No Age Limit to Success: Journey of a US IMG Family Medicine Resident Dr. Jessica Dauphin (IMG Roadmap series #110)

What will you do when you become a resident physician? Mentor others? Give back to your home town? Sponsor your family? Whatever it is, this is your time to make this dream come true!

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Are you worried about starting your medical journey or residency because of your age? Don't be! Dr. Jessica Dauphin, a US IMG and family medicine resident, is here to prove that age is just a number when it comes to success.

Background of Dr. Dauphin: Dr. Jessica Dauphin is an American citizen who graduated from the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara in Mexico in 2015. Despite being in her late twenties and considered an "older" applicant, she faced rejections from US medical schools. However, her passion for medicine and the opportunity to gain US clinical experience, led her to pursue her studies at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara. She was able to make lifelong memories while learning a foreign language and immersing herself in a different culture. Her ultimate goal was to return to the US and serve her community.

Medical School Curriculum: Dr. Dauphin completed four years of undergraduate studies and then went on to complete two years of basic sciences at medical school, taught in English. The next two years were dedicated to clinical studies, taught in Spanish, followed by an internship year, which could be done in either Mexico or the US. Today, she is a PGY1 in family medicine at the Medical Memorial Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Match Story Highlights: Dr. Dauphin's journey was not traditional and it took her three attempts to finally match. She was persistent and put in a lot of effort to become a better applicant each year. In her first year, she applied to 130 programs using matcharesident.com and word of mouth recommendations, but unfortunately, did not match. However, she used this opportunity to learn more about the match process and took Step 3 the following year to increase her marketability. She also did shadowing and subinternships at facilities where she felt she had a good chance. In her second year, she received two interviews, one of which was a repeat from the previous year. With limited funds, she worked hard to become a more appealing candidate and improve her networking skills. The third time was a charm for Dr. Dauphin as she scored three interviews, two of which were repeats, and ultimately matched at one of the programs she interviewed with the first time.

Does Step 3 Help? As an IMG, taking Step 3 can demonstrate your ability to pass the boards and be a successful physician, which can alleviate any concerns that programs may have. It also shows them that you won't have to take time off during residency for Step 3 preparation and can deliver high-quality work.

Feeling as a Resident: Dr. Dauphin feels grateful and proud to be living her dream despite being older than most of her colleagues.

Get in Touch with Dr. Dauphin: If you're facing a similar situation, you can connect with Dr. Dauphin at Jessica_dauphin@yahoo.com for advice and tips. You can also visit my website for further guidance.

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