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The IMG Roadmap PodcastAuthor: Dr. Nina Lum
The IMG Roadmap is the only podcast dedicated to guiding International Medical Graduates (IMGs) with success blueprints for this unique pathway. This podcast offers practical tools and equips IMGs with applicable strategies to achieve their US doctor goals. I do so by bringing information from successful physicians with first hand experience to students who are still in the process of becoming resident physicians. Language: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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146. “Old” IMG, New Match: How a 10-Year Gap Didn’t End Dr. Damien-ange Sighaka’s Dream (IMG Roadmap Series #127)
Episode 145
Sunday, 25 January, 2026
Quick pause!Want to stay inspired with content tailored specifically to IMG’s looking to create their medical success story? Sign up for the IMG Roadmap Newsletter so you never miss a beat!*****This episode is for the IMG who’s been told—explicitly or implicitly—that too much time has passed.In this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Damien-ange Sighaka, a Cameroonian IMG who graduated medical school in 2013 and didn’t start U.S. residency until 2023—a full 10 years later.Often labeled an “old IMG,” Dr. Sighaka shares how he navigated:A decade-long gapMultiple medical school transfers across countriesECFMG delaysUSMLEs years after graduationWorking as a registered nurse while waitingAnd still matching into Internal Medicine residency at the very hospital where he worked as a nurseThis episode challenges everything IMGs are told about age, gaps, timelines, and what’s “realistic.”In this episode, we cover:What it really means to be labeled an “old IMG”How long gaps actually happen (and why they’re not always red flags)How ECFMG verification delays can derail timelinesWhy Dr. Sighaka chose nursing—and how it helped his applicationHow to stay clinically relevant while working another jobStrategic networking when you’re not a “traditional” applicantHow to approach observerships, research, and LORs with a long gapWhy mindset—not luck—was the turning pointWhat he would do differently if starting todayKey takeaways for IMGs with gaps:You cannot change the past—but you can control what you do nextBeing employed is not a failure—it can be a strategic advantageLong gaps require clarity, structure, and visibility, not hidingMindset determines whether gaps become anchors or leverageGuest InfoDr. Damien-ange SighakaCameroonian IMGMedical school graduation: 2013PGY-3 Internal Medicine residentIndiana University Health Ball Memorial Hospital (Muncie, Indiana)Contact Dr. Sighaka:sighange@yahoo.frResources MentionedFree 2026 IMG Roadmap PlannerPlan your year month-by-month with clarity:https://drninalum.com/calendarIMG Roadmap Program Waitlisthttps://drninalum.com/waitlist******Interested in writing your own medical success story? We've got you covered. Here's how you can join the IMG Roadmap Community Today: - for IMG-related questions: drlum@imgroadmap.com- for course-related questions: admin@imgroadmap.com*****Follow us on Instagram for supportive content and download our targeted planner from our website!Subscribe to our podcast and newsletter and consider joining our program to kick start your IMG journey.As always you can click on the following links to listen to more episodes of our podcasts on Apple podcasts, Youtube Music and Spotify.
