What does it really take to match into a medical fellowship as an IMG?

In this episode of Med School Minutes, we sit down with Dr. Brandon Gordon, Saint James School of Medicine alumnus and Pulmonary & Critical Care fellow at the University of Florida Jacksonville, to discuss the journey from medical school to residency, chief residency, and fellowship.

Dr. Gordon shares what he learned navigating the fellowship application process, including why connections matter, how research and quality improvement projects can strengthen your application, and what fellowship programs are really looking for during interviews.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How fellowship applications differ from residency
• The importance of research, case reports, and QI projects
• How networking can help you land fellowship interviews
• Why social media can be a valuable networking tool
• Whether becoming a chief resident can improve your chances
• What fellowship interviews are really evaluating
• Fellowship and visa considerations for international graduates
• Why physicians choose to subspecialize

Whether you're currently in medical school, preparing for residency, or already thinking about your next step after residency, this episode offers practical insight into what it takes to pursue fellowship training as an IMG.

🎙️ Guest: Dr. Brandon Gordon
Saint James School of Medicine alumnus
Pulmonary & Critical Care Fellow, University of Florida Jacksonville

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#MedicalFellowship #IMG #InternationalMedicalGraduate #MedicalResidency #SaintJamesSchoolofMedicine #MedSchoolMinutes

👑 What do international beauty pageants and medical school have in common? More than you might think.

In this episode of Med School Minutes, Monica Aguilar shares her remarkable journey from competing on some of the world's biggest pageant stages to becoming one of the top students in her medical school class.

Monica discusses what it really takes to compete internationally, the misconceptions surrounding pageantry, and how years of discipline, resilience, and hard work prepared her for the demands of medical school. She also reflects on balancing ambition with purpose, breaking stereotypes, and why she ultimately chose a career in medicine.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• What international pageants are really like behind the scenes
• The biggest misconceptions about beauty queens
• How pageantry helped prepare Monica for medical school
• Why discipline matters more than talent
• Advice for aspiring medical students
• Why there is no single path to becoming a physician

Whether you're considering medical school, curious about the world of international pageantry, or looking for inspiration to pursue an unconventional path, this conversation is for you.

Learn more about Saint James School of Medicine: https://www.sjsm.org

🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations with physicians, students, and medical education experts.

00:00 Introduction
00:30 Meet Monica Aguilar
02:20 Breaking Beauty Queen Stereotypes
06:18 The Reality of International Pageants
13:08 Choosing Medicine
14:23 How Pageantry Prepared Her for Medical School
18:14 Monica's Future in Medicine
23:07 Changing the Image of Beauty Queens
26:23 Does Medicine Have an Image Problem?
33:49 Rapid Fire Questions
36:20 Final Thoughts

#MedicalSchool #FutureDoctor #MedSchoolMinutes #Medicine #CaribbeanMedicalSchool #MedicalStudent #WomenInMedicine #Pageantry #MissIntercontinental #MissSupranational #FuturePhysician #SJSM

What does it take to become a doctor at 73 years old?

In this inspiring episode of Med School Minutes, host Kaushik Guha sits down with Dr. Dawn Zuidgeest Craft, a Saint James School of Medicine graduate who recently matched into a Family Medicine residency at the age of 73.

After decades of service as a neonatal nurse practitioner, educator, and professor, Dr. Dawn made the extraordinary decision to return to school and pursue her MD. She shares the experiences that shaped her career, the challenges of medical school later in life, and why her passion for learning and serving others never faded.

This conversation explores:
• Why Dr. Dawn chose to attend medical school after an accomplished healthcare career
• The value of lifelong learning and curiosity
• Lessons from decades of patient care and teaching
• Medical education, mentorship, and healthcare workforce development
• Advice for non-traditional medical students
• Matching into residency and what's next in her journey

Whether you're a future physician, a healthcare professional considering a new path, or someone pursuing a goal others might consider impossible, Dr. Dawn's story is a powerful reminder that it's never too late to follow your purpose.

🎓 Learn more about Saint James School of Medicine:
https://www.sjsm.org

🎙️ Subscribe for more Med School Minutes episodes featuring physicians, students, residency experts, and healthcare leaders.

00:00 Introduction
01:08 Meet Dr. Dawn: Becoming a Doctor at 73
07:53 From Nurse Practitioner to Medical Student
11:50 Why Go to Medical School After an Entire Career?
23:57 The Future of Medical Education
32:53 Advice for Future and Non-Traditional Medical Students
43:49 Why Dr. Dawn Chose Saint James School of Medicine
50:03 Lifelong Learning, Residency, and Final Thoughts

#MedSchoolMinutes #SaintJamesSchoolOfMedicine #MedicalSchool #ResidencyMatch #FamilyMedicine #NonTraditionalStudent #FutureDoctor #MedicalEducation #CaribbeanMedicalSchool #LifelongLearning