IMGRoadmap Series #92 Dr. Deborah Makinde (Internal Medicine)
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Have you faced failure along your medical journey and you’re worried about your future? Dr. Deborah Makinde’s story will definitely prove to you that any roadblock can be overcome, to land yourself the residency position of your dreams. Keep listening to find out more!
Nigerian-born Dr. Makinde moved to the US as a teenager and attended medical school at St. George’s University in Grenada.
After her graduation in 2020, She decided to apply to 150 programs for the 2020/2021 match cycle where she scored 4 interviews, but unfortunately, she went unmatched.
During the 2020/2021 application period, she highlighted the following roadblocks:
She failed the CS exam, but ended up taking the OET exam thereafter.
She could not get ECFMG certified until the following year.
Dr. Makinde then decided to take a gap year and reapplied in for the 2022 match cycle, scoring her over 11 interviews and a place on a few waitlists. She has since matched and is now about to be a resident in internal medicine. When asked what she changed about her application the second time around, she highlighted the following steps she took:
Applied through SOAP. Tried to achieve a preliminary position, but did not get through.
Applied to 250 programs instead of her initial 150 though she does not believe that it made a huge difference.
Developed an application packet that was better and that had a theme to it.
Wrote personalized statements customized to the prospective programs.
Wrote Step 3 and passed.
Contacted the programs she didn’t get into asking for feedback, which she applied during her second application.
And so, Dr. Makinde hopes to inspire you, who may be coping with one failure or another to:
Let yourself grieve.
Never see yourself personally as a failure.
Always visualize yourself at a hospital with the career of your dreams.
Keep yourself together, though it may be hard.
Get involved in the community through volunteering and outreaching.
Remember that you are stronger than your problems and your challenges.
Trust the process, as this is your waiting period.
You can reach out to Dr. Makinde via her email (tmakinde1@gmail.com) and her Instagram @toyin_20
You can also listen to the full episode on Apple, Spotify & Google Podcasts.