I grew up in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, thousands of miles away in the Middle East. I went to high school with a dream that I would become a petroleum engineer. I never thought that I would be a physician; I was scared from seeing blood, and I was afraid to touch a patient. When I graduated from high school, I applied to the best scholarship program in the country, and I got accepted to study petroleum engineering abroad. At the same time, I applied to King Abdulaziz University College of Medicine in Saudi Arabia, because it is one of the best schools in the country. I applied, not because I was forced to do so by my family, but I did it to prove that I could be a doctor, although at that time I didn’t want to be one…(read more )
Name: Dr. Wail Yar
Home Country: Saudi Arabia
Training Site: Cleveland Clinic, Ohio
Specialty: Sleep Medicine
Journeys in Medicine Blog Post: Engineering Medicine Inside Out
Home Country: Saudi Arabia
Training Site: Cleveland Clinic, Ohio
Specialty: Sleep Medicine
Journeys in Medicine Blog Post: Engineering Medicine Inside Out
“Five years ago, I decided to come to the U.S. to get a better learning experience and high-quality training. During these years I realized that what makes education and training in the U.S. unique is the diversity and inclusions within the community. Accepting your colleagues when you know that they came from a different country, culture, language, and beliefs, is what makes this country’s social fabric outstanding and exceptional.”
— Dr. Wail Yar
International medical graduates account for about one quarter of all physicians in graduate medical education in the United States. Within that cohort there are more than 12,500 foreign national physicians, sponsored by ECFMG on the J-1 visa, providing critical health care services and cultural diversity. ECFMG is designated by the U.S. Department of State as the sole BridgeUSA sponsor for J-1 exchange visitor physicians enrolled in accredited programs of graduate medical education or training. During the COVID-19 pandemic, J-1 physicians have played a vital role on health care teams that are stretched to the limit.
