Journeys in Medicine

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

Navigating the J-1 Journey Together

By Dr. Martha Maricela Solis

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

I grew up in a town in northern Mexico, 20 minutes from the U.S. border, with a population of fewer than 5,000 people. I lived in a very small world back then, but my aspirations were big. I always dreamt of becoming a doctor, and through hard work and my parents’ support, I was able to go to medical school with a full ride. During medical school, I didn’t stop dreaming; I still wanted more. I wanted to train in a place where I could access the newest technology and resources, so I could deliver the best evidence-based medicine to my patients. That’s how training in the United States became my next dream.

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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.

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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 Clinical Training Experience, My StoryTags , , , ,

A Second Chance at Life

By Dr. Ram Prakash Thirugnanasambandam

“Is it true that my entire immune system will be gone?” the patient asked.

“Yes, it is true,” the attending said. “But we will be there throughout the process with you and make sure we fight off every possible infection we find.”

I was on an adult bone marrow (stem cell) transplant elective at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), and yet again, I was witnessing the sort of conversation most of the MSK patients had with the team every single day.

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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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