my host institution. I found people who believed in my vision and understood the importance of this project. Together, we began to build.
With the support of our Internal Medicine program leadership at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) and the dedication of an incredible team (Joseph Kassab, MD; Laura Salej, MD; Ludovic Saba, MD; Harsh Upreti, MD; Luise Froessl, MD; Jimin Hwang, MD; Dimitri Maamari, MD; and Diana De Oliveira Gomes, MD), IMG Connect came to life. We shaped our initiative around the pillars of wellness, mentorship, and adaptation to the clinical workflow. We envisioned it as more than just a series of events; it was meant to be a living community that would grow with each new class of IMGs.
It didn’t take long to see the impact of IMG Connect. Even at our first event, I saw faces light up as people met others from their home countries. Residents found comfort in knowing they weren’t alone. Mentorships formed naturally. Conversations flowed easily. For many, it was the first time they had a space to talk openly about the challenges of being an IMG without needing to explain what that meant. Residents have told us how valuable it is to feel supported and part of a local community.
I’m proud to say we became the first recognized IMG community within UTSW. We promoted the project, shared our goals, and invited participation from all corners of the institution. As a result, the initiative gained visibility and support. Incoming IMG residents have already reached out, excited to be part of a program where they know they’ll be welcomed and supported from day one. Over time, we plan to track outcomes more formally using existing well-being assessments. But even now, the sense of community we have created at our institution is undeniable.
The truth is, none of this could have happened without teamwork. IMG Connect is what it is because of the people who came together to build it. Along the way, I had to wear many hats: leader, manager, teammate. I learned how important it is to stay flexible. Residency schedules change constantly, and organizing events requires patience. At times, I worried we were trying to do too much within one year, but in the end we made it happen.
Looking back, I realize how crucial it was to ask for help. Our team expanded beyond our immediate IMG circle. People from the communications or the local wellness departments, who weren’t directly involved with our community, offered their support. Everyone brought something different to the table. If I could give advice to others trying something similar, it would be to start with one clear goal, build a team that shares the same vision, and don’t be afraid to ask for support. Big ideas grow stronger and easier to realize when shared.
I feel incredibly grateful to have had the chance to bring this idea to life. It gave me leadership experience early in my training, both locally and on a national level. Traveling to present our experience to the Intealth Board of Trustees and leadership team in Philadelphia, and meeting other passionate well-being project leads while doing so, reminded me that what we’re building is part of something greater. IMG Connect will continue beyond me, and that is the most rewarding part. The legacy isn’t just in the events we held or the handbook we created for our program. It’s in how people felt—welcomed, understood, and empowered. People may forget the logistics, who organized what, how this all came to be, but they’ll always remember how the initiative made them feel.
As someone from a small but beautiful country in South America—Ecuador—this experience reminded me that there are no limits on what we can achieve when we are surrounded by the right team, the right support, and the right environment. I’m especially grateful to every team member at UTSW and to my project mentor, Dr. Salahuddin Kazi, whose guidance and support not only made this project possible but also sustainable. His years of leadership and advocacy were invaluable in the development of IMG Connect at UTSW.
To anyone beginning their journey as an IMG in the U.S.: You’re not alone. The path will have its ups and downs, and adapting to something new always takes time. But trust me, you’ll get there. You might even surprise yourself with how much you can achieve, and with the compassionate, high-quality care you’re capable of providing. Believe in yourself. Ask for support when you need it. Build community. And when the time comes, don’t forget to give back.
The Intealth Well-being Grant Opportunity awards grants of up to $5,000 to J-1 physician-led projects supporting the well-being of foreign national physicians at their host institutions. In 2024, Intealth announced the winning projects of its second annual Well-being Grant Opportunity for J-1 Physicians: Well-being Projects Supporting Foreign National Physicians. The grants were awarded to five projects. This entry is about one of those projects. For more information on this initiative and details about this project, click here.