Episoder
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After almost 80 episodes and 2 years of Podcasting production, I am sorry to say goodbye for now! - Life demands and family-related expectations have led me to make the decision to put an end to the FMG-IMG Podcast. As you can imagine, this requires quite a bit of effort and dedication time to be put together. Not only content preparation, guest invitations, editing, and publishing takes quite a bit of effort. Current professional demands and life commitments have led to a steep decline in the frequency of productions, and I made the decision as of last month that for now, I will be taking a hiatus at this line of communication.
I hope you have enjoyed it very much and I thank you for reaching out to me for consulting, advice and mentorship. Your comments and feedback have been nothing but kind and I am truly grateful for your listening and being a fantastic audience.
Life will get us together again, and I will look forward to sharing other projects with you as soon as life gives me another opportunity, for now, I am putting away the Mic, and storing all the production gadgets.
Thanks again for all the support over the last 2 years, I will keep you posted as things evolve and the new projects mature.
Happy end of 2021!
Best,
Dr. Alonso Osorio.
www.OsorioMD.com
Good bye!
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"IF YOU LOVE A HEALTHCARE WORKER, PRAY DAILY THAT GOD WILL RENEW THEIR PASSION, JOY, AND CONTENTMENT IN THEIR CALLING. BECAUSE WHILE THE WORLD FIGHTS OVER A SHOT, THE MEDICAL FIELD IS FIGHTING TO KEEP THEIR DESIRE TO SERVE"
And here I include the 2 statements made on social media that I have found moving and very appropriate for our current situation:
I'm vaccinated and, no, I don't know what's in it—neither this vaccine nor the ones I had as a child; or what’s in that Big Mac, that pumpkin-spice flavoring, or in hot dogs or chicken tenders; or what’s in other drugs used for other treatments … whether the treatment is for cancer, AIDS, or polyarthritis. I don't actually know what's in Ibuprofen, Tylenol, or other pain meds that almost everyone takes; I know it cures my headaches and my pain. Or what’s in cough medicine, that allergy nasal spray, insulin, or high blood pressure meds. I also don't know what's in ink for tattoos, vaping cigs, or every ingredient in my soap, shampoo, or deodorants. Likewise, I don’t know what’s in lipstick. I don’t know the long-term effect of cell phone use or whether or not that restaurant I just ate at REALLY used clean utensils, fresh foods, and whether the employees there washed their hands. In short ... There's a lot of things I don't know and never will. I know one thing: life is short, concise. And I still want to do something with my life other than just going to work every day or staying locked in my home. I still want to travel and hug people without fear and experience more of my life "before.” As a child and as an adult, I've been vaccinated for mumps, measles, rubella, polio, chickenpox, smallpox, and quite a few others (as an adult, I’ve been vaccinated for tetanus and hepatitis, and each fall, I get a flu shot that is less effective at preventing flu than the Covid vaccine is at preventing Covid-19). Yet, my parents and I trusted science and never had to suffer through or transmit any childhood diseases that used to kill children and adults. I'm vaccinated, not to please the government but: * to not die from Covid-19. * to NOT clutter a hospital bed if I get sick. * to hug my loved ones without fearing I may transmit a deadly virus to them. * to not have to do PCR or antigenic tests to go to a concert, go to a restaurant, go on holidays, and many more things to come. * to live my life. * to have my kids/grandkids go back to school and play sports—safely. * to make these days of Covid-19 become just an old memory. * to protect us—all of us. Finally, Dr. Jeffrey Dietzenbach, an Iowa Clinic general surgeon, wrote the following post last week, and his message is too good not to share. "COVID observations from a general surgeon… Full disclosure: this is my first Facebook post ever; I hope I’m doing this right! Also, I am not an expert on COVID-19 or infectious diseases. This pandemic has been long, difficult, polarizing, historical, exasperating, and confusing. I can complain about it… but not that much. I have had no loved ones or close friends who have become extremely sick or died from this virus. I personally have not contracted this virus. As a general surgeon, the only care I have had to administer to a COVID-positive patient is the occasional appendectomy or gallbladder removal. I’ve been lucky enough not to have to spend countless hours in the ICU managing ventilators and medical care. Those healthcare providers are the real heroes. However, one thing that has really perplexed me throughout this whole pandemic is the lack of humility—namely, the lack of humility when it comes to expert opinion. I like to travel. Do I get on the tarmac and inspect the plane's mechanics or discuss the flight plan with the pilot or tower? Nope. I’m not an expert in that. But, I have the humility and faith that those people are experts and will get me where I need to be safe. I like a nice yard. Do I tell my lawn care company how much nitrogen and weed control to use? Nope. I don’t have the time to devote to learn about that. I’ll leave it up to the lawn care expert. I hope I never get sued. Would I defend myself in court with a total lack of legal knowledge? Nope. I’ll leave that up to the legal experts. When my car needs to be fixed, do I tell the mechanic how to repair it? Nope. I know nothing about auto repair. Do I walk around talking about COVID-19 and vaccinations and constantly posting about it? Nope, I’m not an infectious disease doctor or a pulmonologist/critical care doctor. I get it. Frustration about closing schools and businesses, social distancing, limiting travel, using masks, etc., is understandable. However, the benefits and philosophy behind some of these things are not black and white. The thing I don’t understand is this distrust of expert healthcare providers and lack of humility. Biostatistics is not easy. True research (not just looking through Google and social media) and reviewing data, studies, and articles is not easy. Believe me, as a General Surgery Program Director; we hold six journal clubs a year reviewing the most recent surgical literature. I have the humility to know that I am not a statistician and by no means an expert in this field. You can find an “expert” on COVID-19 anywhere. Online, at work, at the dinner table, on MSN or Fox News, especially social media. I find it interesting that there are many infectious disease specialists and pulmonologists across this planet. I don’t recall any of them suggesting anything counter to the most recent accepted best practices, based on the most updated information we had at that moment in time. Yes, things change. The virus changes, data and statistics change, discoveries change, and new information emerges. One thing that doesn’t change is the expertise of scientists, infectious disease doctors, and pulmonologists. I’m a doctor, and I think I’m a pretty good one (one could even say an “expert” at surgery), but when it comes to my kids' health, I will follow my pediatrician’s recommendations. Likewise, when it comes to a vaccine, I will follow the generally accepted recommendations by the EXPERTS. And…when I start to see a brown spot on my lawn, I’m calling my lawn care guy. Ask yourself how many times you put your life at risk by humbly and faithfully putting your trust in a person. Eating at a restaurant, walking over a grate on the sidewalk, taking an Uber, or for God’s sake, going on a carnival ride at the Iowa State Fair! This doesn’t make you a “sheeple.” This happens all the time, every day. All I’m asking for is a little humility and trust, not in me or this post, but experts." These are not my words, but I felt so identified by them that it was very hard not to share with you all!!! Thanks for Listening, Alonso Osorio, M.D. -
Manglende episoder?
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EPISODE # 73
"Customer Satisfaction & Medical Care"
Today’s society increasingly demands transparency and access to information that allows for informed decision-making. The companies that created these surveys believe that by giving current and prospective patients and their families access to doctor ratings and comments, they gain additional insight into other patient interactions. As a result, they can make more informed decisions when choosing a health care provider.
These are examples of the questions, maybe not fully up to date, but will give you a hint into what you can expect on what will judge you daily (See attached Picture in the Box).
Customer Satisfaction Companies feel that access to patient satisfaction information allows the healthcare system to change policies, procedures, and communication techniques in their employees (Physicians, Nurses, Ancillary Staff, etc.) to ensure that they provide the best possible health care experience for our patients and families.
Customer Satisfaction, Verbal and non-verbal communication skills, and their implications with patient care are drastic and have implications in the work satisfaction, longevity, and even the stability of keeping your current job. Employers are even making decisions in hiring and firing, just based on the patient's perception of you and how "SATISFIED" they were with your care.
And trust me, "The customer is always right" - Sad but True. Well, guys, this is the name of the game, and as long as reimbursements percentages are based on customer satisfaction performance, these "judgment methods" won't be going away, not any time soon, at least not in my lifetime!
And don't forget to share, if you care and found it useful!
Best,
Alonso Osorio, M.D.
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Episode #72: Psychiatric Medical Clearance in the USA
As part of the emergency department (ED) evaluation of patients with psychiatric complaints, emergency physicians get asked to perform screening laboratory tests before admitting psychiatric patients, the value of which is questionable, and the evaluation of most patients presenting to the ED with a psychiatric chief complaint can be medically cleared for admission to a psychiatric facility by qualified physicians using an appropriate history and physical examination, including vital signs and an essential mental status examination.
We have proposed no need for routine medical screening laboratory tests based on current Evidenced Based Medicine (EBM) for years. Still, despite that, it has been ingrained in the institutional protocols that a certain amount of unnecessary testing must be done.
Despite the collegiate recommendations, still to this date, we do use an extensive battery of Laboratory testing (CBC, CMP, Pregnancy Test in all Women, UDS, UA, TSH, EtOH level, ASA/APAP Levels), driving up the cost of overall healthcare in America, without including other additional tests that might need to address their other chief complaints and the usage of ancillary Sonographic and Radiologic expensive workups (US / CTs / X-rays, etc.), some of them done due to fear for Medico-Legal liability or just due to protocols that have been implemented for decades that fall out of reasonable medical practice, and that to this day, remain to be part of the requirements for acceptance at long term psychiatric hospitals and mental healthcare-related facilities.
It remains a topic of enormous debate and an obvious source of financial waste. Yet, despite all this conflict, I do not see a deadline in which we can see ourselves caring for this vulnerable population anytime soon, at least to the remainder of my personal, professional medical career.
Take also into account that in the USA is not a rare occurrence to see the same patient in the ED several times a week, getting all these tests performed on them over and over, potentially contributing to morbidity, and why not, potential long term side effects, like the usage of ionizing radiation, like CTs, that has very well correlated with causing malignancies in human beings.
Having said all this, take a small dive into the topic, get acquainted and used to care and evaluate these patients in your medical wards and emergency departments thought your professional career. This topic was never taught to me as an FMG, and when I started my training in the USA, I didn't understand where this concept and process came to be!
Thanks for listening --- ONE MORE TIME !!!
Best to you all,
Your coach & mentor,
Alonso Osorio, M.D.
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Episode #71 with Chase DiMarco
www.findarotation.com
FindARotation (FAR) is a platform by medical students and physicians for medical students and physicians to connect and schedule their clinical Clerkships, Observerships, and premed shadowing experiences.
Chase DiMarco founded FAR. Chase is an M.D./Ph.D.-C, MS, and MBA-HA. He is the Founder and educator at FreeMedEd, which began in 2014 to consolidate free educational resources for his classmates. He is the host of the Medical Mnemonist podcast, Rounds to Residency podcast, Medical Ping-Pong podcast, and co-author of "Read This Before Medical School."
Chase has a passion for making studying easier for all students, bringing great educational resources to the masses, and increasing the options and availability for clinical experience in healthcare professions.
You can find his works online at ChaseDiMarco.com/media.
FAR is a platform in which medical learners and clinical preceptors find clinical rotations, schedule clinical experiences, and take control over their academic future!
FindARotation.com Provides:
*Increased autonomy
*Increased transparency
*And increased affordability!FAR is the first marketplace of its kind, allowing for crowdsourced resources for healthcare students and professionals. FAR allows for more options locally and nationally for students without the financial burden of a placement agency.
It also utilizes automated systems to decrease faculty, provider, and clinical coordinator time when it comes to clinical tasks. It aims to increase efficiency in scheduling student rotations and clerkships, finalizing documentation, and receiving payments (where necessary).
Follow Chase and FAR online @findarotation
or email [email protected] for immediate help.
He can't wait to hear from you!So, if you found it helpful, please share and comment, leave us a review, and follow me at:
OsorioMD.com / [email protected]
Thanks for Listening,
Alonso Osorio, M.D.#MEDICALEDUCATION, #INNOVATIONINMEDICALEDUCATION, #CLINICAL MEDICINE, #USCE, #EXTERNSHIPS, #OBSERVERSHIPS, #INTERNSHIPS
#IMG, #FMG, #ROTATIONS, #IMG ROTATIONS, #MEDED, #MEDTECH, #CLINICALEXPERIENCE, #CLINICAL CLERKSHIPS -
We are celebrating Episode #70 - A milestone in my podcast production efforts. Briefly, I want to send an uplifting, motivating message to all of you and each of the IMG / FMGs that have found and secured a residency training spot for GME in the USA.
After years of preparation, hard work, and dedication, you have accomplished a huge milestone—one more step in the lifelong ladder to professional success.
The internship is full of surprises, amazing moments, and constant daily discovery, as ever challenging and very intense, physically and mentally overwhelming. But do not worry, it will be another type of stress, and you must have the determination to keep growing as a physician on this career effort that will never stop.
Today is your internship... in the future, Fellowship or Attendingship. But the road, its endless, at least for the next few years, and the possibilities to explore are here for you.
Push hard, move forward, and keep dreaming!
Welcome to the American Graduate Medical Education...
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Best wishes and Good Luck,
Your coach,
Alonso Osorio, M.D.
www.OsorioMD.com
Thanks for listening!
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By now, most of the recently matched IMGs are probably already in the United States looking for a place to live and applying for all the important documents in and outside their hospitals.
You Matched, Now What?
It is a short guide to find all the high-yield information to go about relocating to the United States and settling in. It contains valuable information on the number of things you need to do before and after your residency.
In addition, it also walks you through the things that you will have to learn during your first year, like how to pay your taxes before April 15 of next year.
This guide does not focus on the medical aspect of things; it focuses instead on the essentials, the basics of personal finance, immigration, and daily life in the United States.
The book is designed to help you navigate the non-academic aspects of your new life. From getting a place to live without getting scammed, and applying for your social security number, driver’s license, and other documents to making sure that you OPT-IN for the RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS that your hospital offers.
The book will explain why this is of utmost importance and give you access to a simple but useful budget sheet to track your expenses and savings. It will point you to numerous resources that will help you throughout your residency.
Dr. Ruiz-Cordero has planned to get an easy-to-read guide to all of you soon but don’t worry, you can pre-order the eBook on Amazon now, and it will become available for purchase at the beginning of July!
Check it out on the following!
link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097CQ96VP
Also, feel free to sign up for his newsletter as he will be sending relevant info (without spamming your inbox) in this link:
https://mailchi.mp/7c5e689c124f/drrobrc
Rest assured that the best is yet to come, and feel free to reach out if you ever need help, either through me or directly to him.
Thanks again for listening!
Alonso Osorio, M.D.
www.OsorioMD.com
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We wrap it up with my personal comments about the main pitfalls to avoid while practicing medicine in the US.
My only hope is that some of you would corroborate my experiences or for the ones that have not gone through the life exposure to these situations to gather the knowledge or situational awareness to be ready on dealing with “Hot Button” situations during your medical school, residency, fellowship or current attending life as a practicing physician or provider in the USA.
Actions punishable by the State Medical Board and Local agencies Completeness of Medical Records and Delinquent Files Business ventures could break STARK LAW (Physician self-referral), the Anti-kickback statute (AKS), and the Civil Monetary Penalties Law and here is the link for further information about this complex topic: https://oig.hhs.gov/compliance/physician-education/01laws.asp Prescription of Controlled Substances State required CME for license recertification Inappropriate sexual behavior, sexual approaches, excentric stuff!. EMTALA – What are it and its implications for Emergency and Non-emergency Providers Call schedule and Responsibilities Not reviewing or reading hospital bylaws Practicing Beyond the score of your practice Avoid anything that seems to be fishy, sketchy, or just if double-guessing yourself; avoid it altogether. Racism in America / Gender Bias / SegregationThanks again & I am hoping to get back on my schedule of material production once weekly!
The consultation cycle is now open:
www.OsorioMD.com
Best!
Alonso Osorio, M.D. FACEP, FAAEM, FAAFP.
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Episode #66 is a Potpourri on my 20 years of navigating the healthcare system in the USA. Part one condenses the initial segment. It is full of juicy information that will assist the new physician in navigating life as a doctor while straying away from potentially career-ending situations.
#TroubledDoctors
#DoctorsNONOs
#MedicalMistakes
#DoctorEthics
Do you guys wonder how do I get Ideas for content?
Well, I will tell you my secret, during my commutes, from work to home or vice versa, I mostly listen to plenty of on the go "car university" Audible titles, and some of the things I have learned, I try to use them and apply them towards my medical practice and my life. Also, Some of these teachings bleed right into my podcast production project.
Since the FMG & IMG Podcast is an experiential show, my only goal is to show you how (I am not saying it is the only way or the right way!). Still, over 20 years, life and experience have taught me, either by personal mistakes, lessons, or anecdotes, which is the best pathway to choose when dealing with all the different scenarios and life situations. One day, you, like me, will encounter on your path.
For that reason, I collect my ideas, type them, write them down, purify the thought process, and come up with the bulk of my content—episode 66 is juicy, sometimes funny, but for the most part enlightening. The different topics that I wanted to touch on cannot be summarized in only one episode and will split into a couple of listens; Part 2 will be in episode 68. (Since E67 has already been publishing with Dr. Valdivia).
I apologize in advance for the production mistake and jumping around. As long as you listen, I will be delighted to know if my contributions to your life were helpful.
And please remember, if looking for coaching, mentorship, and VIP advice in your career path into the USA, I am here to help. So, email me at:
and visit www.OsorioMD.com, where more information is available. Share and distribute my content. The podcast is also available on my YT channel, and it has been extremely popular with plenty of views. Remember to like, comment, and subscribe!
https://youtu.be/STxPLMyNESs
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Deep Diving - A Brain Surgeon's Choice for Practicing Wellness!
Dr. Juan Valdivia-Valdivia returns to speak everything about Deep (sea) Diving and how this correlates with his professional career as a Brain & Spine Surgeon. Based on Tampa Bay, Dr. Valdivia found a niche in a rare and unique sport that takes Cardiopulmonary / Brain Physiology to a new level.
The human body does not know limits, and the overall body and mind preparation is required for this and many other disciplines (Not only sports but also business, relationships, etc.)
Some of the topics that we discussed are:
1. Visualization techniques and similarities for performance: Surgery vs. Freediving.
2. Self-programming or Mind-programming & how it helps in surgery (life, sports, business) and a parallel to other activities like freediving.
3. What it means to be "Present in the Here and Now."
4. How to balance life with a busy practice, a study schedule, a family life. How crucial is wellness in the process of preparation and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
5. The Brain and Water, and his opinion on evolution, neuroanatomy, and in-water physiology responses.
6. The Ocean: "The Big Mother" - an interesting concept!
7. Why humans have felt attracted to the water/ocean so much over our process of evolution.
8. Why do humans love to dive and breathe hold?
9. What's the foundation for a good physician/doctor/provider.
10. What does it mean to "Put the patient first!".
Many of you wonder why we speak about this topic. The reason behind it is the content discussed and how it could help us use strategies to increase and maximize performance during the USMLE test-taking process and ECFMG certification pathway.
Never forgetting and leaving behind yourself and your loved ones, and having a balance at work and in life. His perspective as a Neurosurgeon is interesting, and visualization and mind programming could help quite a bit with the proper test-taking preparation and eventually a good outcome and success in achieving your goals!
He shared an amazing link on YouTube that explains further this interesting and rare sport: Freediving!
https://youtu.be/TpUycK-2_lI
Enjoy, and Please share!
Do not forget to visit:
www.OsorioMD.com
Contact me at:
Thank you again for listening,
Alonso Osorio, M.D. FACEP, FAAEM, FAAFP.
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E65: "We Matched!" - A double story of success...
Listen to these 2 Colombians—two applicants, physicians that I couched. With Ferney, from the begging of his journey and with Daniela, supporting her during her 4th affair at matching.
Both have a remarkable story. For one of them, one attempt, one process, and success. For her, 4 attempts, thousands of dollars and lots of frustrations, and a whole transformation in how to take on and improve the application process. But never giving up, like her Facebook group quotes, here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=usaresidency%20match%20-%20never%20give%20up!
I hope you enjoy this happy discussion as we celebrate their matches and get exposure to the emotions and feelings of becoming a doctor in the USA.
These two pupils were successful, and you can be one of them as well! so remember, invest in your future. With some tips of advice and experience, I can help by reaching out to me and requesting my Coaching and Life Coaching consultation services to empower you and give you the skills to make it into GME in the USA. I will help you with the tools to help you find a program but understand that I cannot get you into the programs. I have no control over that, and it's 100% up to your dedication and efforts, so if interested, please click the link below.
Invest in you and your future, and talk to me! I can help, and I hope to see you succeed as my colleagues and friends Daniela & Ferney did! - So click below to get redirected.
https://www.osoriomd.com/consulting/
As most of my guests have agreed, having a consultant, it’s the way to go when you want to have a clear understanding of what it takes to be a doctor in the USA!
The certification path could be confusing and remarkably overwhelming, and a counselor could make the difference between success or failure…
With my 20 years of experience, you will get premium advice, and I will be “holding your hand” and assisting you along the way; so far, some of my followers have shadowed me and have really enjoyed the experience of working by my side.
The information that I have compiled over the years and the experience of having had practice in the USA gives me the background and strength of knowledge in directing you in the right direction, so you don’t “ get lost” and help you accomplish all your dreams and goals.
After following my website, I hope that you have gathered the understanding based on real-life experiences that every person’s journey is a different one, some smooth, some complex, but for the most part, as Colin Powell said:
“There are no secrets for success; it is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”
& “A willing mind Makes a hard journey easy,” Phillip Massinger.
For a convenient initial face-to-face Skype consultation, up to 60 minutes, please fill your application for review, a preliminary discussion, and coordinate a convenient timeframe for both of us.
And for just $199, you will get 100% of my attention, and we will carefully analyze your situation and implement strategies to move forward on this path. We will help you accomplish every dream, and I will coach you along the way.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Alonso Osorio, M.D.
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I want to congratulate all 7500+ IMGs that were Matched during the 2021 ECFMG residency application process. Its been one of the toughest years for all of us and incredibly challenging for those who put themselves through the grind.
Brighter things are coming to us soon. All we can hope for is to do our part by studying hard, building a strong resume (CV), personal statement, improving our English, and perfecting our interviewing skills by working on verbal & non-verbal communication.
And to motivate you all, I am posting Dr. Daniela Rodriguez's thank you message on her Facebook group, with her permission, and which I have found to be extremely motivating, moving, and at the same time encourages all of us on how to beat the odds.
USA Residency Match - Never Give Up! that, as of now, has 8.1K members benefiting from everyone's feedback. Feel free to join and visit her at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2629554533956743
So, for now, I will leave you with this:
At 10:58 am yesterday, I received an email from the NRMP saying, "Congratulations, you have matched!" And immediately, my hands began to shake out of joy and excitement. I couldn't believe what had just happened. Finally, after four attempts, my dream of becoming a pediatrician will come true.
Yet, looking back at the path it took to get me here, I can say that I found it filled with tough challenges and obstacles. But thanks to those challenges, I am the person that I am today. During the process, I met amazing people who were willing to lend me a hand without ever meeting face to face. Not only that, I became a better person, appreciating more and more the unconditional love my parents, siblings, and the rest of my family members have always given me. Most importantly, God's timing is perfect.
Since I started this process, it hasn't been easy at all. It became even more challenging when, after three consecutive tries, I could not match. Each time, it felt I was not going to achieve it. I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. But, at the same time, there was something that kept pushing me to keep fighting. After each defeat, I gained more strength. It was within those disappointing moments; I decided to create this group. Funny! What began as a Facebook group soon became an international family. I met people who were also going through the same difficulties as I was. Although not everyone was on the same path, what brought us together was the desire and willingness to keep fighting. I realized that I was not alone and that if you (the group) believed in me, I should believe in myself.
Today, I am writing to say "Thank you" with all my heart. But most importantly, to tell you that anything is possible and that if I could achieve what I achieved yesterday, everyone can. Never stop chasing your dreams, and don't let the negative thoughts limit you.
I also thank my parents, my friends, and everyone who was part of this process.
Never give up!
Here are some of the people she wanted to thank, and I felt It was necessary to give them valid recognition for their input to accomplish her dreams...
Andrea Cortés Fernández
Alonso Osorio, M.D.
Residency Success
Varun Agrawal Sana
Khan Zeel Bhatt
Hernán Goicochea
Rossana Romero Orozco
Arielle Richey Levine
Héctor Fauricio Pinilla
Juan P. Ruiz Juan Camilo Rodriguez Cuellar
& Thanks for listening once again, and remember, episode 65 has Dr. Rodriguez as a guest, telling us about tips and advice about her path and the emotions during March 15th that is still flowing to this day. Good luck, Doctors, and get ready for July 1st.
Stay in touch, and Remember to Download and Share!
Alonso Osorio, M.D.
www.OsorioMD.com
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The requirements for ECFMG Certification include passing examinations in the medical sciences, clinical skills, and communications skills. Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) of the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) are the exams currently administered that satisfy the medical science examination requirement.
Prior to its suspension by the USMLE program in early 2020, the former USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) exam was the exam that satisfied the clinical and communication skills requirements for ECFMG Certification.
In response to the suspension and subsequent discontinuation of Step 2 CS by the USMLE program, ECFMG|FAIMER has offered pathways to allow international medical graduates (IMGs) to meet the clinical and communication skills requirements.
ECFMG|FAIMER first offered the pathways to IMGs participating in the 2021 Match and is continuing and expanding the pathways for IMGs participating in the 2022 Match.
The pathways allow ECFMG Certification to continue to perform its critical function of providing assurance to the public and U.S. graduate medical education (GME) programs that IMGs are ready to enter supervised training.
They also allow qualified IMGs to continue to pursue ECFMG Certification and to compete for positions in U.S. GME.
In addition pathway applicants also must meet all requirements for the pathway to which they apply.
Detailed eligibility requirements and application instructions for each of the following pathways will be published as they become available.
Important Note: Applicants who failed Step 2 CS one or more times must apply through Pathway 6 regardless of whether they meet the eligibility requirements for other Pathways.
Pathway 1: Already Licensed to Practice Medicine in Another Country
Pathway 1 is intended for applicants who currently hold or have recently held a license/registration to practice medicine without supervision. Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements for Pathway 1 must apply to Pathway 1 unless they failed Step 2 CS. Pathway 2: Already Passed a Standardized Clinical Skills Exam for Medical Licensure
This pathway is intended for applicants who are not eligible for Pathway 1, but who successfully completed a secure, standardized clinical skills exam as a requirement for medical licensure or registration in a country other than the United States. Pathway 3: Medical School Accredited by Agency Recognized by World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) Pathway 4: Medical School Participates in U.S. Federal Student Loan Program or Is Accredited by an Agency that Has Received a Determination of Comparability by the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA) Pathway 5: Medical School Issues Degree Jointly with a U.S. Medical School Accredited by Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)
Pathways 3, 4, and 5 are intended for applicants who have not yet obtained a license/registration to practice medicine without supervision (Pathway 1) and who have not already passed an acceptable standardized clinical skills exam for medical licensure (Pathway 2). An applicant to Pathway 3, 4, or 5 must be a student or a recent graduate of a medical school that meets eligibility requirements established by ECFMG. Pathway 6: Evaluation of Clinical Patient Encounters by Licensed Physicians
Pathway 6 is intended for applicants who do not meet the eligibility requirements for Pathway 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 and/or have failed Step 2 CS one or more times. To meet the requirements for Pathway 6, the applicant’s clinical skills must be evaluated by licensed physicians using ECFMG’s Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX). Additional details and instructions for meeting the requirements for Pathway 6 will be provided as soon as they are available. ExceptionsECFMG will consider exceptions to certain pathway eligibility requirements for limited and specific reasons.
Application TimingThe on-line application process for Pathways 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 is expected to open in April 2021.
The on-line application process for Pathway 6 is expected to open in July 2021.
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Dr. Cyrillo Araujo is a Senior Member Radiologist at Moffitt Cancer Center, in Tampa, FL. He Trained at Universidade Federal de Goiás, Brazil, followed by a Residency training in Radiology with Board Certification at the same institution followed by a Research Fellow at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and subsequently another Fellowship in Body Imaging at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Subsequently getting certified by the American Board of Radiologist.
Through our eloquent interaction we abstract the trail of his accomplishments and dissect the crucial moments and and mentorships that determined his current professional status.
The importance of this discussion is based on the richness of information in how to overcome adversities and how to push forward and accept the challenge when an opportunity arises.
His perseverance and dedication is shown on how he jumped the hoops imposed by certifying institutions and immigrations requirements to eventually meet the dream of becoming a board certified radiologist in the USA.
His not only a physician, but also a very dedicated family man and business entrepreneur that enjoys his current cancer based practice and teaching with the residency and fellowship training programs at the University of South Florida (USF), Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa, FL.
This episode is Part 2 of 2.
Best,
Alonso Osorio, M.D.
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Alternative Training Immigration and Board Certification Pathways for FMGs to become Radiologist in the USA.
Dr. Cyrillo Araujo is a Senior Member Radiologist at Moffitt Cancer Center, in Tampa, FL. He Trained at Universidade Federal de Goiás, Brazil, followed by a Residency training in Radiology with Board Certification at the same institution followed by a Research Fellow at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and subsequently another Fellowship in Body Imaging at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Subsequently getting certified by the American Board of Radiologist.
Through our eloquent interaction we abstract the trail of his accomplishments and dissect the crucial moments and and mentorships that determined his current professional status.
The importance of this discussion is based on the richness of information in how to overcome adversities and how to push forward and accept the challenge when an opportunity arises.
His perseverance and dedication is shown on how he jumped the hoops imposed by certifying institutions and immigrations requirements to eventually meet the dream of becoming a board certified radiologist in the USA.
His not only a physician, but also a very dedicated family man and business entrepreneur that enjoys his current cancer based practice and teaching with the residency and fellowship training programs at the University of South Florida (USF), Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa, FL.
This episode is Part 1 of 2 with our phenomenal guest, so be in the look out for the next download that will enlighten all of us in finding the way to make "Dedication to Meet the Opportunity" to eventually Succeed.
Enjoy this Amazing Juicy show!
Best,
Alonso Osorio, M.D.
Show fewer education -
Angela Aboutalib, MD
National Director of Quality for US Acute Care Solutions / Integrated Acute Care.
Medical School:
St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine
West Bay, Cayman Islands
Residency:
Internal Medicine West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, IL
Dr. Aboutalib has been practicing as a hospitalist and teaching attending physicians for the past few years. She earned her medical degree at St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine in Grand Cayman and completed her residency at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, IL.
Dr. Aboutalib is a member of the Leading Physicians of the World. In 2014, that group presented her with the Top Internist in Chicago award. She is also a member of the American College of Physicians & Outside of the hospital, she enjoys various hobbies, including yoga, Pilates, traveling the world, and baking.
A dynamic conversation about her multicultural and overseas medical school attendance will eventually, after perseverance, accomplish her dream of becoming a physician in the US. Her IMG story is one of many in which, despite the road limitations and life intricacies, she overcame and got ahead professionally and became a successful internist specializing in Hospital Medicine.
We discuss the amazing option for an FMG / IMG on what is to become a Hospital as a long-term career path. In general, the USA has a significant shortage of doctors specializing in Hospital Medicine.
Companies like hers are always on the lookout for motivated physicians with the desire to explore a pathway in this specialty.
Hospital Medicine could become a fantastic option for Family Medicine Specialists, Internists, and Pediatricians alike, which allows an advantageous and flexible career choice, especially for women who also want to pursue a life as mothers in their household while having a structured, predictable work practice.
Enjoy our episode together; it is an amazing story to be heard!
Thanks again, and don't forget to share!
Best of all,
Your coach and mentor,
Alonso Osorio, M.D.
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E59: Medical Recruiting Essentials for FMGs with Mr. Darrin Grella. Finding the Dream Job Post Residency?
Medical Recruitment in the USA
Mr. Darrin Grella is Vice President, Clinical Recruiting at US Acute Care Solutions based out of Akron, Ohio, United States. Darrin has nearly twenty years of recruiting and marketing experience as a top performer in the recruiting industry, both as a third-party and a global executive recruiter across various sectors. Darrin is passionate about people, seeing them achieve their goals and ultimately helping them grow more than just professionally.
Darrin joined the legacy EMP in 2010 and currently serves as the Vice President of Clinical Recruiting for USACS. Before joining, Darrin owned his contingency recruiting firm focusing on medical, marketing, and other professionals.
His background includes healthcare, emergency medicine, engineering, technology, and marketing for some of today's Fortune 100 companies. He is a certified career coach, interview consultant, and author. In 2009 he published "The 10 Key Interviewing techniques," which was the outcome of his career consulting series for business schools in the Big10 network and other colleges and universities. Though he attended the University of Cincinnati, he ultimately graduated from Malone College with a BA in Business Management & Marketing and an AS in Spanish.
The interview is a strong interaction to expose physician and medical provider recruitment in the USA. As Foreign Medical Graduates Make it into America, we struggle to establish a network of connections early on. We do not focus on the job search task until very later on in the training path, sometimes rushing into making life-changing decisions that will crucially impact the first years of independent practice as an attending physician.
Throughout my career, I did personally get acquainted with the relationship between physician and recruiter. If guided in the right way, this one could be a fruitful one that will open a world of potential opportunities that, if balanced and considered the proper way, could lead to the right decision when looking for that "ideal dream job" that we all strive to find.
I hope this opens your mind to some other considerations that become crucial as you move along the educational journey. This one is an episode so juicy that I know it's going to elicit many great comments and interactions. Whatever your specialty becomes, there is always a team of recruiters willing to help you find the job you are looking for. Do your research. Search well and follow your heart! Good luck in this path. Interviewing will never stop. Stay in touch and remain curious,
Best,
Alonso Osorio, M.D.
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The Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) test of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) has been discontinued. The two organizations that sponsor the exam, the FSMB, and NBME, announced last Tuesday, January 26th, 2021.
Step 2 CS has been an all-day exam and typically requires test-takers to gather clinical information, perform physical exams, and communicate with colleagues about a set of standardized patients.
The test was aimed to evaluate interpersonal and communication skills in a clinical setting, as opposed to a multiple-choice exam.
But critics of Step 2 CS say it's too expensive and time-consuming, often posing unnecessary medical students' barriers.
Following Step 2 CS's postponement last May of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) stated that part of the test will now be discontinued permanently.
Initially, the organizations planned to suspend Step 2 CS for 12 to 18 months to bring back a modified and improved version. But "after reviewing current and anticipated progress with the exam and in consideration of the rapidly evolving medical education, practice, and technology landscapes," the organizations said that the exam step would be terminated.
"We have no plans to bring back Step 2 CS, but we intend to take this opportunity to focus on working with our colleagues in medical education and at the state medical boards to determine innovative ways to assess clinical skills," the USMLE statement said.
Initially, the organizations planned to suspend Step 2 CS for 12 to 18 months to bring back a modified and improved version.
But "after reviewing current and anticipated progress with the exam and in consideration of the rapidly evolving medical education, practice, and technology landscapes," the organizations said that the exam step would be terminated.
"We have no plans to bring back Step 2 CS, but we intend to take this opportunity to focus on working with our colleagues in medical education and at the state medical boards to determine innovative ways to assess clinical skills".
Despite Step 2 CS's cancellation, clinical reasoning and communication will continue to be assessed in other steps, including computer simulations in Step 3 and bolstered content in Step 1, the organizations said.
This could be taken in a concerning way by the FMG / IMG community and is still to see what will be determined and the new process that will take place and be established to evaluate that realm of proficiencies. It could be seen as a disadvantage at this point, but my advice is not to panic and wait and see what happens once the dust settles!
See my YouTube videos on this topic here:
English Version:
https://youtu.be/oWcVbdglsWE
Spanish Version:
https://youtu.be/_jibh-MVVtc
Do not forget to subscribe, share and leave a comment!
Also, sign up for notifications when the newest video or podcast gets published.
Good bye for now,
Alonso Osorio, M.D.
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E57: Santiago Acosta Quiroga
How you must study to obtain a USMLE Score
on both Step 1 & 2 in the 99th Percentile!
Santiago Quiroga is a Foreign Medical Graduate from Colombia – currently going through his internship at Fundación Cardio-Infantil, Colombia. He attended Medical School at one of the most relevant if not the best Medical School in Colombia: Colegio Mayor Nuestra Senora del Rosario.
Despite the limitations that COVID-19 has imposed on IMG/FMGs to set up rotations outside of the country, he has found a way to strategize and plan his future.
After extensive research and after collecting the necessary evidence to launch himself into this endeavor, he has proven that there is “NO MAGIC SAUCE or SPECIAL SECRET” to score in the 98-99th percentiles of the USMLE test, in both Steps 1 & 2.
The Key: Studying with a purpose, ongoing deliberate practice, perseverance, hard work, and dedication. Yes, you read it, 98TH and 99th Percentile for each of those tests.
We discuss the method that he used and implemented to break the barriers at test-taking. He also proved himself that his English was good enough and proficient to launch his own YouTube channel – at Santiago AQ. The link for his channels are here below:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA0bsdADDU6SZLPoCTwpQVQ
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCGcDXaTo6970DZn9mwUXhw
Instagram: @Santiago.aq
Please follow him, like his channel, and do not forget to subscribe!
Wishing you a happy 2021,
Good Bye for now,
Alonso Osorio, M.D.
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Episode 56: FMG & IMG Podcast 1st Anniversary!
Dr. Aaron Osborne, M.D. Ph.D. "The Real Dr. OZ"
Thanks to everyone for supporting my project!
A dream that I had for the last four years finally became true on December 29th of 2020.
So, 56 Episodes later, and more than 20,000 downloads across the planet (65 countries) in every continent, has helped many International Medical Graduates aim for their dreams, giving them the tools and advice necessary to immigrate and become physicians in the USA.
Strength comes with numbers, diffusion of information, and social media sharing is critical for our community's growth and can impact many more listeners.
We believe that an altruistic effort like this one is worth the time and money spent, knowing that probably something I have experienced and lived in the U.S. will be useful to someone out there.
If you find it valuable and has helped you in one way or another, please send us a message to:
Today's episode was dedicated to our community of lay-people, the world's citizens, on evidence-based facts. We provide well-intentioned information to promote public health awareness and encourage and motivate the general public to get vaccinated as the COVID-19 immunization becomes accessible for massive utilization across the world.
As physicians, we commit to our society, and in part, we must be educators about healthy actions and habits. Vaccines have been the most critical scientific advancement that has saved the most life in humankind's history. To learn the importance and benefits of vaccinations and to trust their usage will be the most crucial action during 2021 to contain the Coronavirus pandemic.
Our Guest, Dr. Aaron Osborne, M.D., is also a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular biology from the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. He is a Board Certified, and Residency Trained Emergency Physician. With the background, scientific knowledge, and experience of working with mRNA technology, he comes to the show to have a chat and give us reliable, truthful information on what's behind the COVID-19 Vaccine engineered by Pfizer and Moderna.
This episode is a fun and interactive discussion on many topics that are creating misinformation in social media. We felt that it was necessary to intervene and provide reliable and accurate information that educates the public and breaks down the barriers to understand better and accept a massive scientific discovery that has become, thus far, the potentially most impactful way to combat this virus that has wiped millions of people across the planet, and to some of us, has affected our families and may have taken away some of our most loved ones.
Merry Christmas 2020 and Happy "Corona-Free 2021"!
Please share – it would be the best Xmas present you can give to your friends and acquaintances on social media. Soon, the discussion will be available as well on our YouTube Channel.
Stay in touch for more to come next year!
Happy holidays,
Alonso Osorio, M.D. FACEP, FAAEM, FAAFP.
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